Page 12 of If The Crown Fits
“Which road are we to take?” Conner asked. His eyes were on the woman, who was quite a distance behind us now.
I took a deep breath, looking at and contemplating the two pathways. “We go right.” I couldn’t explain the feeling even if I’d tried, but the path that led east seemed to pull me in, like a moth drawn to a flame. There was a sense of warning that came with the feeling, a sense of danger. But I was a soldier, a prince... there was always danger.
“But, Your Highness,” Jack protested. “We have to reach the royal summer chateau in less than five days. And as she just stated, these woods aren’t safe.”
“Come now, Jack.” I grinned. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid.”
“Not afraid, merely concerned for your safety.”
I kicked my horse forwards. “That’s exactly why you’re here, to protect me if harm should befall us.”
“I think you misunderstand—”
“It will be an adventure.” I urged, looking back. But the old woman was gone, like she had never been there at all.
We veered right and it was only a few seconds later that Conner’s voice piped up from behind. “Am I the only one who thinks that was a little peculiar?”
“She was a delusional old woman who’d been walking in the woods for too long, there’s nothing peculiar about that.”
I watched Jack’s expression as he replied to Conner, but he looked like he didn’t believe himself. Something about the air around us had changed — we were all on edge, unnerved. I had never given the myths of Everness’s magical forest much thought. Their folklore had been around for centuries. People believed that the two kingdoms used to be full of magic. That the old kings and queens used to rule with great power. But the magic seemed to have died, leaving only the stories to tell.
“Well, something wasn’t right with her.”
I couldn’t help but want to agree with Conner. Something was off about the whole encounter. I pulled out the dagger as we continued on our new path. The weapon was small but sharp, easily concealable. It looked a bit old and worn with some marks on the blade. The hilt was decorated with a small jewel. It was quite rare and beautiful. I’d seen the same kind of gemstone in a few of the jewellery pieces in my family’s collection. Where did the old woman get something like that?
My horse suddenly twitched beneath me, as if sensing danger.
I glanced up at the sky. Jack, noticing my change in manner, asked “What?”
“Shhh.” I held up a finger.
We stopped the horses and they stood nervously, throwing their heads. We were all listening intently, and despite the quiet, something deep inside my gut told me that it wasn’t my imagination. I’d heard something.
Jack and Alastor slowly drew their swords, readying themselves.
We waited in tense silence for what felt like forever but could only have been a few seconds when out of nowhere, a loud screech erupted from deeper within the forest.
We all turned to face where the noise was coming from.
“Your Highness” was the only thing Jack managed to get out when the largest flock of birds I’d ever seen broke through the leaves and branches.
It happened so abruptly that my horse got a fright and reared, throwing me to the ground. The birds could have been mistaken for crows, but they were so dark in colour, they looked like shadows as they flew over our riding party. I quickly stood up but my horse had run off.
“Your Highness,” Jack said again but I could barely hear him as they continued to screech, horrifyingly loud. Just when I thought there couldn’t possibly be more of them, the shadowlike birds dived down to fly between us. They clawed and pecked, and I worried they would scratch my eyes out. We swatted at them, and I pulled out the dagger, randomly slicing through the air. The sheer volume of them cast a darkness over us but I got a few of the birds with my knife. After a few more agonising minutes, the birds flew upwards, disappearing above the canopy.
I huffed out a breath, my heart pumping so loud I could feel it in my ears.
“Are you all right, Your Highness?”
I nodded, swallowing hard.
“What was that?” Conner had the bravery to ask. His skin was as pale as a sheet.
“Just some angry birds.” Jack tried to brush it off but I could tell he was shaken. He jumped off his horse and held out the reins. “Here, Your Highness.”
I waved him off. “Let’s just go find the horse.”
* * *
