Page 74 of Marked By the Dark Lord
Mila
Iran through the meadow, the grass growing longer and redder the closer we got to the forest's edge.
“Are you sure it’s safe to go in there?” I asked Touk nervously as the piercing cry of the unseen predator echoed again. Closer that time.
The ball of light came to a stop. “Would you rather sit around here and wait for the Dark Lady’s soldiers? They’re not exactly known for being polite to dumb-dumbs. Especially ones who are friends with stupid Dulokes like you are. It’s your choice, though.”
“Fine,” I grimaced, clenching my jaw and pushing forward.
I’d already died once. What was a second time?
Eyes gleamed in the dark of the forest, the pupils reflecting the barest hints of light that reached that deep under the canopy. Odd-colored leaves crunched like wafers under my feet,far thicker than anything I’d ever seen on Earth. Creatures scrambled out from under the piles, but I didn’t stop to look.
Other, larger things lurked in the dark at the edges of my vision. I could sense them, but any time I turned my head to try to focus, they disappeared, so I stopped trying. Either Touk would lead me to safety, or I would die. Given my complete ignorance of where I was, I had no real optionbutto trust the little guy.
“Come on, faster!” Touk said. “Use your old legs for once in your fucking life, will you?”
“You’re very rude,” I huffed. “Has anyone told you that?”
Touk burned brighter. “Really? You mean that?”
“No,” I said, not sure why that was considered a compliment.
“Oh. Fuck you.” And he took off faster, my tiny legs churning to try to at least keep him in sight.
I scrambled over a rock covered in baby blue lichen, hunks of it coming off and sticking to my fingers. I peeled it off, retching at the mass of suckers on the underside of the moss, grasping and moving, trying to find a grip.
“God, this place is made of nightmares,” I moaned, seeing Touk’s light in the distance and giving chase once more.
The nightmare fuel burned brighter when I heard the first shouts from far behind.
“Comeon,” Touk urged, suddenly right next to me, his light dimmed, making it easier to see his features. “The Dark Lady’s soldiers are coming. If you’re going to escape, you have to reach the border to the Duloke lands before they get you!”
“How far are we?” I gasped, my side aching. For a Faerie, I didn’t seem to have any of the strength or speed that Korr’ok did.
Talk about unfair.
“Far. We must run. Stop being such a fucking wuss and run. I’m not even going fast. They’re going to catch you. Probably take your stupid head and leave your old body behind. That’s what they do to intruders.”
“Great,” I muttered, but I took off.
Not that I was sure why. The voices of the soldiers were growing closer faster than I could move. They would catch me in no time.
As if to make sure my internal prophecy came true, the ground started to slope upward. I tried, but my legs just weren’t up to the task. My quads were already burning and trying to run up a slope just made it worse.
“I can’t,” I gasped to Touk. “I can’t.”
The sprite hovered nearby. “You old people never work out. You should run more often.”
“No kidding.” I kept moving, but it was slow now.
The flicker of warning in my periphery was all I got before a soldier in royal blue armor appeared out of the darkness, whirling a rope around his head.
Without thinking, I reached into myself, grasping for that place in my brain that came alive when I used magic.
Now. Please.
My hands glowed red, and with a very feminine grunt, I reached out for the oncoming soldier. Instead of trying to push him back, however, I grabbed hold of him with my magic and pulled as hard as I could.
