His footsteps echoed and then disappeared as he walked away from the tree.
I waited several minutes, thinking he would return soon, but he never came. Realizing something must have been wrong, I pulled on my boots and cloak. I debated on waking Heidel but thought better of it.
Outside the tree, the air had grown colder. A thin layer of frost created a glistening sheen on the ground, making the leaves crunch beneath my feet. Moonlight guided my path as I found Kull’s footprints and followed them into the forest.
What was he doing out here?
I approached a clearing and stopped, my breath coming out in puffs of white clouds.
Kull stood at the edge of the forest, and beyond him was a small clearing.
I walked toward Kull, and he turned, holding a finger to his lips, then motioned me forward. I stopped when I reached his side.
“What are you doing out here?” I whispered.
He nodded toward the far edge of the clearing. “A unicorn,” he whispered back.
I scanned the clearing but saw nothing. “Where is it?”
“There,” he pointed.
As I studied the tangle of dark trees, I focused on a slight rustling of leaves, and then I spotted it.
Unicorns were creatures of magic and power. Most stood taller than the average horse, and their muscled frames spoke of strength and an untamed wildness. Nothing about a unicorn was delicate. As the unicorn walked into the clearing, I took in its translucent horn, which spiraled from its head, pulsing with an occasional spark of blue magic. Its coat shimmered with a pearlescent glow under the moonlight, and his ears were pricked forward as he stared at us with dark, wide eyes. He stood tall, and I almost felt as though I needed to bow. I’d only been in the presence of unicorns a few times before, and each time was a moment I would always remember.
These were sacred creatures, unchanged by time or seasons, although to see one now surprised me. I’d thought for sure the unicorns’ starstone was missing, which would have transformed them into a dark species. If that were the case, then why did this unicorn look untouched?
The unicorn took a guarded step forward. “I see you both,” he said, his voice deep yet gentle. “Wult and… elf?”
“Yes,” I replied. “And half Earthlander.”
“Half Earthlander,” he said. “How unusual.”
He flicked his ear, seeming to scrutinize us both. Neither Kull nor I spoke.
“You may enter my dale,” he said, “as long as your intentions are noble.”
I noticed that Kull left Bloodbane resting against a tree as we entered the clearing. Smart move on his part, as I’m sure he wasn’t in the mood for getting rammed through by a unicorn’s horn.
“What brings you to my forest?” he asked.
I glanced at Kull before answering. I wasn’t sure what to tell the unicorn. What if he made us leave the forest? But since we were only here to help him, I decided not to mince words.
“We seek knowledge,” I answered. “We’re here to learn who has taken the fair creatures’ gemstones.”
“I am afraid I can be of no help to you. Those of my kind who remain in this forest have been in hiding for quite some time.”
“What are you hiding from?”
He shook his head. “We call it Shadow for none have seen it, but it has taken our stone.”
This confirmed it. Now we knew for sure that the stone was gone, yet we still didn’t know who took it—or why.
“If the stone is gone,” I asked, “then how do you remain in your true form?”
“We survive by not using our magic. Our wise elders warned the creatures of this forest not to use magic after the stone was taken, but there were some who disobeyed because they felt they could control the darkness in themselves. They rebelled, but the prophecy of our elders came to pass. They could not control the magic as they had thought, and so they were transformed.”
“What do these dark creatures look like?”
“We do not speak of such things. Theirs is a taint like none other, for once they knew good, and now they know only evil—which makes them exponentially evil. No, we do not speak of our lost brothers and sisters.”
“Can you at least tell me how long the stone has been missing?”
“It has been many years.”
“Years?” I asked, surprised. I turned to Kull. “The fairy stone has only been missing for a week or so.”
“Yes, meaning whoever took the stones must have taken this one first.”
“But how would this person or creature have gotten into the forest in the first place?” I asked the unicorn.
“We do not know.”
I remembered my vision of the hand in the water, but since it had been a vision, I wasn’t sure of the literal meaning. “Can you show us where the starstone was located?”
“I cannot, for even now I am in danger. However, its former resting place is not hard to find. The taint starts in the heart of the forest. Follow the trail of death, and there you will find it. There are many creatures in this forest who have been changed because of the missing starstone. That is why I must leave you. Even now, they stalk my kind. Be wary, travelers, for they will not hesitate to kill you.”
“What sort of creatures are they?” Kull asked.
“You will know them,” the unicorn said as he backed away from us. “You will know, for they follow me. I must leave now, for they are nearly upon us.” His words faded as he reentered the forest, his shimmering white coat obscured by shadow until he disappeared from sight.
I turned to Kull as he studied the forest with wary eyes.
He backed into the woods and retrieved his sword. “They’re here,” he whispered.
I scanned the woods, but saw nothing. “Where?”
He shook his head. “All around. It’s
