It wasn’t easy to haul myself around the branch, especially when my feet kept tangling with the long hem of my dress. But eventually, I managed to stand upright, hugging the bark of the thickest tree I’d ever seen.
The wildebeest snarled at us. He charged again, bursting forward with more speed than I’d thought him capable of. His flat, bulbous head ducked low and his curled horns led the way as he slammed headlong into our refuge.
My fingers dug into the bark until they ached as the tree trembled from the force of the impact. One of Oliver’s legs slipped off his branch and he flailed dangerously, waving his arms in wide circles in an effort to steady himself.
“Higher!” I yelled over the snarling beast.
We scrambled to climb the jumble of branches while the wildebeest retreated for better momentum.
“What is that thing?” Oliver yelled desperately.
My traveling boots were meant to walk long distances, but their soles had been smoothed over the last two weeks. I struggled to find footing. My fingers burned and panic seized my chest.
“A wildebeest,” I panted, clinging to the tree just as the damned creature hit it once more.
“A bloody wildebeest?” Oliver yipped. “And what will he do if he manages to knock us loose?”
I swallowed roughly. “Smash our heads with his hooves.” I dug the toe of my boot into the seams of the rough bark. “Drag us back to his lair and gnaw on us for days.”
“Dragon’s Blood, Tessana!” He briefly threw a hand up. “Did you intend to have me murdered before you set out? Or is this a spur of the moment decision?”
“Stop being dramatic.” Just as I finished speaking, the wildebeest smashed into the base of the tree once more, managing to make the immense trunk rumble and shiver.
We settled on a wide, flat branch that allowed us to sit together with our backs pressed against the trunk. The branch curved upward and created a bowl of sorts, nestling us inside. We pulled off our packs and held them tightly in front of us, hugging them to our chests and leaning against each other.
“Did you ever imagine life outside of Heprin?” I asked him.
He stared up at the still rustling branches as all sorts of creatures hurried for the safety of other trees. “Never.” His pause held weight. “I never wanted to leave Heprin. What would have been the point of imagining a life beyond it?”
“Are you angry with me, then? Mad that you were forced to accompany me?”
He shifted deeper into the cradle of the wide branch, resting his head against the ebony surface. “I’m afraid if I say no, I’ll be shaken from this tree and made the next meal of that thing down there. Ask me again in the morning. When I’m not so concerned with smashed brains.”
I couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t quite the answer I was looking for. But it wasn’t the answer I wasn’t looking for either.
As terrified as Oliver was, he fell right to sleep. Soon, his head lolled to the side and soft snores rattled in his chest. I leaned into his warmth and tried to ignore the chill sinking through my muddied cloak.
I decided to let Oliver sleep while I kept watch. There weren’t just dangerous creatures on the ground to look out for; the trees could be treacherous, too.
While we traveled through Heprin, we’d been able to camp by the roadside or find refuge with a friendly family willing to house travelers for the night.
We would have none of that now. No warm fires. No hot breakfasts before we went on our way. There would be no more comfort or care until we crossed the border into Elysia.
I calculated how long that would take. If we were still on the right track… if we could find our way out of the woods in the morning... if we survived until morning…
Weeks.
We had weeks, maybe months, of travel ahead of us.
Even then we would have to figure out how to get through the Marble Wall and survive the Diamond Mountains. And all the while, we would have to keep the crown a secret. We would have to go unnoticed until we reached the only place the crown would ever be safe. Even if I wasn’t.
The journey ahead of us seemed impossible.
A chill slipped over my spine as I peered into the darkness. Much like at the tavern we’d just fled, I felt eyes on me again. Some instinct warned to be extra careful, warned that this journey was not quite the secret I hoped it would be.
But it was useless. For all my paranoia and fear, I couldn’t see beyond my feet. The darkness of the forest was too oppressive. I blinked at the surrounding branches, but nothing made itself known. If something watched us, I hoped it was as blind as I.
Eventually even the wildebeest gave up. The tree stopped shaking from its relentless charges and it wandered away.
Quiet descended on the Blood Woods, broken only by Oliver’s gentle snores. I tipped my head back and stared at the obscurity overhead. It took several minutes before I was comfortable but eventually, I managed to relax.
Whatever dangers awaited us would have to come tomorrow. My eyes grew heavy and I closed them without meaning to. I promised myself that I would rest for just a minute…
Screeching ripped through the air. I blinked awake, confused and disoriented. A raven sat at the end of the branch we had slept on. Black wings stretched and took flight as soon as my gaze landed on it. It disappeared into the weave of red leaves and clustered branches with a single caw.
More screaming pulled my attention back to the forest floor. Someone was in trouble. Someone little. A
