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“Stop! You have to fight it!”
Alina received no response, and was simply pushed through the mud and dirt by Red’s preternatural strength. Rocks dug into her flesh, her feet covered in gunk. Looking up in a last-ditch effort to break through to her, Alina nearly collapsed with shock. Red’s eyes were fully white, rolled so far back into her head that they appeared upside down.
Alina lost her balance as Red continued to walk. She fell to the ground, hands sinking into the mud. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to get through—all she could do was watch Red as she walked into the Mørke Forest. Like a ghost made of flesh and blood, she floated through the darkness until it consumed her, taking herself into the maw of the Wolf.
Alina scrambled to her feet and ran one last time toward Red. She should have known when she fell in love with Red so easily—the protection spell failed. She had no time to think about the other girls’ suffering. Wiping tears from her eyes as she raced into the forest, she tripped over a looping root and hit her chin against the earth.
With a panicked whimper and the taste of blood in her mouth, Alina caught one last glimpse of Red as she disappeared into the trees.
Only when she was completely gone did Alina pick herself up off the ground. Like she, too, was possessed, Alina walked without thought. Not home, where she could hide behind thick doors and bolted locks. Instead, covered in mud and blood, Alina headed to the opposite side of town to the derelict outskirts where newcomers made their homes along the river, where the poorest of Silvania resided.
Where Sorin Nabita lived.
14
OCLEAU
THE YEAR OF THE CURSE
MATTHIAS
The two walked in silence along the crooked path, shrouded with cloaks that sheltered their faces from anyone who passed by. They did not encounter anyone once they met on the edge of town, two days after Ana demanded he use his fists to create the bruises that now marred her skin. Thankful for the chance to remain anonymous and unseen, Matthias and Ana made the long walk to Azalea’s home deep in the woods, so far from town that she could practice her Craft with little risk. Though she was safe by default—people needed her skills, though they’d never admit it—she could never be too careful about anything.
Though everyone suspected his mother was a witch, and many sought her abilities for their gain, Azalea always looked out for herself. Herbs and potions were not considered witchcraft to those who needed them. Lifesaving tonics that made horrible illnesses ebb and fade, herbal mixtures that encouraged a healthy pregnancy… When people needed help, they didn’t consider it witchcraft, and they were happy enough to take what was offered.
Despite her occasional good deed, her dark magic was always at play. She possessed a strange connection to the forest; even the birds seemed to flock to her. It gave Matthias a chill every time he thought about the way the forest reacted when she was near. Her beastly crow watched out for her, ensuring she and Juniper always remained safe. Yet whenever Matthias tried to accept her, thinking about how things were not all good or all bad, he was reminded that it was her witchcraft that killed Riina, who was guilty of nothing except loving him.
Though dark, Azalea practiced her Craft in a subtle way. A man accused of rape but not charged would be found dead of strange circumstances, his body flopped over his horse-drawn cart, eyes plucked out by ravens and crows. Because of these abilities, Azalea was the only woman for miles who owned land; no one dared take it away from her.
Even with the forest surrounding them, the trees leaning towards them as though they were listening, there was still beauty to be seen. Ahead on the path stood a beautiful doe, nibbling bark along the edge of a tree. It spotted them, its beady black eyes wary, and continued to nibble as it kept an eye on them. They walked past without getting too close, and she went back to eating once they moved beyond her. It proved that, despite the nefarious things that disturbed these woods, there was still a natural order and serenity about them.
“I must remind you, my mother is the most untrusting, evil woman I have ever had the poor luck to know,” Matthias said.
“She helps women. She can make women fertile or not if they do not wish to have children—such a thing can mean life or death for someone. I know she has protected women from similar situations before. A woman will always support another woman in a case like this,” Ana said confidently.
“But it is not a case like that. If she so much as suspects, even for a second, that you are lying…”
“I’ll end up drowned in the lake.” Ana smiled. “I understand the risk, Matthias.”
“I won’t let her do anything to you,” Matthias promised, then immediately winced when he thought back to two days prior. Laying a hand on her was wrong.
Fortunately, Ana seemed to harbor no ill will against him for it and continued to remind him that he did it at her behest. He hadn’t slept right since the incident, and it haunted him to know he could hit a woman. Even one who asked him to do it.
The silence that followed seemed to echo with shared emotion; the promise of freedom was fragile, hanging on by a thread that could be severed at any moment. However, neither spoke of the delicate balance as they continued on.
At last, the house crept into sight, black plumes of smoke sputtering from an unclean chimney and souring the air. The two-story house leaned sideways, crooked from years of neglect, tilting to loom toward the east. The surrounding trees leaned over it protectively, their leaves making a nest around the perimeter. Underneath one of the windows was a smudge of coal, reminding Matthias of what Juniper had said about the vandalism. Witch trials were ramping up in other towns; Matthias wondered how long it would be until they reached Ocleau. Maybe they really do need me to stay.
Matthias led the way up the warped stairs, each step groaning under their weight. Moments later, the door opened to Juniper surveying her brother and the woman standing beside him.
“Brother, we were not expecting company.” Her voice was sweet, with a hint of disappointment. She used her body to shield what was behind her while Azalea shuffled things around in the house.
“It’s alright, she knows everything,” Matthias replied confidently, masking his irritation and confirming that Ana was with him solely to help free him from his curse. Juniper surely would not think him fool enough to bring a woman here after what Azalea did to Riina. One slip-up could reveal how Matthias felt about her. How much can I trust her?
Juniper’s eyes narrowed. She gripped Matthias’s arm and pulled him into the house. The warm and musty smell of damp wood burning surrounded him. She pulled him close so she could whisper in his ear. “You did this without consulting us?”
“It was an opportunity I could not pass up. She is the answer to our problem.” Matthias pulled away from his sister, disturbed by her sudden resemblance to Azalea. She was not the sweet, innocent girl he remembered, but he blamed himself for that. He never gave her the chance to get away from their mother.
“When did you find her? Today?”
