Chapter 7

By early afternoon, Lena had successfully planted two of the necessary posts. The map had proven useful, and for the most part, accurate, showing elevation and larger bodies of water. She needed to plant one more post before heading back to the game trail. She made sure to remain outside of the V-shaped hill when traveling from one spot to another to avoid the possibility of detection. She figured if she could get one atop the crest of the hill, it would be invaluable to Jael’s resources. She began to climb.

The forest floor rose gradually at first and then became a steep incline as she located her next posting spot. She had to use her hands to keep her balance. Crunch. Crunch. Her footsteps pressed the heavy blanket of pine needles and loose gravel.

Crunch. Crunch. The ground became steeper and increasingly rocky. Her footsteps sent small rocks rolling down the hill. She winced every time she heard one of the falling stones knock against a tree, increasing her odds of discovery. Humongous boulders silhouetted in beams of light sat at the top of the hill like crenellation of a fortress.

Peering through the rocks and the trees, she could see the crest. An enormous slab jutted from the top and provided her a goal. She climbed further and it became apparent that the light source emanated from the other side of the ridge.

She paused about a hundred feet from the top. She thought she heard something over the sound of small rocks rolling down the hill. Was it the rustling of the trees in the breeze? Her nerves were starting to get the best of her as she looked over he shoulder. She listened intently for a moment, unmoving, but heard nothing more.

Pressing on, she took long strides up the hill, placing her hand on a nearby boulder or tree root to sustain balance. Finally, she leaned against the slab. She looked down the hillside, marveling at surviving the achievement. She planted the post, pressing it into the rocky soil with her body weight.

Looking down the other side of the hill, she saw the source of the light. She raised the glasses to her forehead, and the world darkened. Below, a faint light seeped from a deep crevice in the hillside. It was the entrance to the mine. The lair of Verus.

She lowered the glasses and began her descent back down the path, intent on planting the extra post she had at the foot of the hill to secure another year of insurance.

Ripping through the silence came a hideous, shrieking howl from within the forest. Her heart leapt to her throat and she threw herself into the rocky dirt. More cries answered from deeper within the forest. Eyes wide in fear, Lena dared not move. She strained to find the direction of the noise’s source. The beastly cries were far off, but she had another hour’s walk back, twenty minutes if she ran. Her throat clenched. After several excruciating minutes of silence, she began to inch herself down the hill, remaining as flat as she could. This time, she was careful not to loosen any pebbles along her path.

Her awkward crawling grew to a back breaking crouch as the silence continued. The comfort of her own apartment called to her. The thought of Nico. The feel of her purring under Lena’s fingers. She quickened her pace.

She stopped at the bottom of the hill to listen. It felt as if a tangible hostility hung in the air that Lena had not sensed before. The treetops brewed from a cold wind sweeping down from the mountain peak. No insects or birds could be heard. The towering trees surrounded her like sentries, patiently awaiting a single misstep to crush their intruder.

The forest was uneven and difficult to maneuver. She jogged where she could. She ran in the direction of the trail, hoping she would see it beyond the next turn. She used Exodar’s overhead moons to direct her through the unfamiliar trees.

She burst into an open glade. A narrow creek reflected light like a streak of silver breaking the forest floor. She launched herself over, aiming her left foot for a firm bed of leaves.

However, when her foot made contact, it fell through the surface into stagnant water. It was then she realized the glade was actually a reed-ridden bog. She flailed for the surface, coughing up putrid water. The world was dark. The glasses were gone.

She trudged to the nearest bank though chest-high water, straining to find it in the dark. She reached desperately for the first sign of solid ground. Finally, she found the edge and pulled herself out, trembling. Drenched in filth, she collapsed.

The darkness crept around her and into her head like a black storm cloud. She sat up straining to see into the woods. She brushed the wet hair from her face and tied it back into a muddy ponytail.

If the forest seemed hostile before, it had now become a living nightmare. All she could see were the thick trunks of trees fading like ghosts in the eerie light. With her sight nearly useless, her hearing became more acute. Wind bellowed through the treetops high above in a droning howl, crushing the remains of her spirit. The trunks creaked and popped. The sound echoed through the timbered halls, causing the very air she breathed to quiver. Shakily, she stood. She needed to get out of this. Now.