Queen of Ice and Ruin

Chapter Six

Telos shot straight up, taken out of his slumber by the loud laughter that pierced through the otherwise silent night. Corrin, who had been sitting next to me, was now standing, looking around frantically. "Telos?" Corrin yelled above the sound of laughter.

"We need to go," came Telos's reply.

I looked at Telos and Corrin who quickly began packing the bags and readying the horses. As I watched, I sat paralyzed on the ground. Corrin came to me, and pulled me up off my bedroll by my arm. He said nothing, but gave me a stern look. Still, I found myself unable to move. The laughter was growing louder; whatever the source, it was approaching.

Finally, Telos rushed to me and grabbed my shoulder, shaking me. "Annalise, we need to move. Now."

I did not move. I simply whispered, "She's here."

"What are you-" Telos began, but stopped when she walked into view.

The woman that approached us was unlike any creature I knew of. While she looked vaguely faerie-like, there was something otherworldly about her. As she slowly walked into the clearing, her skin glowed dark green and shimmered with specks of bronze. In the dark, it was difficult to make out her features, but I could see her ears pointing out through her hair – longer points than I had seen on any other faerie so far. Her eyes glowed a dim white light, and had no other color.

What was most disturbing was her smile. Her face twisted into a sinister grin as she saw me, her fangs now visible. The sound of laughter was now unbearable, and I couldn't tell whether it was in the woods or in my mind.

She approached us – no, me – with an outstretched hand, her fingernails long and black. Before she could reach me, Telos moved to block her. "Ariath," he said with a booming voice, "what brings you to us tonight?"

The laughter stopped. An eerie silence filled the air. She spoke with a dry, raspy voice that reminded me of the sound of dead leaves crunching beneath my feet. "The girl you have returned to me," was her reply.

Corrin turned to look at me, and I back at him. She continued, "You took her from my forest. She was rightfully mine."

Telos shook his head. "She was not yet dead."

"Not dead, but dying," Ariath said. "You know not what danger you bring upon this Realm by keeping her from me." She turned to look at Corrin, and they locked eyes. "She is the prophecy incarnate."

Even in the darkness, I swore I could see Corrin pale. The prophecy incarnate. What could that possibly mean?

Ariath took another step, her hand reaching for my face. I backed away. "Who are you?" I asked.

She laughed again. "I am the soul of these woods. I am the guardian of the forest. I am the bridge between the trees and the Fae."

"Leave her," Telos demanded. "You have no claim to her."

Ariath hissed, "You stole her from me." As she spoke, the trees surrounding us grew taller, their branches stretching out, completely blocking our view of the sky. We were surrounded by pure darkness, the only source of light Ariath's glow. Telos backed up, and I put up a hand to prevent him from running into me, resting it gently on his back. I felt Corrin's hand wrap around my arm.

"She was never yours," Corrin said. "She did not die. As long as she is alive, she belongs to us. That is the agreement."

She fixed her gaze on Corrin. "Your sight is clouded. You cannot see what she is."

Telos and Corrin looked at each other. "Your riddles will not change my mind," Corrin stated. "We will handle her ourselves."

Ariath smiled, her fangs glowing white. "If only you knew. She will be mine, one way or another."