Frost nips at my skin, biting against the tender flesh of my face. Blinking against the light flurry swirling around me, I glance back down into the basket. With the tight covering, everything should be fine, but I don’t want to take the chance of anything either freezing or somehow going to ruin.
Heart in my throat, I stare at the dark expanse of forest as it yawns before me, threatening to swallow me up. Shivering, I burrow deeper into my blood-red cloak and force one foot in front of the other. Whispers surround me, calling to me, but I ignore them.
The forest is full of evil and secrets. Stick to the path and heed not their alluring words. My grandmother’s warnings echo through my mind as I seek out the way, barely seeing it through the undergrowth, and the snowfall threatening to erase it completely. But there it is; I just have to concentrate.
Glancing back up at the sky, I study the gray blanket stretching over the expanse. It turns the world a muted, milky white. However, as I squint, I can just barely make out the sun, watery behind the clouds as it struggles to break through. If I can just see the sun, I can find my way if the path disappears.
Heat flashes through my body, nearly driving me to my knees. It’s not caused by the cloak to be sure. Could it be that I’m sick with whatever ails my grandmother? My fingers flutter to the opening of the thick fabric, pulling it closed despite the warmth that spreads through my limbs like wildfire.
The sensations swirling through me are altogether different than anything I’ve experienced before. My stomach clenches as an odd wetness coats my thighs. How can I be sweating this profusely?
I bring my fingers up to brush against my forehead and cheeks, expecting the skin to be damp. But it’s not. Though warm, my face is perfectly dry. Dread settles low into my gut, forcing me to curl in on myself.
What sort of madness is this? To my knowledge, no one else in the village is ill, so why me? Pausing, I rest my hand against the nearest tree, propping myself up as I take in a deep lungful of cool air.
Betwixt my thighs, an odd ache throbs. However, this is not painful like a cramp or a wound. I have no words to describe the sensations pulsing through me, but I do know I crave relief. Snarling, I slam my palm against the rough bark, bringing my focus back to the task at hand.
The odd ache dies down; however, the heat does not. How I want to rid myself of this cloak, but to do so would leave me vulnerable to the sprites that lurk in the forest. Realization floods my system, forcing me to stand erect.
That must be it. The forest is already weaving its magic around me, doing its best to deter me from my mission. And just like that, as if my thoughts alone can cut through the haze that surrounds me, I feel perfectly fine.
An eerie feeling threads through me as I restart my journey, venturing into the woods itself. Dead twigs snap under my feet. The crunch of snow vibrates through my ears. Every nerve stands on end, my body jumping with each new sound.
Just concentrate on grandmother, I whisper through my mind like a mantra. She is sick, and if reports are to be believed, on her deathbed. I must help her before she succumbs. Glancing down, I clutch the basket even tighter.
The healers worked tirelessly night and day to concoct these herbs and medicines for her. What type of granddaughter would I be if I allowed her to lapse because of my fear? Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I continue forward, one step in front of the other.
If I’m being honest, it’s not her health that has me the most worried. Although we are kin and she has dedicated much of her time to my training, my grandmother has never shown me affection. Thus, the fact that she asked for me instead of one of her immediate children or the healers themselves gives me reason to believe she wishes to pass the mantle of matriarch to me. It’s an honor I’m not ready for.
At eighteen, I should be exploring life, getting into scrapes, messing up. But now, there’s a very real chance all of that will come to an end. Gnawing on my bottom lip, I slow my steps, taking my time as I mull my fate over.
It would be selfish for me to turn and run, leaving her with no one to help. And yet… I turn back, glancing down into the valley where fires gleam. Though I can’t hear the merriment of those gathering for dinner, I see the twinkling of the dancing flames, my heart heavy.
We all have to grow up sometime. I just never expected it to be so soon. Shaking my head, I resume my journey, determined to actually grow up and face my fate. I should have known this would happen, should have prepared for it.
It seems as if the whispers surrounding my birth were true then. I always knew I was destined for something, but no one ever told me what. But now, everything seems to make sense. My head reels as everything narrows down into stark focus.
This is why they never allowed the boys to play with me. This is why the other girls granted me a large berth. All the pain and loneliness in my soul led me to this moment. It’s why I was forced to stay inside and learn the way of the healers instead of playing with the others.
Granted, knowing now helps, but it doesn’t erase the pain of the past. It’s still with me, pricking my heart at every turn. The one good thing about becoming the matriarch is that I can change things, make a difference in the next girl forced to take over from me.
