The Dark Forest Read online

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “You appeared worried when you mentioned returning Emeri’s soul stone to her,” Richard said after they’d been hiking for only a few minutes.

  Azure ground her teeth together. “Yes. She needs it.”

  “But why? I realize they’re a source of power for the witches and wizards of Virgo, but why does she suddenly need it?”

  Azure spun to face the man, who maybe in the right light resembled her slightly. Still, he infuriated her with his ignorance and incompetence. “She needs it because someone in Terran infected her with a virus!” she yelled, louder than she had meant to.

  “What? No, that could never have happened.”

  “Well, it did. After their last visit, she and her entire cabinet contracted a virus which has been robbing them of their magic. And because my mother doesn’t have her soul stone, it’s physically killing her,” Azure said. Uttering the words pinched her insides.

  “That’s impossible. If that had happened, I would have known about it, and I would have stopped it,” Richard said, his eyes suddenly nervous.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Azure screeched so loudly that her voice echoed through the forest. “You don’t seem to know half of what Phillip does. You have zero control of your government or your people. Actually, you fucking stink as a leader.”

  Richard’s mouth fell open, but nothing came out.

  “Friend of Farrah’s,” the mermaid’s voice called from the river.

  “What?” Azure snapped, frustration overwhelming her.

  “Would you please keep your voice down?” the mermaid requested.

  Azure almost said something rude, but instead she bit her lip and nodded, her eyes threatening tears. She could hardly believe how weak her father was. Facing forward again, she continued walking toward the beach.

  “Azure, you must believe that I had no idea what Phillip was doing. If I had, I would have stopped it. I never wanted anything bad to happen to Emeri, and I’m sorry,” Richard said at her back.

  Azure froze and clenched her fists at her side. She turned to Richard. “Did you ever think of standing up to your brother? He’s behind all this. The pollution, the soul stone, the virus. If you would have just stood up to him, none of this would have happened!” Her voice increased in volume on the last sentence. She suddenly couldn’t control her temper. All her fears and aggression boiled to the surface.

  She heard a splash, but kept her eyes on the man before her. He drew in a long, deep breath. “I tried, but—”

  Something in the river caught their attention just then, interrupting them. Azure spun to see a row of spikes rise from the river water, and the head of a dragon broke the surface.

  “Oh, no!” Richard stepped forward, shielding Azure from the monster. Its head was the size of their bodies, and its long black neck stretched high out of the water.

  “It’s just a dragon. I can handle this. Step back, coward,” Azure told him, her voice nearly sounding bored. She had been taught how to handle dragons, so she knew the right curse to subdue the beasts.

  Two more dragon heads then poked out of the water to join the first, flicking their tongues. Their black eyes stared hungrily, but Azure merely filled her lungs with oxygen.

  “Okay, so it’s a three-headed dragon. That’s a bit more difficult, but I’ll be all right,” she said, placing a hand on Richard’s chest to push him back where he’d be out of harm’s way.

  “They breathe fire, so you’ll probably want to run off and hide in the woods. I’ll come and find you when I’m done,” she told him, and turned back to the dragon, which had moved toward the bank.

  Azure pulled her wand from her hair, the blue curls falling to her shoulders immediately. “Hey, fucker,” she called to the three-headed dragon. “I’m guessing you’re looking for dinner, but I’ve got other plans.” She pointed her wand at the closest head, and suddenly water exploded farther up the river. Azure shrank back a step, realizing that something had soaked her. Blinking the water from her eyes, she noticed it had suddenly gotten dark. She looked up to see that the sun hadn’t actually left, but rather there was now something above her obscuring the light. The dragon, who had been a safe distance away, stood arching its back above her, all nine of its heads looking down at them, tongues flicking from their mouths.

  “Oh, shit! Nine fucking heads!” Azure yelled, falling on her backside. She pushed herself backward, her wand in her hand.

