“I can’t see a thing.”
“What she means is there are no auras, no life.” Enid’s voice came from right behind me. He sounded strained, like he too was unnerved by the sudden and complete blackness that swallowed every ounce of light belonging to the auras. Even the moon’s light didn’t touch this dark place. My heart pounded within my chest, urging me cautiously forward.
“This is the forest of the dead,” Faun, the dark skinned and crystal blue-eyed elf spoke. “We shouldn’t remain still. We must push on.”
“My lady,” one of the other werewolves spoke, “It’s too dangerous.”
“We must find Marren,” I said and stretched out my hands, taking careful steps forward. “Form a line behind me and step only where I step.”
Relena…
I stopped in mid-step as my heart nearly leapt from my chest.
A chorus of voices sounded in my ears. “My lady…A’lainn, Relena…” all asking the reason for my sudden stop.
“Shh.” I held up my hand to halt further interruptions. I held my breath and waited for the beating of my heart to calm down enough so the pounding didn’t make any sound in my ears.
Relena, go back…
My heart leapt happily. A voice that made my heart soar. Marren?
Go back…please!
Go back? How could I go back now?
I heard his voice, my heart’s reaction confirmed as much. I couldn’t turn back. Not now. Not when I was so close to finding him again. No. I couldn’t. I started to walk again, faster this time and less careful. My pace quickened as I let my heart control where to step. Faster and faster until I was sure I would find him at any moment. With each step, I told myself the next would be the one. I would set my hungry eyes on him then. Behind a tree, lying at its base, trying to regain strength from his own escape.
I found nothing but a seemingly endless forest, lacking life and hope, and a chill colder than death nipping at my skin. My heart fell. I had hoped I would find him. Hoped he would be alive and well so we could go back to the village and show the races Marren was okay, and that Jiren had only wanted to destroy all hope.
Yet, I sensed he was near. So close that I only needed to reach out to him and touch him. I forced the breaking of my heart to stop long enough for me to try one more thing.
Marren?
Silence.
Marren, please answer me! Please!
I tried to listen for his voice to return to me. I held my breath and forced my heart to stand still as the wind blew whispers through the trees above and around us. I knew the group stood behind me, taking me in, waiting for some sign for me to give them as a direction of where to go. I couldn’t move any farther. I couldn’t bear the weight of my own body. My knees gave out from underneath me, sending me to the ground, landing hard on a tree branch. The pain surged up my leg, creating a rage within me I couldn’t control. I started banging my fists on the ground, and I pulled up bushes and grass and punched the tree in front of me.
The tree gave way with a hollow crack, distilling my anger, replacing it with curiosity. I reached out and touched the tree, giving away under the gentle pressure of my touch. I pulled away the bark and found not only was the tree dead and hollow, but something lay inside. A body faintly covered in a thin pale blue-green aura. I pulled him out and laid him gently on the ground. We’d found Marren, but he barely clung to life.
“We need to get him to my people. He’s weak and will need our healing to keep him, and you, alive.”
I started at the sound of Faun’s voice. Shocked by how silent she was. Though her appearance was even more so. Her aura was yellow and dim.
“Relena, there’s no time to waste.”
I nodded and said, “Can you ask one of the centaurs if he can ride on their back?”
“Right away.”
I stared down at the outline of Marren’s shape. How his aura faltered slightly then stilled. I gripped his hand into mine and told myself he would come through. I would marry him, per his race’s traditions, and I would obey his every word just to have him live beyond the night. Stomping hooves approach and the lighter steps of feet. Two werewolves hoisted Marren’s body onto one of the centaurs, draping him over his back so that Marren’s head and arms draped over one side and his legs on the other.
I stood weakly, as though I ran out of energy and desperately needed a nap. But, somehow I managed to force myself to walk next to Marren as we turned around and started to make our way back out of the forest of the dead.
***
“You don’t seem like you’re doing well,” Danst said. The concern thickened his voice.