By the time Tansy arrived at the edge of the forest, the sun was well on its way down beneath a layer of clouds. A thin strip of blue sky appeared above them, barely visible through the branches, and a slight breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Even in this chilly season of winter, there was still plenty to eat here: berries, nuts, and roots, plus fresh water flowing everywhere nearby, which meant fish and small game would remain easy prey for a few more weeks. There were many places to hunt, too, from rivers and streams to the wide plains stretching across to the west and south of these mountains, and the forests along the northern border.
She stood there for some time gazing out over the endless expanse of green, listening to birdsong rising up from below as if from a vast underground river. The sound of wind chimes tinkling somewhere nearby drifted upward from the trees, adding to the symphony of nature, and it was a soothing melody that helped calm her nerves. As far as she could see, the ground stretched endlessly onward to the horizon, until it disappeared into thick clouds and mist. But that wasn't entirely true: a large, circular patch of land lay in the distance, a perfect circle cut out of the wilderness, surrounded by nothing but grasslands to the north and east. She knew this place very well indeed, for it was the same one where she first laid eyes upon the Circle Mountains, the ones where she was born and raised since her birth. Her people called it the Plains of Dawn, where a great lake formed each summer from snowmelt, where many tribes lived together in peace. They also said there was an island located inside the center of the lakeshore where a giant tree grew with many branches spreading out far above the waters, where the oldest inhabitants kept a sacred fire burning bright year-round, as if welcoming every traveler seeking shelter from the storms. Some stories said that if you walked around the circumference of the lake three times while chanting the names of all creatures under heaven—not counting humans and dragons, of course—you'd return safely home again. Others said if you tried walking around twice with half your body submerged in the waters, you'd be cursed to die there alone without ever finding your way home.
That was the kind of place it was, full of wonders and dangers, and she loved it dearly.
She sighed, closing her eyes as the scent of flowers rose up to greet her nose. She could always count on Mother Nature to be there for her whenever she needed comfort or reassurance, especially after a particularly harrowing battle against her greatest enemy.
But she hadn't expected such a reaction to occur so soon afterward. It was a little strange, given that she hadn't seen a single plant in the forest yet, much less smelled a flower growing among the leaves, bark, and twigs. She hadn't heard anything either; the only sounds were those of birds and insects calling for mates and food in search of a mate, the soft rustle of leaves brushing against one another, and the faint whisper of distant breezes stirring the leaves higher up in the trees. But as she breathed the sweet air, it reminded her of how happy her mother had once been living in this beautiful world, before evil dragons came and ruined everything.
Yes, things were definitely getting stranger by the minute, and that worried her. Was it possible her senses had deceived her? Had they been tricked somehow into believing these pleasant aromas had come from real plants? Or perhaps some magic spell had been cast upon her mind?
If that was true, then what good was having these magical powers if she couldn't use them to their fullest potential? Would she never learn how to read minds? Couldn't she use them to locate someone she cared deeply about? To reach out and touch him?
No! No matter what, she refused to believe this possibility. It would mean accepting a fate worse than death itself. She would rather give herself to the dragons again than let them take her life away…but she knew she would regret such a decision. She would mourn every moment she wasted waiting for her husband to save her, and he would never forgive her for putting him at risk. She would have lost him anyway, whether she stayed or left—he would have followed her wherever she went.
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you earlier," she whispered at last, turning to face him again.
He smiled at her. He looked handsome enough, and she liked the way he stared at her with kindness in his gaze. His dark hair glinted like a halo around his head, and his skin was smooth, glowing in the evening sunlight streaming through the trees, reflecting his light-colored irises, which made them appear larger than normal.
"You don't need to apologize."
"So why did you send me out here? Why are we even here?"
"Because you can handle whatever happens next on your own."
"Are we being watched?" she asked, scanning the treetops for any sign of movement. "Is there anyone up there?"
"They're watching us now," he replied calmly. "All the elders of the tribe—they've gathered outside our camp."
"How do you know?"
"My senses tell me so…"
Her heart skipped a beat. "Why?"
He glanced down toward the plain where their village lay hidden deep within the brushwood. "We can't stay here forever, not until we find my son. We need to go back to the plains now, although it will be dangerous."
"What about your people? What if they get hurt during our escape? You promised to protect—"
"Don't worry about them. Just keep watch out here and make sure none of the elders spots us, okay? This may be their last chance to talk to you."
"Talk to me? For what purpose?"
His expression softened slightly, making it difficult for her to maintain her anger. Yet she couldn't help wondering if he sensed her feelings, or if he just knew she was struggling with him because he was trying to deceive her. In any case, she had no choice but to obey him if she wanted to avoid further punishment. Although she was tempted to ask for clarification about what precisely he intended to discuss with his elders, she decided not to push her luck. Not yet. Instead, she merely nodded as he started moving deeper into the forest, disappearing from sight behind a row of tall pine trunks. She was surprised to discover that despite her worries, this man had a calming effect on her. If he truly believed the elders had nothing to hide, then why not trust him? Maybe he could convince them of the truth after all…or at least convince them that they should leave the valley…before any more harm could come to them. She had no idea how he would manage this feat, but perhaps it wouldn't be impossible, considering his status as their leader, and as the one who had saved her from the dragon's claws earlier. That had been a remarkable display of strength and power; she couldn't deny it. And now she owed him everything for saving her life. He really did deserve her trust.
Still, she remained wary of him for other reasons besides trusting in his word. For one thing, she found it hard to believe he'd been leading such an ordinary life before this happened. Something else bothered her: why did she suddenly feel as if she should have known something important about him before meeting him in person for the first time, like perhaps she'd seen him somewhere before in her past, perhaps in one of her dreams?
Perhaps she would have recognized his face immediately if she'd been able to dream again. But she hadn't dreamed in ages, not since her imprisonment in the crystal cave…and even then she'd been dreaming but never awake, never aware of what she saw or who she met. She was lucky to survive this ordeal at all, but she supposed this was better than ending up dead, or worse, enslaved by a terrible creature like that. At least there was hope now that she might regain control over her ability to dream again someday. After all, wasn't it true that people sometimes gained certain abilities after surviving near-death experiences, like being able to heal wounds faster, or speak new languages, or even fly through the air? Surely this was only the beginning…and maybe her dream powers were coming back already…
A shiver ran down her spine when a branch snapped nearby, sending up a cloud of dried needles falling to the ground and creating a shower of tiny sparkles dancing across the forest floor. She turned quickly, searching out its origin amid the shadows.
Nothing.
She shook off the unease and continued following him through the trees, pausing only for moments at intervals to catch her breath and drink from the stream.