There's something ironic about feeling claustrophobic in an open space. The trees close in on me as if they've gained the uncanny ability to move. The tall grass sways, tranquil but sharp enough to cause a wound.
Even worse, the sky glows purple and black. Partially, it's because of the shadows casted by the giant oak standing at the center of it all. The old thing is large, intimidating. Talk about being comically horrific.
I'm aware my imagination is doing most of the work here, but there's some genuine danger to this place—if the panicking horse is anything to go by. The poor thing can't calm down and moments later, it runs off to a faraway direction, somewhere we can't catch it.
"Max!" Florian screams the steed's name, but doesn't make an effort to get up. There's no point. Max is gone.
The dirt that sticks to my arms, the hems of my dress, and the rest of me that's on the ground is, weirdly enough, wet. Considering that the sun's been up and burning the entire day with no signs of rain, it shouldn't be wet. Alloy shakes it off. The cat looks as disturbed as me but hasn't peeped a word.
Florian doesn't look like he's fairing any better. I realize I'm still on top of him. In a quarter of a second, I scramble to get off. The prince is a fragile guy, capable of breaking under the slightest touch. I'm lucky he isn't in pieces yet.
Florian groans, "There's something seriously wrong with this place."
So I'm not the only one who noticed.
"Did we consume a potion that causes hallucinations?" Unknowingly? But who would target the both of us at the same time?
Someone mad or someone insanely greedy, that's who.
"Possibly," Florian answers as he attempts to clean himself. "We could be under a spell."
"A spell?"
"Yes." The prince takes ahold of my hand, helping me get on my feet. "That or we've entered something's domain."
When will this misery end? The plan was simple—get closer to Valerius, force proximity, and find a river to perform Alloy's ritual. I didn't think there would be this many hurdles to overcome.
Now we've stepped into uncharted territory. Territory that could belong to someone, somehing else. But what?
I feel it before I see it—small tendrils wrapping themselves around my shoes. I jump to take the dainty things off and it's fortunate that I do it on time because they're dragged off to the shadows in a blink.
Florian, however, isn't so fortunate. His entire leg is covered by the time he notices. I try to scream for his attention, but before I can get the syllables out, he's gone, off to the shadows.
There's two things I can do here—run after him or look out for myself.
Rules of logic dictate I'd have a better chance at surviving if I found an exit and came back for Florian once I'm better equipped, wherever he may be. Rules of the heart dictate that I run after him lest he's in immediate danger.
"I'm sorry, Florian."
When you're rattling in fear, it's best to listen to your brain anyway. I pick up Alloy who's been fighting the small tendrils and start running the other direction with my bare feet. An organized search party will have a better chance at finding Prince Florian, I'm certain.
The further I run, the less suffocating the world becomes. Strangely enough, after a certain distance, the sky no longer reflects that mystic purple. Instead, it's clear blue. The sun is scorching hot.
"Princess?" A noble, Baron Edward, utters the title with wide eyes. I'm too breathless to reply.
"The princess is here!"
Dozens of horses and men rush to where I'm seated on an old tree's root. Valerius is at the center of it all. His eyes widen when he sees me. There's genuine concern there, as genuine as a love potion can be anyway.
He doesn't utter a word when he comes closer. His silence scares me as much as the strange occurrences did.
I try to move away, but before I can comprehend what's happening, I'm in his arms, lifted from the ground. His right arm under my knees, his left arm supporting my back—a princess carry, how romantic.
Without saying a word, the noblemen understand. We're returning to the tents.
"Prince Florian!" I plead. They can still get him. They can still rescue the prince from whatever took him.
Valerius' face doesn't give anything away when he asks, "Where is he?"
"There!" I point at where I came from. "Something took him. Please. He's not safe."
"The think that took him," Valerius starts. "It did this to you?"
There's no playfulness in the prince's voice, none of the usual smugness. He's staring at me with vengeful eyes, promising to hunt and burn down whatever it is that damaged his wife.
"Yes, but," Not really. Saying it did will motivate Valerius to move, however. "Yes."
Why not take advantage of the love potion's effects while it still hasn't faded?
"Take the princess to camp. Have her injuries checked. I have a score to settle." The prince helps me mount Baron Edward's horse.
I want to protest. I do. But there aren't many things that can stand in the way of an indomitable force and come out in tact—Valerius' demeanor promises nothing but a massacre and I don't know how much blood I can take before my sanity starts withering.
Before I know it, we're riding towards the camps. Alloy is seated on a wagon.
I'm forced to watch the back of a lone prince, standing in the middle of the woods. It's telling how no one offered to come with him. There's simply no need. Valerius alone is capable of tearing down an entire forest.
Chills travel down my spine.
"Princess," Alloy says. The feline's voice pierces through a fog in my brain—I hear it crystal clear like it's the first time. "Can you hear me now?"