They were halfway through the forest before they stopped. There just wasn't any strength left in them to continue. Ember let the pack slide off her back and then she dropped to the floor. Everyone in the company turned and looked at her. Lohn was the only one to kneel down beside her.
"I can't," she said. "I just can't anymore."
"Yes, you can," Lohn insisted.
"What do you know?" she snapped. "You have not been through the same bullshit as me. This curse is overwhelming."
"I know," he said through clenched teeth. "I've struggled the last two miles myself, but we need to push through it. The world is depending on us."
"This isn't my world," said Ember, turning her face away so they couldn't see the tears stinging her eyes.
"Until we finish this, it is."
She kind of hated him, the way he could lift her spirit just enough for her to realize how pathetic she was being. Looking ahead of them, she caught Liro's disdainful gaze and it was the last push she needed. Getting up off the ground, Ember powered ahead, leading the way through the forest. No one said a word, too afraid of upsetting her again and setting them back a day.
At some point everyone stopped. They heard singing or humming. Perhaps a combination of the two, but it was definitely a distinct tune. Pulling out their weapons, everyone followed the sound. Anyone - or anything - living in such a remote part of the woods couldn't be entirely friendly. Then they spotted it; the cabin further into the woods. There was no one outside that they could see, but there was smoke rising up from the chimney.
Upon reaching the house, everyone split up to surround it, waiting for each other's call if they found something. The house was made of stone and wood and covered in vines and lichen. There was a concentration of interesting plants around the house itself and more in one area, like someone had made a garden there. Since that probably was the case, the person living there may have some manner of botanical knowledge that could help them.
Ember went straight for the door. She knocked a few times and when there was no answer, she opened the door and stormed in, shouting. A man in a long brown robe spun around at a crafting table and yelped. He was wearing large goggles on his face and looked more surprised than frightened. When Ember saw him and assumed that he wasn't an immediate threat, she lowered her sword and called everyone in. The man took off his glasses and smiled at them.
"Can I help you?" he asked without a hint apprehension.
"We're travelers on our way to Iron Hall," Ember said. "We saw your home and wondered if you might help us get out of the forest or even with some food or medicine."
"Why, I might," he said and walked over to a table piled high with containers and books and other curiosities that Ember didn't recognize.
He opened a small box and pulled out a scorpion by its tail. They watched him break off the stinger and then slide the creature into his mouth where they heard a sickening crunch not long after his lips closed. He turned to his guests and smiled brightly.
"Why would you do that?" Ember asked, quite horrified.
"I enjoy the crunch," he said, completely unperturbed by their disgust. "It's quite fun."
The company tried to shake off their mild horror and Lohn cleared his throat.
"Uh, Ember," he said. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
YOU ARE READING
Can You Not?
Romance“This is too much of a cliché,” said Norah. “What?” “This whole falling in love with the boy next door thing.” Ellis grinned wickedly. “Are you saying that you’re in love with me?” “No,” Norah said almost immediately. “Too bad, because I’m pretty s...
