The Siege of Shadows: Book one

Comfort at the Crossroads (10)

The trees seemed endless, their twisted branches reaching for the sky like skeletal hands. I kept walking, my boots crunching against the uneven ground. Nox stayed close to my side, his ears constantly swiveling at every noise in the underbrush. He was skittish, but he was following me, and for now, that was enough.

I adjusted the strap of my pack, trying not to dwell on how little was left inside. Heading south was the only plan I had. Winlow had been the northernmost town in this kingdom—or so the villagers had told me. If I kept moving south, I'd hit another town eventually. I had to.

I glanced down at Nox. He looked terrible, his ribs sharp against his patchy fur. I couldn't let him starve.

"We'll figure it out," I said, more to fill the silence than anything else.

But there was something different in me now. Ever since I touched the carving at the bottom of that pool, I felt... alive in a way I hadn't in months. My legs didn't ache, my stomach didn't gnaw with hunger, and even the sharp pain in my shoulder—the one I'd gotten when I fell from that ridge last week—was gone.

It felt unnatural, and I didn't trust it. Whatever magic the pool held might come with a price I couldn't see yet. Still, I couldn't deny how good it felt to move without pain, to think without the haze of exhaustion clouding my mind.

The sound of rushing water caught my ear. I stopped, straining to listen. A stream. My stomach clenched, more out of instinct than hunger.

"Come on," I said, nudging Nox. He hesitated, but when I started walking, he followed.

The stream wasn't large, but the water was clear and fast-moving, tumbling over smooth stones. Kneeling at the edge, I peered into the depths. This one while not much larger than the last had something the other lacked, Tiny fish darted below the surface, their silver bodies flashing in the dim light.

Food.

My hands were steady as I slipped them into the cold water. I waited, my breath slowing, until a fish came close enough to snatch. With a quick motion, I flung it onto the bank. The thrill of success shot through me.

By the time I was done, I had enough fish for both of us. Nox watched me the whole time, his pale eyes wide and hungry.

I started a small fire on the bank, using the last bit of tinder I'd saved. As the flames took hold, I skewered the fish and held them over the heat. The smell of cooking meat filled the air, making my mouth water.

Nox crept closer, his nose twitching. I handed him the first cooked fish, and he devoured it in seconds, his tail thumping faintly against the ground.

I leaned back, letting the fire's warmth soak into my skin as I ate my share. The trees loomed around us, and the distant call of some fae creature echoed through the woods, but for the first time in days, I felt a small measure of peace.

My gaze drifted southward, toward the dark line of trees that stretched on forever. Somewhere out there was the next town, a place I hoped would have answers—or at least shelter for the winter. But my thoughts kept circling back to the pool and the strange carving at its bottom.

I didn't know what the symbol meant or why it had reacted to me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it had marked me in some way. The pool had given me strength, but for what?

I stared into the flames, absently stroking Nox's head as he rested beside me. Whatever was waiting out there, I'd face it. I didn't have a choice. For now, though, I would take what little comfort I could find.

Tomorrow, I'd keep walking. One step closer to the next town. One step closer to answers.

.............