HEIR | The Cursed Monarchy | Book 1

Mercy: Part IV - Chapter 19

In the dead of night, relishing the harsh re-awakening of winter, the impending storm reared its head, sending dark clouds to fill the sky. Shadows filled the landscape, while peals of thunder fearlessly roared across a blanket of black, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. The wind was their greatest foe, whipping their garments about them and mercilessly biting at what little skin remained exposed. Cecily's horse had protected her, acting as a shield from the icy gusts, but being a few heads taller, she was catching her fair share of cold. Her wavy hair was whipped into a bird's nest and her teeth chattered, but she was still grateful for Daire's weighty cloak and the sweater she had knitted to replace the more delicate garments packed in her satchel.

Hael rode at the forefront, and from what she could see, he kept his head down, guarding his face from the cold. Slowly they pushed forward, filleted by the wicked wind, leading them further into The Silent Forest.

As she had feared, the first drop of rain fell and landed on her head. From there, a second quickly followed, and then a third. Before long, the sky opened up to a torrent of freezing rain, soaking them to the bone. The armor she wore did more damage than good, absorbing the cold while doing little to protect her from the downpour as she continued to follow the unwavering path Hael was leading her on.

She would have given her life for a warm fire.

Riding up alongside her comrade, she tugged on his sleeve.

In response, the dwarf lifted a hand to shield his eyes and turned to her.

"This is madness! How long are we going to ride in this?" she yelled, her voice clear over the sound of rain.

He hesitated, his bejeweled locks plastered to his head, then pulled her close. "We cannot take refuge here in the open," he bellowed. "We must reach higher ground."

She sighed. "How much farther?"

He pointed up ahead of them, and she followed his line of sight, realizing that the land rose up toward the horizon and that there was a grouping of dense trees at the top of the incline where they could take cover. Then she suddenly remembered one of the oldest sayings in Maydale: never take shelter under a tree in case it was struck by a lightning. And there they were, toiling to reach a place where they would be surrounded by trees.

They rode on. Prolonged rain fell for the rest of the night and well into the following day. With the road wet and muddy, Hael's exhausted steed began to stray off and got stuck in a mud hole. They lost hours pulling the horse free, after which they were so tired they could barely stand, though she somehow convinced the dwarf to move enough to eat his rations before spending another dreadful night in wet saddles.

At dawn, after what seemed like an eternity, they managed to reach the top of the plateau and sought refuge among the trees. She glanced at Hael, who led her on a hidden path through the underbrush. The trunks surrounding them were thick and strong, and though the vegetation was denser within the forest, their horses were able to slip through the woods without much trouble.

"We're close." Hael slowed his horse, looking down to the ground.

"What are you looking for?"

"Tracks," he said, grunting. "Anything that shows where the Veils might be headed."

Cecily nodded. If Hael was looking for fresh tracks this far from the borderlands, was there a possibility that the Veils were moving their forces back to The Hollow Mountains?

Hael knelt and placed a hand down on the ground. "The troop only number about ten, I wager." The dwarf then picked up the dirt and smelled it, uttering something she didn't quite understand under his breath until he managed, "Three of them wounded."