My soul lifts at that thought, allowing me to breathe. Besides, now that my fate is before me, they can no longer deny me the joy of interacting with others. Besides, it’s not as if Grandmother stays to herself up here in the cabin. She comes down fairly often, less so as her health has been failing her.
Again, a surge of heat coils up within me, cutting off my thoughts. My feet falter, pitching me to the side. Keeping a tight hold on the basket, I slump over into the shelter of the trees.
I know I’m supposed to stay on the path like a good girl, but no one can deny me refuge among the foliage. Not when everything heaves and sways, threatening my insides. Curling in on myself, I nestle into a space where the roots form a circle. It’s a nice place to shut my eyes for a few moments.
Silent, I listen to the branches creak and groan as the wind howls through the leaves. I should be scared, terrified, and yet, there’s a sort of kinship there. A storm brews as my mind whirls about, just as tempestuous.
It’s a lullaby of sorts as I find a cadence, a rhythm to the noise. Deep in my cloak, the warmth is no longer stifling. Instead, it’s an embrace, and soon, I find my eyelids are too heavy to keep open.
Odd dreams flit through my subconscious. Phantom fingers drift over my arms and face, but I cannot see them. Is it the spirit of the woods? Try as I might, my eyes stay shut. I move to lash out, to thrust the trickster aside, but find that I cannot move.
My limbs are heavy, wooden, and refuse to respond to even the simplest of commands. Dark eyes bore into me. I see them, clear as day in my head. But there’s no face, no body… just eyes. They stir something within me, feelings I don’t understand.
My stomach clenches as more of that infernal dampness gathers at the juncture of my thighs. I ache now, all over. It’s no longer centered at my apex. Every joint screams at me as I attempt to move.
Whispers pull at me, zipping around my ears like a ferocious wind. They make no sense. They call to me, and yet, I find I do not understand the words. At least, my mind doesn’t. My body, however, responds, coming alive at the raspy sound.
With a start, my eyes fly open. Frantic, I glance about, noting the waning sun. I’ve been asleep far longer than I anticipated. Fear grips me as I look down at the basket in my hands.
A light layer of snow covers everything, including the medicine. With shaky fingers, I remove the top and look inside, my heart in my throat. With a sigh, I note that nothing is frozen. It must have been my body heat keeping everything safe.
Forcing myself back up, my legs wobble for a moment. I brace against the tree and freeze. I’m not alone. Though I cannot see anyone else, my hair stands on end as the sense of a piercing gaze follows me.
I’ve lingered far too long, and now, it’s no longer safe. Pulling the basket closer to my chest, holding it against me as a talisman, I go back onto the path, breathing a sigh of relief as the way remains clear for me. In my fear, I worried it would disappear right from under my nose.
Striding forward, I make a mental note not to be distracted again. I can’t afford any more missteps. The forest was kind to me once, but there’s no guarantee it will be so forgiving next time.
As I follow the meandering trail, I still cannot shake the feeling of eyes following me. I long to cry out, to demand whoever or whatever it is to show themselves. But that’s one rule of the forest I will never break.
Don’t ask the trees questions, for you will not like their answer. The wise words I grew up with whirl through my mind. Redoubling my steps, I continue on, coming to a sharp bend. I take in a deep breath and follow it around, running into a solid wall of muscle. It’s a miracle my grip on the basket never falters as I fall backward, landing square on my posterior.
Pain shoots through me, but I remain silent, refusing to give this stranger a foothold. As he leans forward, his eyes lock onto mine, stopping all movement. Those eyes. It’s the eyes from my dream. What trickery is this?
A few seconds too late, I try to shuffle back, but his massive strides catch up to me in the blink of an eye. A whimper claws up my throat as his heavenly scent invades my nostrils, scrambling my thoughts. All I want to do is drink him in.
When he reaches for me, I’m helpless to resist. I allow him to help me stand and don’t even put up a fight as his long arm snakes around my waist to steady me. My head brushes his chest, my nose slamming into his upper abs as he pulls me to him.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, his voice vibrating through his core, sending shivers through me. “I never expected to collide with a lady such as you. That is, no one usually enters these woods, and so I thought I would be alone. Are you injured?” He pushes me away, holding me at arm's length, allowing me to take a breath.
