2

The vine loosened slightly, and I took the opportunity to slip my arm out, feeling the sting of its parting embrace. The forest was eerily quiet, almost as if it were holding its breath. I picked up the pace, the pressure of my stepmother’s wrath and the coven’s expectations pushing me forward. The smells of the earth and the dew grew stronger as the sun climbed higher in the sky. The air grew warm, and the scent of the flower and herbs I’d gathered grew faint under the cloying perfume of the flowers that were just beginning to open their petals. I had to get back before the sun’s rays grew too powerful.

The forest began to lighten, the shadows of night retreating from the floor, allowing the first light of dawn to kiss the earth. The leaves of the trees looked like they were on fire as the light danced across them. I was so close, and yet, it felt like I was still a mile away. I could feel the eyes of the forest upon me, the animals watching my every move. The birds grew silent, and the rustling of the leaves grew more intense as the wind picked up.

I heard a twig snap. My heart jumped into my throat. The forest had never been this quiet before. The sudden silence was deafening. I turned in the direction of the noise, but all I saw was the gentle swaying of branches and the soft dance of leaves. It could have been nothing, a deer or a rabbit, but fear coiled in my stomach. The war between the Laraques and the Olympus was never far from anyone’s mind, and the forest had become a battleground more than once. I quickened my step, the basket of herbs and flowers banging against my leg as I ran. The light grew brighter, and the warmth grew stronger. The sun was about to rise in full, and I was still in the forest. Panic set in, and I pushed myself harder. I had to get back to the coven.

The sound of paws thudding against the earth grew louder. I didn’t dare look back, but I knew what was coming. The forest had given way to reveal a clearing, and I sprinted towards it, hoping beyond hope that it was just a figment of my imagination. But it wasn’t. The paws grew closer, and a deep, guttural growl echoed through the trees, sending chills down my spine. I could feel the hot breath on the back of my neck, and the stench of wet fur and blood filled my nose.

I tripped over an exposed root, my basket flying out of my grasp. The contents scattered everywhere, and I went sprawling, my hands skidding through the dirt. The creature was almost upon me, the vibrations of its paws sending tremors through the ground. I rolled over onto my back, ready to face whatever monstrosity had been chasing me, and saw the largest wolf I’ve ever laid eyes on. Its fur was mottled with various shades of grey, and its eyes glowed a fierce yellow. It was a Lycan, and it was not alone.

The pack had surrounded me, and their eyes bore into me, hungry and wild. I knew what they saw. Not a witch, but prey. The biggest of them all, the alpha, took a step forward, its teeth bared. The others followed his lead, their eyes never leaving me. They had caught the scent of fear, and they liked it.

I was surrounded, trapped, with nowhere to run. But I had to try. With a deep breath, I pushed myself to my feet, my hands shaking. I had one chance, one spell, one hope of escape. The words of the protection incantation flew from my lips, the power building in my palms. I had to make this count. The alpha lunged, and I threw the spell at him with every ounce of magic I had left. The world around me grew brighter, and I felt a sudden rush of warmth. And then, everything went black.

When I came to, the moon was high in the sky, and I was lying in a heap in the middle of the clearing. The Lycans were gone, the forest eerily quiet once more. I sat up, my body aching from the fall, and looked around. My basket was shredded, the contents scattered. Javaleen was going to be furious, but I couldn’t think about that now. I had to get back to the safety of the coven.

I picked myself up, brushed the dirt from my clothes, and started the trek home. Each step felt heavier than the last, my legs like lead. I stumbled through the underbrush, my thoughts racing. How had they not killed me? Why did they let me live?

The sun had reached its peak, and its rays filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. I was so focused on the path ahead, on getting back, that I didn’t notice the figure standing in the shadows until it was too late. A hand grabbed my arm, and I spun around, ready to fight. But it was not a Lycan that had found me; it was Redakai. His cold eyes studied me with a mix of anger and something else. Something I couldn’t quite place. His grip tightened, and he yanked me closer.

“What were you doing out here?” he growled, his fangs gleaming in the moolight. His touch was like ice, sending shivers down my spine.

“Gathering herbs,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “For Javaleen’s potion. I-I’m sorry. I know I’m late. I just—“

He cut me off with a sharp tug. “You should not have been out here alone. Not today. Not when the Olympus are so close.” His grip softened, and for a brief moment, I saw something in his eyes that I had never seen before: concern. But it was quickly replaced with annoyance. “You’re lucky they didn’t catch you.” His gaze raked over me, looking for any sign of injury.

I tried to pull away, but his grasp was too firm. “They chased me. But I got away. I—“

“You’re covered in dirt and smell of fear. Exactly what happened?” His voice was low, the edge of a threat in his words.

I swallowed hard. “They surrounded me. But I-I cast a protection spell, and they backed off. I don’t know why. They just left me here.”