Redeemed (Part two)
We had no idea where we were while we stood inside that forest. Everything felt unfamiliar, the air heavy and cold, the trees packed so tightly together that the sky barely showed through. I looked toward Doya and asked,
"Can you veil-walk us back to my place, my home in Urkael? I have to get back to my parents."
"I am sorry," he said quietly. His voice sounded strained, almost cracked. "I used up the last of my energy to get us out of that place." He breathed out slowly and continued, "I have to recover for a bit before I will be able to take us to your place."
"How long will it take for you to recover?" I asked, trying my best not to sound panicked.
"I do not know," he replied, looking exhausted. "Probably a day or two, considering how much they drained me."
My heart sank. I did not even know what emotion was strongest inside me. I was tired, furious, hungry, scared, overwhelmed. Everything inside me was shaking. And then suddenly, I remembered Bali. The last time I saw her was during the attack in front of Giselle's shack. A sharp fear gripped my chest.
"Where is my horse?!" I said, almost screaming at Giselle.
"She was also taken and locked inside a barn at the location where you were held."
"And where were we held?"
"Dambrishe, very close to Harlum village."
I froze. "I know Harlum Village." That place was extremely far from home.
I looked around the forest again, trying to see anything familiar, and asked, "Do you have any idea where we might be now? We have to find our way back home since Doya cannot veil-walk us."
"I am not sure," Giselle said. "Let us get out of here first and find a village close by. Perhaps we might see someone to ask about this place."
"Doya, can you walk?" I asked, genuinely worried.
"Yes," he replied with a slight nod.
"Alright then, we need to leave this place."
We started walking. Hours passed. Our feet ached, our stomachs tightened with hunger, and the path felt endless. No one said anything. What was there to talk about? I could not talk to the girl who betrayed me. The silence itself felt heavier than the forest.
Along the road, we suddenly heard the sound of horses approaching. Fast.
Immediately, we hid inside a thick bush, crouching low, barely breathing. The hoofbeats grew louder. Branches trembled. The ground vibrated.
When the riders came into view, my blood boiled. The forsaken.
I felt magic pulse inside me, an urge to attack them, to burn every last one of them to ashes. But we were outnumbered, and honestly, what could I even do in this moment? So we stayed completely still, trapped in silence, only watching them pass.
When the last rider disappeared down the road, we slowly came out of hiding and continued the journey.
Eventually, we saw a settlement in the distance. I almost cried in relief.
"Hello," I said, approaching a man sitting in front of his shop. "Please, I would love to ask where we are."
"This area is Kramstone, Gamsun Village," he replied while arranging goods on a shelf.
"Kramstone…" I whispered, disbelief washing over me. We were in the far north of Káremuul, where icy villages clung stubbornly to the mountainsides. Home lay far to the east. If Doya could not veil-walk us soon, we were stranded.
"There a problem, ma'am?" the man asked.
"No, no, it is fine. Thank you."
"We are really far from home," Giselle muttered.
I did not respond.
"If we can get horses, it would go a long way. We need just two at most," Doya said.
"Yes, but we have no money to purchase a horse," I replied.
"Then we steal the horses," Giselle said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"No, we cannot do that. That is wrong."
"I do not see any other choice here, Dana," she said.
"I kind of agree with Giselle on this one," Doya added softly. "We do not have much of a choice."
I sighed deeply. They were right. We really did not.
We looked around the village quietly, searching for any horses that were not guarded. Eventually, we found a barn. A single man sat outside watching the horses. I whispered a spell under my breath, and he slumped over, knocked out for a few minutes. Just long enough.
We hurried. We stole three horses, checked the area quickly, and then left the village before anyone could notice.
We rode for hours until night settled around us like a blanket. We needed rest, even if the forest looked dangerous. We made camp and took turns staying awake through the night, just in case anything tried to attack us. I barely slept.
---
The next morning, I opened my eyes slowly. My head felt heavy. Giselle was still asleep. Doya was already awake, sitting near the dying fire.
"Hey," I greeted softly.
"Hi," he replied.
"Did you get enough sleep?"
"Not really, but the rest was needed. How are you holding up?"
I gave a small, tired smile. "I am trying my best, I guess."
Giselle shifted slightly, still sleeping.
"You said something earlier about the forsaken finding a way back into the labyrinth," I continued.
"Yes," Doya said, his expression darkening. "That is where they captured me. I do not know how they did it, but they can now cross from this realm to the labyrinth even after being rejected. I am afraid the labyrinth might get lost again."
I swallowed hard. "Why can't I access the labyrinth without sleeping? If I am who you say I am, I should be able to cross realms like you do."
"You can," he said gently. "But you have not harnessed that ability yet. It will come to you."
"I also need to learn veil-walking. They do not teach that in school. I doubt the sages can even do it."
"You are Koliasis. There is nothing you cannot do. You just have to reach in and believe."
I remembered something suddenly. "One of the forsaken saw the key. The key behind the red door. He saw it."
Doya's face dropped. "They will go for that key. We need to get there before them."
"But I cannot access the labyrinth except in my dreams. And I barely slept last night."
"You will cross over with me once my strength returns. I will take you myself."
Just then, Giselle woke up. I went silent immediately. I did not want her hearing any part of that plan. Betrayal does not fade overnight.
"Hey," she said groggily.
"Let's get ready to move. We have a long day ahead," I replied, standing up beside Doya.