A Forest So Dark and Deadly

Chapter 3

The hollow, smiling face of Warden Benjamin Hycroft graces the screen as he stands at a podium, the flag for the Commonwealth of Nordekia draped on the wall behind him. His hair is styled the same way it's always been, though it's been a few years since I've last seen him and there are more gray hairs than usual.

"Good morning," he says and I startle at how loud the volume is on the TV as I sit on the edge of the couch.

From across the room, Wes rummages through a cabinet drawer before he points a remote at the TV and tries to turn it down but the batteries must be dead because it doesn't work.

"I'm here to make several announcements," he begins and I hold my breath.

Please be good news and not an execution.

"You all know my daughter, Kyra," Warden Hycroft says, "along with the fact that she has remained unmarried, but this year she decided that she would play a game with her people, to offer a prize for some."

He pauses, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as his dark eyes bore into mine, almost like he's looking directly at me as I shift uncomfortably.

"Kyra proposed a race and for the prize, her hand in marriage if the winner so chooses or riches beyond their wildest dreams, for the rest of the winner's life, they will be given a quarter of all taxes collected for the year," Hycroft announces.

My ears are buzzing as he pauses in speaking, a quarter percentage of taxes collected during the year?

I'm breathing too fast now, my heart beating in my throat as I wet my lip with my tongue and dare to sneak a peek at Wes. His arms are crossed over his chest, his gaze focused on the screen as he gnaws on the edge of his lip.

"Those who are eligible must be of a certain age, any young man between the age of twenty to thirty are eligible to sign up for this race, but you all must be wondering where this race will take you-."

Yes dammit!

My hands are firmly knotted in Zira's fur, the prospect of so much money making me forget the growing pain in my elbow.

"A fort has been built deep in the forest outside of Arcturus, to get there, any means necessary may be used except for vehicles of any kind-."

The screen changes then, showing a map of the Commonwealth of Nordekia. Our small town of Fawald is marked on there, along with the six other cities that dot our continent as a star marks the map.

"The star marks where the fort is," Hycroft continues and my stomach flips.

Sixty miles into the forest?

I had never heard of anyone going that deep into the forest in a non-armored or flying transport. The furthest I've ever gone is ten, maybe twelve and even then it wasn't a direct route through the thickest parts of the woods.

My hand trembles and Zira whines low in her throat as she paws at me.

"Invitations will be sent out to every eligible racer, the race will begin on Friday evening, racers are to report to Arcturus and present their invitation to the courthouse, there will be extra transports running on that day in order to allow plenty of time for racers to make it, in the meantime, Kyra is arriving at the fort to get settled in to wait for the winner-."

The feed cuts to a shot of a Condor-chopper hovering over a concrete-walled fortress as its blades chop through the air. After a brief moment, the bottom of the chopper opens as something is lowered from it. The camera zooms in and I realize then that it's a casket of sorts as a young woman lies on her back within it.

As they lower the glass casket, I notice that a gold rose is held in her hands.

If that rose is actual gold it could pay for four years worth of treatments.

The feed cuts back to Hycroft then as he smiles into the camera, "Good luck to the racers."