  “Come on,” Richard said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her up. There wasn’t much room to stand and run, since the dragon heads were hovering so close. Still, she got up and sprinted away with Richard just as fire hit the ground she had just vacated.

  They veered into the forest and a head cut them off, the cold dark eyes of the beast taunting her. Oh good, it wanted to play with its food.

  Azure turned back to the river, Richard on her heels as she ran. She guessed this was the beast that was supposed to have killed everyone in the group. Well, now it would kill only them.

  Shadows from the giant heads covered the ground. Azure had no idea what the dragon was planning, but she’d still have to execute a counterattack. It would just be different than before. Pausing, she turned to Richard, who had the knife she’d given him out. Making an impromptu decision, she pointed her wand at the knife and shouted, “Uvećanje!”

  The Orc’s knife grew until it was the size and shape of a two-handed broadsword. Richard started, but produced a smile when he realized what had happened. “Good thinking,” he said, just as a shadow darkened his back.

  Azure felt something at her own back. They were cast in darkness. She peered to the right, noticing that the dragon’s heads had them blocked in. “I think we’ve been trapped,” she said, looking straight at Richard, her lips not parting as the words left her mouth.

  “Yes, which means, if we’re going to strike it should be now!” Richard yelled the last word, whipping around to face the closest dragon head.

  Azure threw her wand up and a blast of wind shot from it. All the heads were pushed in the other direction, but an instant later one of them swung back, its black eyes excited. Richard lifted the sword and brought it down, severing the head cleanly.

  A sense of victory crept into Azure’s chest, and her wand vibrated in her hand. The other eight heads shrieked as they felt the pain of losing one of their number. The neck of the severed head flailed from one side to the other, nearly crashing into Azure and Richard. He stood frozen, but Azure was suddenly hopeful. They could do this. One head down, eight to go. The headless neck rose into the air as she watched the monster, and something grew from its end. Azure blinked at the creature as two more dragon heads sprouted from the single neck.

  “Fuck my life,” Azure whispered, realizing they were utterly screwed.

  “My words exactly,” Richard said, his back to Azure’s. They wouldn’t make it far if they ran right now, but maybe that was their only option.

  Down by the river, something caught Azure’s attention. She flashed a glance in that direction, to find Tabby bobbing in the water, her hands flailing.

  “What?” Azure mouthed at the mermaid.

  The sea creature was doing something strange with her hands. She sliced her hands across her neck, like severing her own head. Then, taking her other hand, she ran it across her neck, a spark flicking from her fingers.

  “Okay, I think I know what we need to do,” Azure said, breathless, her back pressed hard into her father’s. “I’ll give you an opening. Cut off another of the heads.”

  “Azure, then we’ll be facing an eleven-headed monster,” Richard yelled, over the rancid breaths streaming down on them from the dragon’s heads.

  “Just do it,” Azure said, thrusting her wand in the direction of the beast’s body and sending another blast of wind at it. The monster reeled back, high-pitched screams ripping from the various heads. Then one of the heads sank forward, its tongue flicking as it opened its mouth to breathe fire. Richard darted
forward, raising the sword over his head and bringing it down behind that head. The Orc’s blade sliced through the dragon’s hide without any problem, but this time Azure didn’t take a moment to celebrate. Instead, she directed her wand at the neck, which had frozen momentarily in the air. Before it could start whipping back and forth, she yelled, “Pečat.”

  The bleeding neck of the dragon dropped to the ground, sealing itself as if it had been cauterized.

  “Oh,” Richard said, a few feet away. “So that’s how.”

  “Yes,” Azure said, just as the other dragon heads rose in the air, all of them screeching so loudly that they both were forced to clamp their hands to their ears. Azure kept her eyes on them, thinking they were about to attack again, but instead of another head sinking down in front of them, the dragon backed up, dragging the neck of the severed head with it. As soon as the dragon was in the river, it sank down, disappearing under the rapids.

