The Blood Forest (Tree of Ages #3)(8)

Everyone nodded and muttered their agreement. After what they’d seen in Migris, they all feared what they might meet on the road, but it was also the fastest route away from the coast. A worthwhile risk. That same logic did not apply to sleeping. For sleep, they would hide in the shadows, and hope that the shadows weren’t what they needed to be hiding from.

With everyone in agreement, Iseult led the way off the path and into the trees. While Anna would defer to the judgement of very few, she found she had no problem deferring to Iseult. She didn’t particularly like the gruff man, but she knew one thing about him for sure. He was a survivor. It was wise to follow survivors if one hoped to remain among the living, especially in times like these.

Kai stuck close to Anna’s side as the party made their way into the forest, likely worried about her sanity. She’d kept him abreast of the things she’d seen, and fortunately he believed her, but his worry was evident.

Worry, she could deal with. She was just glad she had someone to confide in. Of course, how could he not support her after all they’d been through?

She flexed her palms, trying to banish her nerves. The trees seemed to be closing in around them, but she knew it was only in her head. Their broad leaves, shaped like large hands, cast eerie shadows in the dying light, but did not actually move.

Her remaining crewmen muttered behind her back about the ships they’d left behind. Fools. They hadn’t lost out. It was her ship they’d left. Though she knew the friend she’d procured it from hadn’t charged her full price, it was still a greater loss for her than anyone else. The men didn’t know how lucky they were now to be traveling with skilled fighters. She didn’t know much about the girl, Ealasaid, but knew Iseult, Kai, Maarav, and Sativola knew what they were doing with their blades. Their party was better protected than most traveling these now forsaken lands.

Now that they were concealed within the woods, Finn let Naoki down to roam around. The little dragon scented the ground and ran circles around everyone’s feet, but never strayed too far from her mother. Anna was surprised to notice Iseult smiling at the creature as she took the end of Finn’s cloak in her beak and tried to tug her along . . . or perhaps he was just smiling at Finn. Either way, Anna had previously thought him incapable of smiling at all.

Soon they reached an area Iseult deemed secluded enough, and Anna exhaled in relief. Her feet felt like icy bricks, weighing her down with every step.

There was enough of an opening in the trees for everyone to lay out their bedrolls, with a few fallen logs for seating. She knew they’d found enough supplies within Migris for a hearty supper, though they’d be wise to ration what they had, not knowing where the next batch of supplies might be found. Unfortunately, she had a sneaking suspicion it would be difficult to keep things fair, considering her crewmen already seemed to be arguing with Maarav’s as they set up their bedrolls.

“We need to get to Port Ainfean,” one of her crewmen said. “We can sail the river Cair, far away from any Reiver ships, then return to the sea when it’s safe.”

One of Maarav’s crewmen, Rae, Anna thought his name was, turned to the other man, Tavish, and muttered that they should head north.

“North?” Anna’s crewman blurted. “Why in the name of the Horned One would you want to head north? Nothin’ up that way but Reivers.”

Maarav’s two crewmen met each other’s eyes, but did not comment, and instead stood and walked off together, muttering quietly to each other. Soon Anna’s crewmen followed, demanding to know the reason for heading north.

Finding Maarav’s crewmen suspicious, but seeing little she could do about it in that moment, she turned her gaze to the remaining portion of the group. Ealasaid seemed to be upset about something, and Finn was fussing over her like a mother hen, while Kai and Iseult started stacking wood for a fire.

Ealasaid began to cry, and Maarav took Finn’s place, ushering the girl off into the woods to speak in privacy.

Anna shook her head and turned back to her bag of procured supplies. They would all need to be sorted and doled out properly, and she was obviously going to be the one to do it, since no one else was offering.

“I’ll get some more wood for the fire,” Sativola sighed, having finished tending to Maarav and Iseult’s horses.

“Thank you,” Anna muttered, pleased she wouldn’t have to do everything.

By the time she’d finished sorting the supplies, Kai and Iseult had a roaring fire going. While the fire might draw unwanted human attention, it would hopefully keep other creatures at bay. Plus, it was absolutely freezing in the forest, even though they were still well within the growing season by Anna’s estimation.

Leaving the bundled supplies behind, she moved toward the fire, holding her gloved palms outward to warm them. The sun had nearly set, casting odd, long shadows through the trees.

“Where is everyone?” Finn asked, walking toward the fire with Naoki bounding behind her.

“Are you truly so unobservant?” Anna snapped.

Finn frowned, reaching a hand out absentmindedly to pet her dragon friend.

Anna sighed. “Sativola went for more wood, and the other men clambered off arguing about where they want to go from here. Maarav went off with Ealasaid . . . ” she trailed off, glancing warily around them. That had been quite some time ago.

“Oh wonderful,” Kai grumbled, moving to stand next to Anna with his cloak wrapped tightly around him. “They’ve probably all wandered off to be eaten by errant Faie.”