The Queen of the Light Forest

Chapter 8

I am stuck in a fire. I look around frantic to find a way out. I am in a one-room house by the looks of it. The roof is on fire, it seems like it's made from hay. I am standing near a bed with a shelf on the other side. I see a dining table across the room, round and scuffed up like multiple dinners have been had there. The stove was not far but by the looks of it, it wasn't what started the fire. No, it wasn't, the fire was started on the outside to draw people out. This wasn't an accident someone wanted this fire to happen. I hear crying from outside and run to the door trying not to get burned. Just as I get there I see a family of Fae, they are all crouched together in a huddle looking towards a couple of Fae males.

There were four, the first one looked cocky like he was the one that started the fire and was proud to do so. He was wearing a leather jacket and some dark black pants. Half his hair was cut off the other was buzzed in a kind of zigzagging way. He turned to face his companions and said something I couldn't quite make out. His eyes are a dark shade of green and his face has sharp angles to it. The second male is shorter than the first but looks as powerful. His hair has a hint of red and is cut short to his head. There is a small strand that is braided at the back of his neck. He hits the first man on the back of his head. He has bright brown eyes, they sparkle in the fire.

The third turns and goes to the family, as he walks he seems angry or agitated. He looks like the leader. His hair was fluffy but straight and looked like a pond at midnight without the moon up. He stood like he owned the world and the grown he stood on. The fourth follows the third and they talk to the Fae family. The fourth looks like his second, his hair was a shade of brown and was long and flowing. He faces the third and I see his eyes. They are blood red, so red it looks like a river of blood. He says something to calm him down.

I don't realize it but the fire that was slowly taking over the house had gotten very close and burned my arm. I gasp and jump out of the house. I look down at my arm and see blisters starting to form, "Shit." I say and look up.

Everybody is staring at me. The guy with the zig-zag hair goes over to the family and asks, "Who is that? I thought you said it was only your family in that house. She could have died!"

I wonder how I can hear them seeing as I am very far from them. Both the redhead and the brown-haired Fae went over to calm him down but the leader just started and I swear he said something under his breath. I go to walk towards him when I feel a shooting pain in my shoulder and see a dagger sticking there and just as I go to pull it out I fall to the floor. I lay there looking at the stars and before I can pass out I see these bright green eyes with a hint of blue in them. I could stare at those eyes forever but my eyes had a different option.

My eyes close and I only see darkness.

*

I wake up with a jolt. I look around and see both Archer and Ryan sleeping, 'It must be around one am.' I think to myself. I see Mad sleeping in cat form at the end of my cot. Trying not to wake anyone I get out of bed slowly not making a sound. I grab my boots, swords, and daggers and head outside, the moon is bright like the dream and I swear I can smell fire on the wind. 'Was the dream real?' I question myself. I follow the smell weaving in and out of tents making it to the town. I make it to town and am amazed by how peaceful it is. It's never this peaceful not even in the early mornings. I make my way through the village looking at the bookstore that is normally empty but now it looks lonely. I continue walking through the town till I to the forest edge. 'Where is this coming from?' I ask, ' I'll follow it and if I go where I think I'll end up then I will fight if I don't then I live with my brothers for the rest of my life. Yes, that is what I will do.

So I set off into the forest with nothing but my weapons protecting me. Hoping for the best.

*

I am still smelling the smell. It has been just about two hours and I still haven't found where the smell is coming from. I keep walking around trees, I look up and see the moon is just now starting its descent in the same direction I am walking. Just as I look down I hear I branch snap behind me. I wip around pulling my sword out. I can't see anything besides trees, I hear another snap to my left and turn but nothing. 'They're playing with me.' I say to myself with a smirk. I get down into a crouch and wait. I keep my eyes on my surroundings and see a flash of movement. Then another one to my right. 'There is more than one or this thing is very fast. This is going to be tricky. Great.' Just as one moves I lash out. Whatever I hit was hard as a rock. I look at my sword to check for damages but there are none. Instead, there is a thick liquid coating my blade. I go to touch it but before I can I feel a knife slide across my legs leaving a long gash. "Shit," I say aloud and spin around swinging my sword and taking out a dagger in the process. As I do this I see a little creature run from my blade, so I swing my leg out and trip it. It falls flat on its face and I pouce on top of it. It's about the size of my sword. I flip it over and hold my dagger to its throat.

The small creature screamed, it wasn't a scream more like a high-pitched scream. I put my hand over its mouth and it stops. "I won't hurt you as long as you stop screaming and don't try and hurt me. Deal?" I say as I give him a look to keep it quiet.

It nods and I slowly move my hand away from his mouth, "I'm truly sorry for attacking you, I thought you were hunting me." He says in a very masculine but proper voice.

"Why would I be hunting you, You are small, have no meat, and are loud."

"Well because I am a brownie and your king thinks that we all died."He says then stops abruptly, "Should not have said that, this is bad, very bad." He tries to wiggle out of my grip but I keep him sucred.

'Browines, the things Mad was talking about.' I think to myself. "Relax I'm not going to kill you," I say and lose my grip.

"You're not?"

"No."

"Oh, I am sorry."

"Why are you sorry you did nothing wrong you were protecting yourself," I say as I let go of him and stand up. "Now that you're done trying to kill me can you tell me what direction the ocean is, I need to reach it before morning." I help him up as I ask.

"Um it's north, but why are you going that way? It's dangerous, the ocean I mean." He says as his eyes dart around warry.

"Because I need to see something," I say as I turn on my heel and start walking north. I hear footsteps follow me.

"Wwwwell is iii-ttt okay if I accompany you? My name is Coryn." Coryn starters.

"Sure," I say not wanting to talk to the person who just tried to kill me.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I truly didn't mean to hurt you. Is your leg okay?"

'Shit I forgot about that.' I say to myself stopping and sitting down on a rock by a small oak tree. "Hold on I need to check." I see that there is a lot of blood coming out of the gash. As I roll up my pant leg I curse with the pain. The wound is deep but will heal with time. "Do you have any clothes I could use?" I turn to Coryn as I press hard on the wound to stop it from bleeding.

"Yeah here." He passes me a long hancurcheif that I use and ties tightly around my leg. I stand back up and we start walking again.

We walk the rest of the way in silence till we make it to the beach which will change my life forever.