Page 23 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

Walking helped with the cold. My skin still crawled with each sound around me.

Somewhere, hopefully far away, animals hissed and growled.

I kept glancing back, wondering if I’d find a set of brown eyes chasing after me.

Atlas was nowhere to be seen, though, as I kept going.

All I needed was to get out of this damn forest. It would be easier to find a town when I could actually see everything around me.

Then I just needed someone to give me directions to Donnaway.

The trees appeared farther apart the deeper I went. My breathing came easier as the sense of being trapped started to fade away. A cool breeze blew across my face as I finally broke through the last of the trees. Bubbling and splashing came from in front of me.

I slowed to a stop in front of a small creek that ran through a meadow. Reflections of the moon and stars danced across the clear water. Long blades of grass brushed against my knees as wind whistled through the small clearing.

My dried tongue licked at my lips as I looked at the water below me.

Sliding my cloak off, I set it on the ground as I kneeled on the grass.

Cold water seeped through my pants as I scooped handfuls of water into my mouth.

It was ice cold as droplets trickled down my chin.

I was breathing heavily by the time I finished, sitting fully on the wet grass.

I was in a circular clearing surrounded by large trees.

They were closely pressed together, their branches twisted and weaved together.

It was difficult to see where one started and another ended.

The weaving went all the way up to their large canopies.

It felt like I had walked into a cage. A naturally made trap.

No, more like safety.

This small break was a relief. My skin no longer felt like it was too tight across my body.

The urge to keep checking behind me was gone.

No monster could get me now. I glanced back at the wall.

There was no hole showing where I had come in at.

Did Atlas ever end up coming back for me?

How pissed was he when he couldn’t find me?

I stood; I had no idea where I was going.

I was lucky to find this place. I needed to go back.

Why does he matter?

Before I could blink, I had sat back down. No, he didn’t matter. He left me for dead. He almost killed me. If I went back now, that would be it. The end of my story.

He’ll kill you if he finds you.

I stood up again, chewing on the bottom of my lip.

He would. I knew I got lucky last time. Even now, I couldn’t see why he didn’t kill me.

It was obvious he wanted to. Just thinking about his hands closing around me had bile rising to the back of my throat.

No. I couldn’t just stand here and wait for him to find me again.

The river wound through the clearing and disappeared off to the side of me. Following it would provide a steady source of water. I could also keep going straight and hope I was close to the edge of the forest. I could find a town from there.

Go on, come to us.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

A slight throbbing took place behind my eyes as I looked around me.

A heavy feeling sunk like a weight in my stomach.

I couldn’t see much around me. The moonlight lit up the very base of the tree formed wall, but the branches blocked my view of deeper in.

Branches and leaves shook with the wind, their rubbing leaves sounded like whispers of several people.

Only it didn’t stop as the wind settled.

Something wasn’t right.

He’s almost here. Hurry.

My heart started to race. Sweat trickled down my back as panic settled in. I couldn’t understand why. I stood frozen as I tried to look past the branches. My breath caught as I saw it. Small shadows darting between the trees. Some climbed the branches as they circled me.

The moment I focused on them, the more appeared from the dark.

They were short to the ground with long fangs that gnashed at the air.

Thick drool trickled down to the grass as they moved toward me.

They looked like small bears with hunched backs.

Their movements were like a person walking on all fours toward me.

Snarls and growls echoed off the walls, making the sound louder until I was clenching my teeth against the noise.

The whispering stopped before it turned into screaming.

I let out a yell of my own as I dropped to the ground, covering my ears.

There were too many voices to make out the commands they shouted at me.

I just had to feel as my body jerked and twitched with each attempt to follow them.

One voice rang out clearly above the rest.

Come to us.

I took off running across the meadow. I could hear the beasts start chasing after me.

Nothing could stop me as I ran. Not even myself as I tried to fight against my own body.

I splashed through the water, soaking myself.

I was pulling myself out of the creek when I heard actual yelling behind me.

