Blood & Bone [Book Three of The City of Eternity Series] [✔]

3.19: Foe

The branches below my boots crunched as I trampled my way through the woods, far from The Grove and without a clear direction - all I knew, was eventually I would end up in Central, and eventually, I would either find my wife alive and well or be left in an even more derelict life. The shards of my sanity were hanging by slivers and threads, the blade of confirmation would easily shred. I needed to get away from the noise, the thundering footsteps of fleeing werewolves, and the smell of blood drifting from the bodies of both friend and foe.

I hurriedly, but cautiously make my way to Central, ducking into the cover of the trees and away from the prying eyes of the cloaked figures. The compact forest stood silent, the overgrown trees reaching towards the sky, gnarled and twisted and shrouding the forest floor with darkness. The heavy air surrounding me was only penetrated by the broken hoot of passing owls and the rustling of hidden creatures. Its only saving grace was usually the unmissable scent of pine and dirt that the breeze whispered through the leaves. However, at this moment, a disconcerting smell was beginning to take hold once again. A subtle, faintly metallic tang infiltrated my senses causing my steps to falter.

My heart pounded as I ventured deeper into the undergrowth, anxiety gnawing at me, fueled by the unease seeping through my veins. The undergrowth is a labyrinth of vines and roots that seem to sliver out from the dirt and try to latch on and ensnare you. Sunlight filters in through the canopy of branches and leaves, lightening the area just enough to reveal the stone-covered path ahead. Even so, I couldn't help but feel a lingering sensation of being watched, the darkness lingering behind the trees around me hiding foreboding shapes, obscured by the canopy.

As the scent grows stronger, a wide clearing emerges before me, bathed in the light of the unobstructed sun. My eyes widen as my gaze falls on a lifeless figure. A strangled gasp escapes my lips as I consider the gravity of the situation. With a few, cautious steps forward I squat down next to the pale, motionless body of Matty's wife, her throat having been brutally slit. Her torn skin was tainted by purple swirls that spread along every inch of her skin, likely caused by a poison I couldn't identify.

My hands are trembling with a mix of trepidation and grief and my eyes are clouded with sorrow, locking onto her lifeless gaze. I close my eyes gently, breathing out as calmly as I could, as I try to swallow back my tears. The forest, an impartial witness to the event, murmurs its secrets in that gentle breeze that flows towards me. I whisper an apology to the woman, but not only her, to Adalwin, who it seems sacrificed himself for a mere extra few minutes of life; those extra minutes were possibly the most excruciating this woman had ever lived.

The scent of death and destruction followed as I trudged onwards through the forest, my heart weighed down by the harrowing sights. More bodies lay scattered amidst the undergrowth, each victim bore unmistakeable signs of violence; arrows protruding through torn-up bloodied skin, knives buried deep in their hearts, and even, an occasional bullet wound - despite silver bullets being outlawed by Central many moons ago.