Page 10 of A Lie so Pretty and Poisonous

The forest itself was lush and old. Expansive, moss-covered trees twisted with leafy branches, and their thick roots dove into the ground. It smelled of rich, damp soil. The woods were dense, making the daylight hard to fully penetrate the canopy above. A thin fog covered the ground, and we took careful and measured steps so we didn’t trip over roots. Maybe it was because we were still disoriented and confused, or our proximity to the barrier, but the forest exuded both beauty and danger.

As we slowly navigated the thick and uneven terrain, I kept turning around to ensure that Cora was following as closely as possible. Nothing, save our footsteps and the birds, filled the nervous silence.

Cora took a gasping inhale and halted her steps. Her body went rigid, her head tipped, and her eyes dashed back and forth.

I grasped her shoulder. “Cora? What are you⁠—”

“Shh! I heard a voice. A whisper.” She placed her dirt-covered index finger to her lips.

I scanned the trees. The only movement was fluttering leaves in their transition from green to yellow. “I don’t hear anything. Maybe you heard the leaves rustling in the wind? It can sound like a whisper at times.”

“I swear I heard a voice!”

We stood still and silent, looking around and taking in more of the forest. The temperature was warmer now that the sun was up, but the air still had a crisp bite to it. We had walked for an hour at this point, and though the birds were chirping, I hadn’t seen any evidence of other animals. Not a squirrel, rabbit, or deer had crossed our path.

Cora stayed close to me, her eyes moving from tree to tree. The previous enthusiasm she exuded for a new adventure had dissipated, and hesitancy and caution wound around her. Turning to Cora, I playfully nudged her in a show of unconcern, masking the rising fear within me. “Hey, let’s pause for a moment to give our feet a break.” I gestured to a wide, upturned tree that created an inviting place to rest.

Her flitting eyes landed on me. “Yeah. Alright, I guess.” But even as she sat on the rough bark, her eyes returned to scanning the trees, and she tilted her head, listening.

Cora snapped her body upright, and she rushed out, “Did you hear that?”

“What?”

“A voice. That was definitely a voice.”

I stood and slowly turned in a circle, combing my gaze through the woods and hoping it wasn't Terren or his men. We were wandering directionless, and I feared that without help, we would lose ourselves in the forest.

“Hello?” I yelled with a wobble in my voice.

The forest grew uncannily quiet. Birds stopped singing, and everything stilled. The hairs on my arms stood on end, and an unnerving energy took hold that rivaled that of the barrier. I placed myself in front of Cora. My body was the only defense I had to offer.

Cora stood in a flash, stepping around me. “There! Did you hear it? A voice.” She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Hello!”

I placed a hand on her shoulder and stepped behind her, holding her back to my front. We listened. Waited. The only sound was our breathing. “I don’t hear anything.”

“Mom, I know what I heard. I keep hearing⁠—”

A branch snapped to our left, making us both jump and tense. Slowly, we turned together in the direction of the sound but were met with nothing more than silence and trees. Pick up Cora and run. I fought the urge, convinced the emotional toll of the last two days was making me paranoid.

Another branch cracked, along with a shuffle of brush.

“You are not welcome here,” a deep, scratchy voice shouted through the trees.

The back of my neck prickled. A warning I could not ignore. I stepped in front of Cora and curled my arm around her torso to keep her against me.

I shouted back into the trees, “I am so sorry! We are lost and need help

getting to Gorstine Village. Can you tell me what direction…”

An imposing figure took a deliberate step from behind a large oak tree. My jaw dropped. He was taller than most men I had encountered, with broad shoulders and sun-kissed skin. An assortment of mushrooms, leaves, and moss was arranged over his leather pants and tunic, making him blend easily with the surrounding forest. Willow branches were woven into his light brown shoulder-length hair, pointed ear tips peeking through. There was a beguiling quality about him. Whimsy stirred with danger. A short sword was clenched in his hand, and a bow and quiver of arrows were slung across his back. His piercing, hunter-green eyes narrowed on me, and his mouth twisted in a sneer that rivaled Terren’s. My eyes widened, and my body trembled.

A seraph. We crossed the barrier, and now I’m looking at a seraph. The thought raced through me, and I gasped at the same time as Cora. I didn’t know what to expect out of a Divine-touched being. Razor-sharp teeth to rip out our throats? Wings?

The seraph slid calculated eyes to my right, where Cora peeked her head around me, and his gaze crashed quickly back to me. The corners of his mouth ticked upward, and he made slow steps toward us, sheathing his sword across his chest.

“You should not have come into our territory.” His deep voice changed into a haunting smoothness.

“I-I’m sorry.” Slowly, I backed Cora away a step at a time as he walked towards us, eyes locked on mine. A predator assessing its prey.