Page 42 of Phixmery

“So, we’re north of Phixmery. Somewhere along the southern part of the Nairiden Woods. I would say Phixmery is a three-day trek, if we travel from sunrise to sunset.”

I rack over what he tells me, picturing the map of Damorleia in my head. We must be somewhere along the narrow part of the forest, which is still a dangerous place, even though it’s not the heart of the forest. The warnings my parents gave me about these woods still lurk in my mind as I relay the information Nero has given to me.

“So we need to head south. We’ll break for a quick lunch and try to hunt along the way for dinner tonight. Sound like a plan?” I ask the others, making sure they’re all okay with it.

My hopes of our squad getting along slightly diminish as Evera opens her mouth. “I’m sure we can break more often than that.” She rolls her eyes.

“No, I agree with the female,” Gregor chimes in for the first time. The imposing Vopn Fö male nods his agreement with me. “I’ve heard stories about this place and the monsters that lurk in it. I would even suggest setting up a rotating nightly lookout to wake the others in case of an attack for creatures or other cadets.”

It’s the most I’ve ever heard him say, and the other males nod their agreements which just makes Evera exasperated—even her friend Cadet Spade seems to be agreeing with our decisions. But with a group vote at the end of it, leaves their wants just as that—wants.

With everything figured out, Nero takes back to the sky as we begin our treacherous journey back to Phixmery.

CHAPTER TWENTY

THIS HAS TO BE THE most boring mission we’ve ever had to go on. We’ve been watching Squad Four stumble through the Nairiden Woods for two days now. Although Squad Six did end up joining them yesterday when they ran into each other. Evera and the blonde water Elemi seem to have made a truce without notifying the others. Lack of communication with your squad, especially in the field, can get you killed. The decision to let them tag along seemed to have annoyed half of Squad Four, especially Cadet Solace and her friends. Although I do have to give it to the tiny female for using her familiar to find their way and look for creatures that are looking to make them their next meal.

The raven seems be able to be affected by Jesper's illusions, otherwise I’m positive it would have spotted us by now. The only one who doesn’t seem to be affected is her. It’s curious, and if I’m curious it must be driving Jesp wild.

Even though we’ve been following Cadet Solace to the cavern under the castle for months, we somehow always lose her down there. It’s as if she vanishes within the stone, something she shouldn’t be capable of. I hate to admit it, but I’m intrigued by her, and I absolutely loathe it. Females are nothing but a distraction: a lesson that has been drilled into my head with countless beatings. So much so that even as a boy I was sent away for being too close to my own mother, who later succumbed to a beating my father gave her. Weak, he said. Females are weak, nothing more than broodmares to further the Driscol line of the fiercest Vopn Fö warriors.

I remember the first beating I received because of a female. She was a wicked, sharp thing with the personality of a thousand suns. We were children who were forced to play together, me and the other lords’ sons, when we were all at the royal castle. My father didn’t like how close we all grew with her, me especially. It was a beating I ignored several times, because she was worth it. It doesn’t matter, though. She’s dead, along with the rest of her family and fae bloodline.

And as much as I hate it, this cadet reminds me of her, but it will never beher. My brothers all seem to be distracted by her, even our never-bending leader Talyn. I’ll need to have a conversation with them soon. We can’t let her distract us from our goal. Distractions mean death.

“They’re making good progress,” Talyn mutters.

I grunt in agreement. After watching them bicker when they woke up and try to get their bearings, Evera tried to be a leader and instantly failed. She’s a selfish leader. She shouldn’t have been enlisted to join the Damorleia ranks, but she begged her father, just so she could be closer to Talyn. None of us opposed, hoping that this war would end her and our brother wouldn’t have to go through with this arrangement.

He was never meant to be hers. His heart will always belong to a dead female, one who never got to see the world or come into herself. All of us gave her a piece of ourselves then, but it never got between our friendship—in fact it made us stronger.

“I still think Little Mouse is up to something,” Jesper says, his eyes never leaving her. The moniker suits her, especially with how she’s able to slip through the cracks.

Talyn glances towards him his voice dripping with frustration. “You still haven’t been able to figure out where she goes or what she gets up to down there?”

He shakes his head, his long red hair shimmying around him as his face pinches with annoyance. “No, it’s as if she vanishes. We’ve searched the tunnels high and low, even accidentally finding our way into the dragon’s den—almost got our asses roasted by the wild ones, which I got a firm talking to about from Tisur.”

I watch Talyn’s face as he goes into leader mode. “Enough is enough. If she lives through this trial, I’m coming with you. You should have told me this awhile ago. If she has an earth Elemi helping her, I should be able to sense the magick. Depending on what we find down there, we will handle the problems as they come. But I’m with you. There’s definitely something about her. I swear I… never mind. It would be impossible.” He shakes his head, watching the cadets set up camp for the night from our perch in the trees above.

Once they go to bed, I will stay, while the other two will head back to see what Hemmings and Featherington have made for dinner before getting some rest, and someone will relieve me when the moon is high in the sky. That way Jesper can rest after using his magick non-stop to hide us. He’s one of the most powerful Szellemi fae there is alive, probably even surpassing his father now. He says hiding us for the amount of time he does is nothing, but we don’t want to risk it. We’re supposed to watch and not interfere. That way we can report back deaths, and who would do well with what rank they will receive after The Choosing.

Jesper shifts towards Talyn, giving him his full attention. “What’s impossible?”

Talyn snaps. “I said it’s impossible, now drop it.” his gaze snaps to me. “They should be heading to bed any moment. Are you fine for the first watch? I need to go and hunt for rations for the rest of the journey,” he fibs. We have enough rations.

I grunt, nodding my head, and he takes off, heading away from the cadets with a perplexed Jesper watching him stride away.

“I only see him get that annoyed when one of us tries to bring her up… Do you know what’s up with him?” he asks, turning his mismatched eyes on me.

My head shakes as I cross my arms across my chest. “No. He’s probably just tired of sleeping on the ground.”

His gaze narrows but he shrugs, glancing one last time in the direction of one of our closest friends. “I’m going to head back to camp and get some food and sleep. Hemming said she would take the next watch earlier, so just wake her when it’s time.”

“Go get some rest,” I grumble. “ I got this.”

He ambles off through the forest and I feel it as his magick leaves, like a bubble popping. If I wasn’t so attuned to his personal brand of crazy, I probably wouldn’t even notice.

Deciding to get off the forest floor, I climb the massive tree in front of me. That way I have less of a chance of being attacked by creatures of this wood. I watch as they settle in for the night around the shimmering coals of their fire. It surprises me when the blonde water Elemi and Evera volunteer to take the first watch, especially since they’ve complained about doing it the past two nights.

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