Silent Kingdom (4 page)

I nodded frantically.

Eyes widening, the woman pulled off her hooded cloak and threw it over me.

Her voice was a whisper: “Quick!”

I stood from the bed, the cloak so long it brushed the floor behind me.

She threw aside the curtains and pushed the window open, then turned to me. In the moonlight, her eyes flashed like sapphires and her lips were a grim line. “I’ll lift you out and try to distract them. Get as far away as you can. We are outside the city walls, but not far enough from the capital. Find some place safe.” Her slender arms hoisted me up over the sill.

I dropped to the earth and spun to face her as she prepared to shut the window. My heart fluttered at the thought of the risk this woman was taking if Narek and his men ever realized what she had done, but her command urged me on:
“Run.”

I plowed forward, my bare feet pounding against cold grass. Reaching the forest, I raced through without any direction or purpose other than to flee. How long I should run, or how far, I did not know, nor did I have any way to measure.

To my horror, voices echoed somewhere behind me. Were the guards in pursuit already? Had they seen me flee? Did the woman’s husband give me away? I tried to increase my pace, but I was tired, cold, and weak. The world felt distant and yet all too close at the same time. I couldn’t catch my breath and sparks of light began to dance before my eyes. Blinking, I tried to make them disappear, but the world only seemed to close in on me further. How long had I been ill? Branches reached toward me, tearing at my hair and clothes and cutting my face. I stubbed my toes and tripped over roots and underbrush, slicing my foot on a sharp rock and nearly crying out in pain.

“This is a fool’s errand!” someone behind me said. His words echoed in the forest, bouncing off the trees until it sounded like they were surrounding me.

Stopping and pressing my back against a trunk, I scoured the trees for my pursuers. If I couldn’t outrun them, I could make myself quiet and disappear.

“Stop complaining,” another man snapped. “There’s no danger this close to the forest’s edge.”

This is Evren Forest,
I thought with a shudder, wondering why the obvious thought had not clicked into place sooner.
The forest of myth, the one featured in so many of the frightening fireside tales of Misroth.

But I had a real, living danger to worry about, because the voices were getting closer. Glancing up at the branch stretching over my head, I felt adrenaline fire through my body, giving me another round of strength. I leapt, catching hold of the branch and swinging my body higher, higher, until my muscles strained, ready to give out under my weight, and I managed to slip one leg over the limb. Beneath the nightgown, my bare legs scraped against the rough bark as I straddled the branch. I clung to a crevice in the trunk and pulled myself to my feet. Stretching on tiptoes, I found I could reach the next branch.

Twigs snagged at my gown and cloak, but I tore the fabric away and kept going. The branches grew thinner until they began to shake beneath my weight, and still I pressed onward. I wasn’t satisfied until I found a perch tucked safely against the trunk, secured by three branches that gave me enough support and space to sit with my back against the tree and my feet tucked up beneath me. From here, I could see the tops of the smaller trees surrounding me. Though most of the tree branches were bare, anyone scanning the trees from below would still have trouble finding me in my perch. I pulled my knees to my chest and willed myself to be smaller, pressing close against the branches and letting them shield me. Then I held my breath as I listened to the approaching footsteps. The men were jogging, moving quickly in their pursuit, yet slowly enough to scour the forest.

Giver of Protection, hide me safely in Your arms…
The words from the old song the palace priest recited, or at least the closest translation we had of it, flew into my mind and became my prayer.

“There is no way she is here, in these woods,” one of the guards panted. “We should head back now.”

“I wanted to be sure. That couple seemed to be hiding something, and I was certain I saw a figure in the woods. Besides, if I show my dedication, perhaps the king will retract his decision to name a
boy
Captain of the Guard.”

The footsteps were right below me now. I held my breath.

“You probably saw an animal.” The first guard stopped and forced authority into his tone. “And you would do well not to speak ill of our captain, who we both know has proven his skill, or I will report you. Let’s go back.”

“Aren’t you a brave member of the guard?” the second man sneered. “Or shall I report you as a slovenly coward?”

My foot slipped, dislodging a loose patch of bark. I bit my lip; the noise seemed amplified in the quiet of the nighttime forest.