  Azure looked for the mermaid, but didn’t find her. She’d find a way to thank Tabby later. For now she threw herself to the ground, taking a few steadying breaths as her pulse raced.

  “Good thinking on cauterizing the wound,” Richard said, putting the point of the sword on the ground and leaning on the handle.

  “I owe the tip to Tabby,” Azure said, jerking her chin at the river.

  “Yes. It appears you’ve made a few friends along the way.” Richard smiled as he stared down at her.

  She mopped the sweat off her forehead with her shirt, realizing that her hair was drenched. Maybe she’d take a dip in the ocean later. The river was definitely off limits from now on. “I guess that was the beast that would have defeated us.” A chill ran down Azure’s back at the thought of her merry crew facing that nine-headed monster.

  “I’m guessing that events did change when the group split up,” Richard said.

  “Yeah, but it’s strange. In that would-be future the five us were defeated by the dragon, but here the two of us were able to make it retreat,” Azure mused.

  “Well, it could be that we make a good team,” Richard said, picking up the sword and lifting it to rest on his shoulder.

  “I don’t know about that. I just didn’t want to die yet,” Azure said, placing her hands behind her, getting ready to push up to a standing position. That display of magic had really drained her. “But hey, good work with the sword. I wish I knew how to use a blade.”

  “It’s part of the training I received growing up. I’d be happy to teach you,” Richard said, extending his hand to her.

  Azure eyed his hand and then finally extended her own, allowing him to pull her to a standing position. “Let’s be on our way. I can’t wait to rub it in Monet’s face that we faced and defeated a nine-headed dragon.”

  “Hydra,” a voice said from the river.

  Azure turned to see Tabby bobbing in the water, a smile lighting her face.

  “What?” Azure called.

  “The dragon is called Hydra, and it looks like it worked. I’m glad. A friend of Farrah’s is a friend of mine,” the mermaid said.

  “Thank you, Tabby. Please let me know if I can return the favor. I’m Princess Azure,” she said proudly, waving at the mermaid as they continued on the path.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Monet stepped through the portal to find himself standing on a huge patch of concrete. It was marked with lines, and the same kind of vehicles he’d seen in Terran were parked in rows all over it. “Well, traveling by illegal portal sure as hell beats riding a horse,” he said, clasping his arms on his lower back and pressing his chest forward to stretch his spine. He was worried for Azure, but also knew that Gillian had probably been right. Changing the dynamics of the group had likely been the best way to keep everyone alive. He’d been struck by horror when the banshee announced they all were going to die, but he’d quickly convinced himself that they’d changed things for the better. Belief was a strong force.

  Ever cast a sideways look at him and shook his head. “Don’t be surprised if people gawk at you.”

  Monet smirked. “You must know by now that I’m used to people dropping their jaw when I walk into a room. I’m a total hottie.”

  “Not what I meant.” Ever scanned the area around them. The sun had just set, and a single moon was rising. “The people of Earth will most likely think you’re a freak with your green hair, and they’ll probably assume you’re with a band of young adults who pretend to be wizards.”

  Monet pulled the collar of his mint-green robes up proudly. “Just imagine if they found out I was the real deal.”

  “We’re not going to imagine anything like that. I’m able to open illegal portals because I keep a low profile on Earth. The last thing I need is the Silver Griffins breathing down my neck for using magic here.”

  “They sound like a bunch of uptight snails.”

  “Well, we do need to maintain order between Earth and Oriceran. There’d be chaos if magic wasn’t policed here.”

  Monet wasn’t listening anymore. He could only take so much talk about rules. They really did bore the fuck out of him. “So where have you brought me?” he asked, staring at the concrete desert.

  “This is a parking lot, but more specifically, I’ve brought you to a place for one-stop-shopping,” Ever said, turning toward a building.

