My eyes shift to the side and back forward again. There is an apprehension in me to speak with Willem, but I don’t know why. I glance back at Briar who quickly lowers her gaze away. “They know. But they are confused. It is over, let’s move forward.”
I pull ahead of Willem, leaving him in his thoughts. We come to a stop a few miles into Yolnheim, but the path ahead is blocked. Felled trees litter the ground. My strength still isn’t at full capacity, so moving them with magic is out of the question. “Willem, what other paths are on the map?”
Willem pulls the map from his satchel and opens it up. “Three. One takes us to the mountains, the other two take us further into the forest. They’ll add another four days to our journey.”
All signs point toward the mountains, so that’s exactly where we won’t go. Far too many strange incidents have happened for me to think it’s a coincidence. Something wants us in the mountains and Briar and Willem are too impatient to see it. “We take the eastern path, it’ll take us around the mountains and toward Zculth.”
“That’ll put us in Navarre territory. They may be lesser demons, but they hunger for mortals almost as much as the Nephilim.” Willem dismounts and crouches upon one of the fallen trees. His eyes are filled with doubt, but I don’t care. It’s my decision.
I see Briar’s shoulders slump and the slight tremor that courses through her body. “I read about Yolnheim and Zculth, none of the texts mention Navarre. What are they?”
I don’t want to tell her, but she is a rider in this voyage and needs to be prepared. “Ugly, horned demons that travel in large hordes. If you come across one, there’s likely to be at least a dozen more lying in wait. We’ve fought them in the past. They aren’t very strong, but their numbers give them an advantage. We’ll most likely have to fight our way through-”
“Is the mountain path safer?” Briar cuts me off and turns to face Willem. He doesn’t answer. Instead, he looks to me.
I pull my horse up beside Briar and grip her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze. “You may not trust me at the moment, Briar, but I’m trying to keep you alive. We have a better chance at making it through Yolnheim than we do fighting off what lives in the mountains.”
Her eyes dart around and I want to jump from my saddle and slam my fist into Willem’s teeth for mentioning the Nephilim. She breathes deeply, nuzzling into the palm of my hand like a touch starved kitten. Blue begins to seep into the edges of her irises. I pull my hand away and turn towards the east.
We head out, Willem quietly grumbling. Briar’s eyes are alert, scanning all around her, jumping at almost every sound. The path narrows the closer we get to the heart of the forest and we’re forced to walk along the uneven passage with our horses in tow. As we reach the breakaway into the more open areas, we return to our steed’s backs but move slow and with caution. The horses are fast but I am faster on my feet. Briar may not be.
Light breaks through the canopy, reflecting off the golden leaves. Briar gasps as beams of luminescence refract in a rainbow of colors. She slowly dismounts her horse and reaches out a pale hand with a stunning grin. I notice then that faint dimples wink at me from beneath her cowl. Willem huffs and leaves to scout the path ahead. I watch her as I climb down, throwing the reins over the saddle. My feet carry me over to her and I place a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathes. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Come. I want to teach you something.” I tie off our horses at the clearing and take Briar’s hand in my own.
She flexes her fingers slightly, but I don’t release her. We walk a few paces from the path and I bring her to an overhang. Below us, the forest stretches on for miles. In the distance is Zculth, a land of barren stone and ash.
Only the most diligent travelers dare to cross those hissing wastelands. “If you’re ever alone out here, never hide in the shadows.”
Her head whips toward mine, a look of fear on her face. “What?”
My lips tighten, and I nod back toward Willem who stays squatted with the horses. I lower my voice just a bit. “I saw you sneaking up on Willem. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you or why there’s so much animosity, but I saw you creeping through the shadows like a thief in the night. Not only does it not suit you, but it’ll get you killed.”
She stares at me for a moment, searching my gaze for something, but what I don’t know. Taking in a deep breath, she glances back toward Willem and then turns, crossing her arms over her chest. Looking out over the expanse of the forest, I can feel her fear whipping wildly inside of her.
“Then where should I hide?” she whispers.
“In the light. The creatures of the underworld are drawn to the shadows naturally. If you stay in the light, it can keep you safe. In some cases, it might even save your life. There are things out here that can’t tolerate it. It burns them or reminds them of the things they suffered in life.” My eyes roam the vast landscape of vibrant colors.
She is silent for several moments and then turns to me, an adorable bravery in her shoulders. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you’re right, Briar. You might have to save yourself sometimes.”
She chews thoughtfully on her bottom lip, turning back to the overlook. “I didn’t mean to offend you when I said that. But lying would have been a greater offense, I think.”
My lip
