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The few survivors of the Mist assert that the use of torches isn’t as needed in the cursed lands. That the moon shines bright enough to light your way. Although, they also claim that they felt watched, that the brightness of the sky gave them no place to hide when the shadows crept upon them.
Camille Ashton, Asidian historian,
year 45 of the curse
The moon was bigger here—nearly double the size it appeared within the kingdom’s borders.
There wasn’t an explanation for it, and I didn’t have the energy to care. Not as it hovered in the overcast skies like a king on a throne of ash. Though, for the first time in my life, I didn’t need a flaming torch in order to see. That was a plus in my book.
While the ice-blue wisps of fog coated the ground like a thick batch of fresh snow, they only rose to brush Starlight’s underbelly. As with all good things, I had a nagging suspicion that would soon change.
But it didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate it now.
Itwasstunning, in an eerily macabre way. Like a graveyard full of skeletal trees and electrifying blue. So far, the Mist had the quality of a dream realm—all the shades of ethereal white and blue in stark contrast to the anxious group of dark-clothed mortals that rode through it.
Still, I couldn’t shake the sense of being watched. I half expected a shadow beast to appear, to unfurl itself from the branches and wrap around us like we were prey, sucking the flesh from our bones and swallowing our screams. I shivered at the thought.
For the first time, I desired the night to whisper into my ear. To offer reassurance…or a sweet lie. Either would do. Anything was better than the eerie hush that had fallen.
Patrick rode soundlessly to my left, his suspicious eyes scanning the reedy trees and their slender branches for signs of danger. We had yet to see another living soul in this realm of nightmares and chilling reality.
Not one bird sang, and not a single forest creature scurried across the brush to catch its next meal. Even the gods’ spies, the notorious starwings, kept away, the lack of their constant twittering leaving the air too quiet. Maybe the gods didn’t want to see what occurred beyond the borders either, or maybe they were just as frightened by what they’d find.
Ahead of us rode Alec, the first in line after Isiah and Jude.
A soldier through and through, he scanned the trees, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.
As usual, Jake and Nic lagged behind everyone else, leaning over their steeds to whisper conspiratorially to one another, the two friends anything but stealthy.
Jake took a twisted pleasure in teasing Nic about absolutely anything and everything, especially if it pertained to his silken hair, tresses that I was envious of myself. I had to admit, the tall jokester was growing on me.
I understood that the friends were working to take their minds off our current surroundings, and I couldn’t fault them; the cursed lands weren’t what I expected. There was this sense that we’d entered a fairytale realm, but like most of Asidia’s legends, the monsters always appeared when the hero least expected it. And won.
Asidia needed to work on its lore. We were seriously grim people.
“We’ve been traveling for over an hour, and I’ve yet to see a single animal. It’s not normal,” Patrick warned in a low murmur. He rubbed at the back of his neck, suspicion causing his shoulders to visibly tense.
I snorted. “Nothing about this isnormal, dear Patrick. If you haven’t noticed, we are well into the Mist already. It rises every couple of hours.” Indeed, the fog was now resting just above Starlight’s belly.
Patrick grumbled something I couldn’t make out, casting his attention to the moon. He stared upon its surface, swallowing thickly.
“You never told me you knew so much about herbs and poisons.” I shot him a curious glance. Maybe Jake and Nic were right, and a little distraction couldn’t hurt. “You might say you’re lucky to have me here with you, but after what I saw in the tunnels, it seems to be the other way around.”
He blushed, and his shoulders lifted at the compliment, his eyes sparkling in the obscurity. “I wouldn’t say that. I just enjoy reading.” His lips twitched. “Especially when all of the world’s secrets are splayed across the pages for anyone to see. I could never count on people, but books…they don’t lie or betray you.”
He had a point there.
“What’s your favorite—”
Thunderous howls exploded from every direction, the forest quivering as the sounds wafted through the brittle blue leaves.
I might’ve thought them to belong to wolves, but they were much deeper, shaking my bones. Or maybe my teeth were just rattling with fear.
“What was that?” Patrick jerked in his saddle, his fingers twitching for his dagger. “That wasn’t like any wolf I’ve ever heard.”
He read my mind. “No, it sounds larger.” Much larger.
I surveyed the trees, looking for any flash of movement or the glinting of yellow eyes.