  Monet pivoted on his heel to find out what the Light Elf meant. “Walmart.” He read the sign on the front of a building that was equivalent in size to the entire estate of the House of Enchanted. “Does this place have Cheetos?”

  “Yes, my simple friend. Your mind will be blown when you discover all that’s inside that store,” Ever said, striding forward.

  “I’m ready to have my mind blown.” Monet followed closely behind, his robes swaying around him.

  ***

  Monet squatted in an aisle, then took a seat on the cold white floor.

  “What are you doing?” Ever asked, checking to see if anyone was watching them. He was relieved to see that they had the chip aisle to themselves for now.

  “I’m just going to live here,” Monet said, leaning back and nestling his head on a bag full of air and potato chips.

  “They kind of frown upon aliens taking up residence in big-box stores here on Earth.”

  “Well, I’m a wizard, so squatting is in my blood. They’ll just have to get used to it.” Monet reached up to the shelf above his head and grabbed a bag with a spotted cat on it. “Flaming Hot Cheetos,” he read. Pinching the sides of the bag with his fingers, he was about to pull it open when something made the bag fly from his hands. It landed in Ever’s hand, and he had annoyed look on his face.

  “You have to pay for these first,” Ever said.

  “But how do I know if I’d like them? There are like a ton of flavors here. Crunchy, puffs, paws, cheddar jalapeno,” Monet said, rising to a standing position and pointing to the various bags.

  “I don’t make the rules, but I do ask that you follow them.”

  “I hope you’ve got money, because I’ve only got my dashing good looks and quick wit—which, by the way, I do believe should be a currency.” Monet grabbed several bags off the shelf, filling his arms.

  “Yes, I’ve got you covered. However, I think we should pick up some other kinds of food. Azure will have my head if we return with only a bunch of Cheetos.”

  “Fine, fine. Lead the way.” Monet said, tucked another bag of Cheetos under his chin, his arms now officially full.

  In the next aisle, Ever selected what Monet believed were the most boring foods in the world. Things called trail mix, beef jerky, and fruit snacks. “It’s stuff that will keep for a while, and it’s also chock-full of protein and vitamins.”

  “But lacking in flavor, me suspects,” Monet said, studying the Light Elf. He then turned and faced him straight-on. “Tell me, why exactly are you risking your tail to help Azure? I mean, opening illegal portals and breaking into the Land of Terran could get you into pretty big trouble.”

  Ever threw a box o
f granola bars into their basket, his eyes shifting to the side as he thought the question over. “I guess I sympathize with her. I was born on Oriceran, but came to Earth to discover my human side. I’m a hybrid, which means I constantly have to balance the two sides of me. For her, it’s created a division, not just with her people but also within herself. Anyway, when I was spying on you two in the forest, I recognized that divide in her.”

  “Yeah, that makes sense,” Monet said, pursing his lips and nodding. “You should share some of your struggles with her. It might help, because I suspect meeting her human father is bringing up all sorts of things for her.”

  “Be careful. That almost sounded like you were concerned for someone else’s well-being besides your own.”

  “Your pointy elf ears need to be checked,” Monet said. Of course he wanted the best for Azure. She didn’t just put up with him; it could be said that she made him a better wizard. One day, if they could make the people of Virgo see what he saw, she’d become queen and successfully lead them.

  “Come on, let’s go to the electronic department. I’m going to buy you something cool,” Ever said, taking off down the aisle.

  “I’m liking you more and more by the minute.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Azure could taste the salty ocean air before she saw the aquamarine waters in the distance. This area had what the witches and wizards of Virgo called mermaid-fin-colored waters. She didn’t realize that Richard had stopped until she’d trudged several yards through the white sand.

  Turning back, she gave him a questioning look. “What’s up?”

  He shook his head, as if shaking himself out of a fog. “Nothing. It’s just, I’ve never seen the ocean before.”

  That struck Azure as strange. In her mind the emperor of Terran was well-traveled. How had he made her mother’s acquaintance otherwise?