God of Thought and Chaos

Chapter 2

Daifa

The fastest way from her mothers cottage to her aunt's town home was the seldom used path through Granger Forest. The townspeople of Brevard avoided the surrounding forests in the belief it was where the demons and Tinsu lived, but there were a few trails leading through it made by the brave and stupid. Having met a demon, and seen the lavish way he was dressed, Daifa doubted Elves lived in the dark moss covered forest, but she could believe the nightmarish Tinsu lurked there. She'd spent more time under the forest canopy than the people of Brevard were comfortable with, and she'd seen and heard things even she couldn't explain.

However she normally enjoyed her isolated walk through the forest, and as long as she stayed on the path she was safe. Today, however, she felt a chill down her spine. The dense forest was even darker now because of the gloomy sky and downpour of rain. The overgrowth of trees made it difficult to see the winding path ahead. Several times she stopped to listen to the sounds around her, sure she'd heard someone coming up the path behind her or coming in the direction towards her, each time she looked there was no one. She was alone and as awkward and unlikely as it would be she almost wished someone would come along to help ground her wild imagination.

"Careful dear." came a cheerful female voice just over her shoulder. Daifa whipped around prepared to move out of the way with an embarrassed and relieved smile but instantly her heart immediately dropped in confusion and fear. Again there was no one there. Her heart picked up speed and for a few seconds her feet remained rooted in place as her eyes darted wildly about in search of danger.

She'd been lost in these woods for three days as a child, and she didn't dare wonder off the path. But even now hear fear whispered for her to cut west through the trees and she would make it through town faster than continuing the path north. Logically that it should work, but that was how she'd gotten lost last time. The rain and fear stuck to her skin raising the fine hairs like a cold breeze. She picked up the skirts of her dress and began to run north down the path. The faster she ran the more she could feel it chasing her its fingertips catching at the fabric of her bodice.

As she neared the end of the path that led to the town center the forest sounds began to make way for more industrial sounds, and she came to a breathless halt in relief. She made her usual detour off exiting the path to the alley behind the printers that had her emerge just behind her aunt's large, candle-lit home and to the smell of something sweet baking.

Her shoes were soaked through and the tension of her forest walk had caused her damp skin to grow cold and clammy.

"Back from visiting the fairies I see." A voice called from nearby startling her. She looked up from her ascent of the creaky back porch steps to see Alric, her Aunt's newest suitor leaning against the covered porch column. Daifa cast a wild look around making sure they were alone. Talk of fairies or magic was dangerous, and would not only affect her but her mother and aunt also. There hadn't been a witch burned in this town during her lifetime, but everyone thought of themselves as an expert witch hunter and there was zero tolerance for anyone suspected of such. When it's clear to Daifa that they are alone she turns to him with a glare..

"Relax! I'm joking!" He says and his laugh is a little too loud to be comforting. Alaric is pretty if a little strange and he was somewhere between being too old for Daifa and too young for her aunt, not that it stopped Liza at all from letting him come to call.

"Is my Aunt inside?" Daifa asks warily as he continues to smile and awkwardly stare at her.

She can smell fresh bread and vegetables coming from the kitchen, but there are no familiar sounds of Jessie banging around in the kitchen.