My whole life, I've been taught that my people were created to serve the Anou. On my 18th birthday, I'm taken from my village and brought to the Stye, the Anou's stronghold, to begin my servitude. Little did I know what that entails. The Anou are cr...
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I put the spurs to my horse and fly across the field toward the forest. The shadows of darkness are descending fast, the red-orange ball of the sun barely clinging to the horizon. The cool wind picks up; nightfall will carry a frigid breath that could prove fatal to the Elowen. Running away this late in the day was the most foolish thing. If I don't get to her, hypothermia will.
As the trees surround me in a protective embrace, I pull the reins harshly. My horse slows to a halt. Dismounting, I squat down and run my fingertips over the green carpet of the small meadow.
"What do we have here?"
The ground has been trampled but not enough to break the blades of the grass, yet the tracks are too large for an animal. A barefooted person, even more foolish than the escape itself. Does the girl want to lose her toes?
With the click of my tongue, I rise to my feet and let my gaze roam. A few rays of the setting sun cut through the thick roof of the trees and cover the meadow in an ominous glow. From a distance, the screech of a bird-of-prey filters through the serene stillness and raises the hairs on my neck. I sense the aura of a strong magical presence that doesn't belong in these woods. An enemy to look out for.
I turn toward the trees. "Tell me what happened? Did you see a girl?"
Their long shadows sweep down, wrap around my conscious mind, their whispers filled with giggles. I cock my head and listen, my brows rising with incredulity.
"Really, a manure cart?"
The girl earned a point for originality.
Plus I would've paid gold to see her covered in shite.
"Where did she go?"
The shadows curl over the ground, twisting and cutting into each other in zealous rivalry to serve their master. Their trail leads me to a small hole in the underbrush. I raise my palm and the branches shrink away. Whistling for my horse to follow, I step through the dense brambles. On the other side, I almost stumble over a pile of torn clothes that were hastily discarded.
Now this is going to be interesting.
With one hand on the halter of my horse, I trudge through the woods, shuddering as a cool breeze whips through my long hair. The sky is painted in a colorful explosion of red and orange hues that slowly fade with every step. Another screech of the bird has me pause; the creature is nearby. The air sizzles with the magnetism of their power. I pull my sword. This one is worth checking out before I continue my search for the Elowen girl.
I stroke the nose of the horse. "Stay here."
The mare neighs its understanding.
Following the spark of magic growing in intensity, I approach a tall bush wall. The shrubbery disentangles its arms upon my command, allowing passage with a little bit of prompting. Almost through to the other side, the shadows of the night caution my steps. They whirl with news, their whispers an incoherent jumble. One swoop of my hand shuts them up. Hiding behind the thick shrubs, I peek through a hole, just as the Elowen girl drops to the ground.
