An Order of Death

Chapter Eleven

Was this my reward for making it through the Ivory Forest's trial? For defeating the trick it toyed me with?

Oryal was still nowhere in sight and my panic screamed inside of me with raging thoughts of what might have happened to him. For someone with his skill and prowess in battle, he should have had no trouble facing whatever the forest threw at him. Yet, the emptiness he had left behind was beginning to become a gnawing void.

I took slow, hesitant steps into the glade and an hourglass caught my attention. The object sat at the far end of the clearing and was much smaller than any other I had seen. It was carved from an elaborate dark wood and a misted glass that kept the sand inside hidden from view. Though, it sat upon a magical mechanism that turned it over and over in rapid succession, making me fear it was going to fall off the hinges. Staring at it gave me a sense of malice, like it radiated a silent warning to those who would dare tread near it.

Being here was going to take something from me.

As much as I was annoyed with the forest's antics and simply wanted to go home, I really needed the Noxol. I still needed to get back to Deathly Delights to bake the royal guard a cake with all the poisons he listed in his request. My challenge was far from over.

I crouched down next to the closest patch of flowers and retrieved the enchanted jars and gloves from my bag, being careful not to touch the fingertips or palms of the material with the other poisons it had encountered. Each jar had a golden circlet of woven stars around the seal, protecting the contents from ever spilling out.

Leaning close to the fully bloomed Noxol, the scent of burnt sugar filled my nose, just like when we had first entered the forest. I carefully plucked a petal from a flower and waited for it to turn into dust, just in case this miracle was too good to be true, but it never happened. It was real.

Working efficiently and steadily, I harvested three flowers' worth of poison and placed them carefully into the jars, making sure to seal them tightly once I was done. I didn't want to take any more in case it made the Ivory Forest angry somehow. I couldn't afford to face its wrath again.

As I packed away the Noxol, tucking it safely at the bottom of my bag, the hourglass snatched my attention once more. When I looked at it, the surroundings warped, stretching strangely, until I blinked and the distortion vanished. I had no doubt it was a powerful, ancient magic and I didn't want to mess with it.

Now what was I meant to do? Where was Oryal? I had the Noxol and I needed to return to my bakery, but I couldn't leave him behind. I had no idea where to start looking in the endless expanse of trees.

Wandering out of the glade, I had a prayer on the tip of my tongue to the gods for the forest to not plan any more deception. It had enough fun separating us, pushing illusions into our minds that weren't really there. There couldn't be anything else it had planned for us.

After walking for what felt like an age, a pale blue butterfly flew haphazardly into my path — one that had the same glow as the bounty hunter's. It didn't seem like it was headed in a certain direction, as if it was desperately searching for something. I offered my hand for it to land on, but it refused, too panicked to accept.

"Oryal?" I called to receive no response. The insect's glow was still strong, so it had to be freshly summoned. He couldn't be too far away.

I continued in the direction I was headed, my pace quickening as hope filled my heart. Another butterfly flew overhead and its twin followed close behind. Soon, a whole hoard of azure beauties hovered around me.

"Oryal!" I yelled louder, searching around trees and bushes to see if he was nearby. Where there were butterflies, a bounty hunter had to follow suit.

There, slumped underneath the trunk of a tree, was the man I had been searching for. I rushed over to his side, touching him — his skin, his clothes, his face — to make sure he was real. Oryal's eyes were firmly shut, making my worry spiral. What had happened to him? I scanned his body for any sign of injury, for any blood soaking his fighting leathers or gaping, fatal wounds, but there was nothing in sight.