The second guard’s posture changed, his puffed-up chest and swaggering confidence morphing into a shrinking look as he reached for his sword hilt. “Wait…did you hear that?”

“It was probably a squirrel. Come, if you’re in such a hurry to report back to Narek and impress him with our search of Evren Forest, then follow me!”

The footsteps retreated and relief eased its way through my limbs. I relaxed out of my cramped huddle and, once I felt the guards were a safe distance away, began my descent. Several times I slipped and my weary, trembling limbs almost couldn’t support me anymore. I hit the ground panting and exhausted, but my desire to put space between the guards and me overpowered every other feeling. I burst into a run, forming a meandering trail through the underbrush.

Seconds turned into minutes. My cheeks burned in the cold and my lungs ached. I kicked up dead leaves and twigs and tripped more than once. The cloak grew hot, clinging to my arms and hanging heavy against my body. As it dragged behind, it caught in the branches littering the ground and snagged until it tore and sent me sprawling on my face. My chest heaved; I coughed and gasped for air.

I struggled to my feet and slipped the cloak off, draping it over my shoulder. Shaking and struggling to catch my breath, I stood motionless, straining my ears for any sounds of pursuit. Wind shuddered through the trees and stirred dead leaves across the ground. A squirrel scampered out from between two trunks, stared at me, and then flung itself up the nearest tree in two great bounds.

No one,
I thought in relief.
No one’s following me
. My head spun and I nearly tripped over my own feet as I tried to keep walking. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and drew in deep, cooling breaths. I must have been ill longer than I’d thought.

At first the breeze caressed my face and refreshed me, but soon it crept through my nightgown. The sweat coating my body made me shiver, so I threw the cloak back on. My legs were numb and even my back and arms ached. I ran my tongue along my dry lips and longed for even one sip of cool, fresh water, but I had no hope of finding any soon. There was a hole in my stomach from hunger, and the further I walked the more it stretched until it felt like I had a gaping chasm growing deep inside me. When was the last time I had eaten? It must have been days ago, when I’d forced down a few bites at dinner with my parents. My heart aching with pain and anger at the memory, I pushed the thought away.

The trees towered high and drenched me in shadows while clouds gathered in the sky and enveloped the moon. Unseen animals darted from tree to tree, scurrying through the leaves on the ground and climbing among the branches over my head. Every time something moved nearby, my pulse quickened and I froze, as if standing still would make a hungry animal blind to my presence. I vaguely remembered whispers of terrors, intelligent creatures that lurked in Evren Forest and preyed upon humans, and nervous glances between adults whenever anyone mentioned the topic of traveling through these woods, but I reminded myself that the guards’ fear had been misplaced.
The tales are myths. Only stories to scare children
, I reassured myself.

Still, I hated the thought of staying in these dark woods alone, but I was lost and too exhausted to move another step. Sinking to the earth and huddling close to the trunk of an old maple tree, I shut out the night and the sounds by burrowing into the oversized cloak.

Somehow I dozed, my sleep interrupted by nightmares of creaking branches and royal guards chasing me through dark wilderness. At last, sunlight peeked through the treetops, waking me to a frosty morning.

Shivering, I stretched and found that my back and neck ached from my uncomfortable sleeping position. My head throbbed, my legs were sore, and my whole body was weak, but I didn’t have time to rest longer. Hunger pangs had set in and I knew if I didn’t push my way through this wood soon, I would freeze or starve.

As the day wore on, the sunlight slowly warmed the earth and melted the frost from the remaining leaves on the trees. I decided to follow the sunlight and hope that I could keep a westerly path. Though I knew nothing of traveling through wilderness, I had a fairly clear picture in my head of the world maps I’d been forced to memorize. Evren Forest lay to the west of Misroth City, with a few scattered towns along its opposite borders. If I could just make it through this forest, I could find a haven where someone might help me.

Even in the daylight, I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling the forest gave me. Shadows hid beneath the trees and strange noises followed me everywhere. Birds lighted on perches high above me, but their mild presence couldn’t chase away the nightmarish thoughts collecting in my mind.
What if the creatures are real?
The longer I traveled through the woods alone, my real fears of becoming lost forever and starving were matched by my irrational fears.

