Entwined ✔️

Chapter 27: Red

Hi, everyone.. I'm sorry 😩. But hey, who's ready to meet the king of vampires?

This is dedicated to violet_writes_. She went ahead to vote on both chapters in seconds. ❤️ u so much

The journey to the Boulder district seemed to draw on forever. We traveled in two carriages. The Royal pack were in one, my siblings and I occupied the second one and ...it is was immensely uncomfortable.

Being in such close proximity with Cayden was driving me nuts especially because the tension between us was very clear to the others, at least to Czar and Finn. I'd told Sierra and Milah about Rhydian's proposal and they were beyond ecstatic.

We had discussed telling the boys about it. I didn't want to but it was inevitable. We had decided to tell them after fulfilling my deal with the Dowager Luna -to find out how to fix the barrier and stop a war with the East.

I glanced surreptitiously at Cayden. He was staring gloomily out the window and had ignored me as we'd gotten into the carriage. I couldn't deny that I missed him. I'd been closer to him than with anyone else and so I found it strange to be in this conflict with him.

Milah noticed me looking at Cayden and took my hand, giving it a supportive squeeze.

" I'm really starting to get worried about Willow." Finn said sinking into his seat.

Milah, Sierra and I all tensed up. We'd kept to our lie that she was still recovering from an illness and they'd bought it.

" We are with Willow and we'll take care of like we've been doing." Sierra said dismissively. " You don't have anything to be worried about."

Silence reigned in the carriage for a few minutes. Czar hadn't said a word and I couldn't help but notice that Milah looked somewhat nervous.

" Wait ...is that it?" Finn asked looking out the window. " Is that the Red forest?"

We all crammed to the window -minus Cayden- and looked out. The answer was obvious. We were still a long way from our destination but judging from the dark red clouds that crowned the forest we were heading towards, we were at the Red forest.

I leaned back in my seat feeling nervous. Rhydian had been unwilling to let me come along but the Dowager Luna had insisted on it. I was determined to go along anyway. Our dead were in there. It meant that my mother was in there and I was eager, desperate to see her again.

Finally, the carriages stopped and we all trooped out. We had been previously advised to wear a cloak and rightly so. The wind was savage. It ripped around, chilling us to the bone. I pulled mine tighter and saw Rhydian frown at me in worry.

Thankfully, he didn't say anything in front of the boys. I'd told him to give me time to break the news to them myself.

We turned our attention to the problem at large. The forest was crowned by the vast, dark red cloud, and was shrouded in darkness. I felt a chill course through just bones at the sight of it and it wasn't from the cold.

" We're expected to go in there?" Finn whispered beside me.

" We don't need to be afraid. It's our kind that is in there. We'll be safe." Milah said.

" You are expected to go into the forest." I heard Carrison say to us. " We can't go in ...those that tried, well, anyway, I believe you'll be safe. Converse with the er, spirits occupying the forest. Tell them to leave or else -".

" Don't threaten them." Czar cut in. " They can hear you."

" I don't give a shit if they can hear me." Carrison said with a shrug.