It’s still laced with his scent, making my body sway in the confines of his grasp. “I… I…” The world dips for a moment as my knees buckle from under me.
“Easy there,” he commands, pulling me upright, holding me fast in his arms.
His fingers smooth over my hair, sliding the hood off. Snow-white curls bounce down from where I’d stuffed them into the cloak, spilling about my shoulders. Terror seizes my lungs as he runs his fingers along my scalp.
Pulling back, I wrench out of his grasp and pull the hood back over. “You shouldn’t take such liberties.”
“I was merely searching for a wound, a bump on your head or worse.” Concern laces his tone as his brows draw in.
Though his words sound truthful, I don’t believe them. No one is supposed to look upon my hair save my mother. Touching it is out of the question. No one has ever said why it’s forbidden, making the emotions coursing through me even more confusing. But, everyone from the village or nearby knows any sort of contact is impermissible.
That means he’s a stranger. Fear swirls through my gut as I tighten the cloak tighter about my shoulders. There can be only one type of stranger in the forest, and I’m not foolish enough to fall for his silver tongue or handsome physique.
This sprite means to waylay me, to keep me from my mission. Squaring my shoulders, I attempt to move past him, but he blocks my way, crossing his arms to seem even more imposing. Looking up, I note the dark, stormy black and greys of his eyes, like choppy waves in a snowstorm.
I could get lost in those eyes. They’re so cold, and yet, I feel a blazing warmth underneath. Shaking my head, I disrupt the spell he’s weaving around me. I feel it like tendrils curling about my arms and legs, rooting me to the spot.
Soon, I’ll be a part of the forest, a tree rooted in place by something as pathetic as flutterings in my stomach. Again, I try to push past, but he holds his arm out, anchoring it against a broad oak.
“I’ll have your name, beautiful.” His words slide over me like honey.
There’s a compulsion there; I’m almost sure of it. Tossing my head back, I hunch down, using my diminutive size to duck under his arm. The smirk he gives me as I dance out of reach leaves me nearly breathless.
“If you were someone I was allowed to talk to, you would already know my name.”
“Ahh, but can you not give a small courtesy to a passing stranger?” he teases, his smile widening.
“And that is why I shall not give it. I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
“And yet, we’ve been conversing for several moments now.” He glances up into the darkening sky, squinting as a few flakes drop onto his face. “Seems to me you’re still in good health.”
There’s something about his tone that flows over my skin like a caress. It coils through me, tightening my stomach. Again, that ache pulses between my thighs. Squeezing them together, I do my best to staunch the liquid gathering there, grateful my cloak hides all evidence.
However, the moment I shift, his head tilts down, his gaze narrowing. He stares right at me, his eyes going straight to the spot of my embarrassment. “I see. My very presence ails you, I presume?”
Relief floods my system as I nod. “Yes. That must be it. I have such an adverse reaction. Please allow me to leave so I can remain well.”
He chuckles, the dark sound scraping across the synapses of my brain.
“Your name,” he growls.
“Teagan,” I cry out, unable to stop myself.
With a soft sob, I slam my hand across my lips, furious that I broke the rules. His eyes seem to glow at my reaction, no doubt a trick of the shifting clouds. Leaning down, he grabs my hood and slowly eases it back, revealing my hair once more.
“Good girl.” Those two simple words said in that husky tone send flames licking up my body. “So much better than the name I gave you.”
“What name was that?” I curse the words as they fall from my lips. Yet another rule broken.
With a smirk, he runs his fingers along the front of my cloak. “Little red hood.” Pausing, he drifts up higher. “Your hair is so beautiful, like stars glinting on freshly fallen snow. Why hide it?”
I lick my lips, desperate to back away. But I can’t. The promise in his touch, the unsaid words that twist my insides with need keep me there. I want to know why the rules exist… but more importantly why they force me to be so alone.
Couldn’t I just…
“I…”
“Yes?” His lips hover so close to mine that I feel his very breath as it crosses my face.
A large crack rends the air as some distant branch falls to the earth, laden with too much snow. It snaps the spell, allowing clear thoughts to reign once more. Shaking off the remaining dredges, I take a step back.
“I have to go,” I blurt out, forcing my body to move.
I half expect him to chase me, to drag me back to his side, but he stands still, ramrod as he watches me. “Run then, little red hood. Many blessings on your journey.”
His voice rumbles through my mind as I hasten forward, aimless, barely keeping my feet on the path. Too close. That was far too close.