Even with the snarling quieting, I couldn’t turn to look at him.

I had to reach the other side of the meadow.

It was a need tugging from deep within me.

Keep going, he has swords.

My legs burned as I kept running. Each breath was ripped out of my lungs until they were on fire.

No. He had one sword across his back. There was a dagger strapped on his hip on display for anyone to see.

I shook my head as I kept going, that shouldn’t have mattered right now.

The forest edge was so close. There were just a few more feet until I was safe.

The difference in what the voice spoke was enough to cause me to slow. There was a nagging feeling in my chest. Something wasn’t right. I just couldn’t stop the jerking in my legs that kept me moving.

“Cece!” My name was screamed across the clearing.

The concern in Atlas’ voice ripped through me like a knife.

The fog around my mind was suddenly gone.

There were no monsters chasing me. It was just me and him.

I turned toward him, watching as he ran through the creek.

Why was I running from him? The murderous glint wasn’t in his eyes like I was expecting.

His eyes were wide with concern as he rushed toward me.

There was no longer a cage keeping me here.

I couldn’t remember what I was so scared of just moments ago.

An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.

“Too late, little one,” a voice hissed in my ear.

Several pairs of claws wrapped around my arms, pulling me into a cold body.

My eyes widened as I felt the razor-sharp tips dig into my skin.

I glanced down to see tiny hands everywhere, keeping me in place.

Chills ran through me as I fought against the urge to thrash out of the hold I was in.

A new set wrapped around my throat. Their tips dug into my skin as they forced my head up, watching as Atlas approached us.

He spared me a quick glance before turning his attention to whatever was behind me.

“Release her.” His voice was cold, staring hard as he looked slightly above my head.

“Creatures never wander this close to us. We’re so hungry.”

Something hot and slimy traced around my ear. I fought back a gag as I tried to pull away. A whimper broke free as their claws dug deeper. They were going to eat me. The wind started to pick up around us as I shook in their hold.

“There’s no hope now,” it chuckled.

“Just listen to him and let me go,” I pleaded.

No . It growled within my head, the words bouncing around until tears started to form.

“That wasn’t a request. You will let her go,” Atlas demanded as he took a couple steps closer.

Its laugh was a haunting echo as I was pulled against a cold wall.

Goosebumps broke down my arms. My jaw hurt as my teeth rattled together.

My skin felt like it was freezing over. I could no longer move my toes or fingers.

It traveled up my arm until I could only move one of them.

This couldn’t be real, either. Atlas had no reaction to the freezing breeze that was ripping around me.

Whatever creature this was, they were inside my head.

Something sparked inside my chest. Right below the scar on my chest, a small ember started to burn. The faint heat kept away the darkness that was threatening to drown me. The claw on my shoulder released briefly before digging harder into my skin.

Stop it.

“I’m not doing anything,” I mumbled, finding it hard to speak.

Sleep tugged at me. My blinks lasted longer as all I could focus on was the burning in my chest and the concern that twisted Atlas’ face as he watched me.

“Last chance, Fae. Release her.” He growled out the last set of words.

The creature behind me mumbled something before I was pulled away. Panic rocked through me as I watched his face get further away. The ember roared to life inside me, answering my fear. I gasped at the heat racing through me. All claws on me were gone as a yelp sounded from behind.

I lunged toward Atlas, my hands reaching out before I was ripped back.

The ember smothered into burning coal as I was thrust back to the freezing cold as the creature dragged me backward.

Atlas’ gaze was stuck to a charred line in the ground.

He shook his head before he marching toward us, matching the pace of the creature.

“I am the son of King Eris Laetus.”

Everything was still. There was no breathing.

No movements once the words left Atlas’ mouth.

Until I saw a twisted face peer over my shoulder.

Their skin was twisted like the knots in a tree.

Deep groves ran through their skin. If they were standing next to a tree, it would’ve been difficult to tell the two apart.