Six of Ruin (Heirs of Irenwell #1) ✔

Chapter 16: Woods of Loria

The weather changed. Cold creeped through the ground, through the soles of my thin silver shoes and up my legs. Chilly wind hugged me, making my teeth chatter. Thick fog lingered near the ground and I barely saw where I was heading.

We were supposed to meet a man who would guard our horses while we visited the Woods of Loria. Nickeltinker swore he was a trustworthy fellow.

Which I sincerely doubted.

The donkey walked beside me, offering a deeply disturbed gaze every now and then, like he tried to communicate with me. But he followed either way and I thought he was a brave little creature.

Air became damper the further we walked and soon, I was walking through slimy, squishy mud. Disgust made the fine hairs all over my body lift. I shivered involuntarily, squeezing the fur coat. My silver shoes were probably ruined.

"We're almost there." Danilo's voice reached me. The fog was so thick I couldn't even see him.

"Wish we weren't." Nickeltinker appeared next to me, green of his skin turning pale.

"Uh-huh." Torvald murmured. "Loria bad."

"She's not supposed to be." Rixen's voice travelled from behind. "She's supposed to be a lively demigoddess."

"Maybe this is her definition of lively." I murmured.

Nickeltinker chuckled, "We should have brought a dictionary, then."

"It's the mage." Danilo cut in. "His presence is killing the ground."

Before anyone could muster a response, my donkey halted abruptly. His hooves dug in the ground, he let out a loud, stubborn bray and wouldn't budge. I frowned and pulled at the reins, but he shook his large head and looked at me pointedly.

"Alright, this one won't move."

Rixen came closer, "Donkeys are amazing creatures, you know? If the donkey won't go, the man shouldn't either."

An unnatural sense of fear made my blood run cold.

"What do you mean?"

Nickeltinker stopped, too, "He means that it's probably not safe from here on out. I vote we listen to the donkey and turn around."

Rixen raised his eyebrow, "King Bernard will not give you a raise if you quit now."

Nick let out sigh, "Fine, we're going."

Rustling leaves caught my attention and my head snapped ahead, but the fog was too thick to see. The men around me drew their swords. Except Torvald, he had an axe.

A green creature came forward with his hands in the air, "Wait! I come in peace. Nick, it's me!"

Nickeltinker dropped his knife, "Ratcatcher! Sorry, we're all a little jumpy."

The green-skinned man that stepped out was older and uglier than Nickeltinker, but his eyes were still quite huge and doll-like and his eyelashes fairly long. More wrinkles decorated his green skin and there seemed to be a permanent frown etched on his lips. He wore beige rags.

"So, you're going to visit the Woods of Loria." Ratcatcher came closer to our horses, his eyes trailing over bags we had there. "It's a few hours walk to the heart of the forest."

"Have you been there?" Danilo asked.

Ratcatcher eyed Danilo with certain impertinence, "Sir Danilo of Danth, I've heard stories about you. Slaughtering your King's enemies and crying afterwards for all the innocent souls that died as casualties to the war you've started."