Despite my concerns, the day passed without incident. As another night fell, my hunger making my stomach feel like a great abyss, I collapsed on a soft bed of moss to rest.
Sleep. You’ll make it out of this place soon, somehow… Forget the stories about monsters. Forget that you might be lost. You need the rest.
I shut my eyes against the night and tried to block out every sound.

My efforts didn’t work.

Overhead, the boughs creaked in the wind and the leaves scattered, drifting onto my cloak. I shivered and stared up at the stars. If I focused on picking out the constellations Mother had shown me as a child, maybe I could dispel my fears and fall asleep. But any memories of my mother shot poison through my veins.

How could you and Father betray me like this?

Unbidden tears splattered down my cheeks and spotted my nightgown, mingling with the twigs and dirt. I leaned my head back against the rough bark of the tree and felt it scratch my scalp. At least my anger and sorrow consumed me, drowning my fear.

A heavy thud jolted me out of my despair and wrenched my eyes wide open. Standing, I pulled the cloak close about me and searched the forest.
It’s nothing, you fool
, I thought, but I couldn’t dispel my terror this time.

My breath caught in my throat as two large, reptilian eyes appeared in the blackness. Gleaming bright gold, cold and intent, they fastened on me unblinkingly.

Panicking, I stepped backward, my heel slamming into the tree. I suppressed a cry of pain and staggered around the trunk, unable to tear my gaze from the eyes that were still studying me.
Move. Run
. I had to plead with myself while my body struggled to catch up with my mind. Blood pounded through my head. Did I dare turn my back on this creature?
Now
, I commanded myself.

Spinning around, I darted through the trees, winding my way around underbrush, leaping over roots and branches. Leaves flew up around me as my sore muscles found new life. I heard nothing behind me—had it changed its mind? Or was it that quiet?

I didn’t dare turn to look. My chest burned; my throat was on fire. Though my body was warm and coated in a layer of sweat, my hands were cold and clammy as they pumped at my sides.
Keep. Going
. I begged my legs to go faster, faster, faster.

Sweat snaked down my brow. I leapt over a fallen tree and my knees almost buckled underneath me as I hit the ground. My breaths came in uneven gasps, so loud that I knew I had to be alerting every beast around me that I was weak and half-starved.

I will not die here
, I resolved.

I couldn’t hear any sounds over the hammering of my heart, the thudding of my feet, the wheezing of my lungs. In a surreal burst of perceptiveness—perhaps to make up for the fact that I heard nothing, or maybe to appreciate the beauty of the world one last time—I became intensely aware of every sight around me. Ahead, the sky was grey and starless, and I realized it was almost dawn. Around me the forest was thinning: the underbrush was scraggly and sparse, and the trees stood further and further apart.

Then the canopy of branches spread wide and the sky was open above me, swirling with soft clouds. Just beyond the trees stretched rolling, green countryside dotted with farms, fields, and pastures. At that instant light sprang over the horizon: a warm glow piercing through the grey, edging the easternmost clouds in pale gold. The sun followed, peeking over the edge of the earth and flooding my eyes with light. Hope burst inside me.

I sprinted forward, plunging out of the forest into the tall grass, and collapsed. I tumbled sideways, rolling down a soft descent until my momentum died and I slammed onto my face. For several minutes I lay there, too exhausted to move, fearing the creature would pounce.

Seconds inched by. My heart slowed until I could no longer feel it pulsing in my ears. I raised my head from the grass and stared over my shoulder into the forest, but there were no eyes gazing back at me. Sighing with relief, I staggered to my feet. I set my gaze ahead, scanning the farmland. There was a cabin nearby…if I could force my legs forward a little more…

I staggered toward the cabin, nestled against a hill and belching a welcoming curl of smoke from its chimney. As I drew nearer, I noticed a boy close to my age in the yard, stacking wood blocks from a pile into his arms. His clothes were made from simple homespun material, his boots were muddy and worn, and his dark hair was cropped short. When he caught sight of me, he froze, a frown crinkling his brow as he stared. I wanted to run, to beg for help and food, but my body was too faint and I collapsed.