The forest loomed ahead of us, thick with shadows that twisted unnaturally, as if alive.
Faint echoes of laughter and whispers brushed past us, teasing the edges of my hearing. Shadows flickered like specters just out of reach, and it was clear from the start—we would never be alone here.
The moment we stepped beneath its gnarled canopy, the air grew heavier, pressing down on me like an invisible weight.
The trees loomed like ancient sentinels, their blackened bark cracked and scarred.
Each step sank into the squelching mud, the sound unnervingly loud in the thick silence, as though the forest itself was listening.
Kiaran walked ahead, his posture rigid, one hand resting near the hilt of his blade. His crimson eyes flicked from shadow to shadow, scanning for threats I couldn’t see but could feel pressing in from all sides.
Each faint laugh and echo caused Kiaran to clutch his weapon tighter. Something was watching us, and we could feel it.
I followed as closely as I dared, careful with each step on the uneven ground, but there was a more pressing matter at hand.
The silence was suffocating. Every step felt too loud, every breath too shallow. My thoughts clawed at me, refusing to be ignored.
I replayed the moment over and over again in my mind—Estella’s hands glowing, the golden-blue light spreading like wildfire, and Kiaran... Kiaran falling to his knees, his body trembling, his crimson eyes wide and feral.
I’d never seen him like that before, never seen him so close to losing control. It was like watching a dam crack open, the sheer force of it threatening to drown us all.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I stopped walking, the words spilling out of me before I could stop them. “What are you?”
Estella froze, her golden eyes widening in surprise. Even Kiaran paused, glancing over his shoulder with a frown, but I ignored him.
My gaze was locked on Estella, my chest tight with a mix of confusion and fear. “What did you do to him?” I demanded, my voice sharp and trembling. “How did you make him—” I broke off, shaking my head as the memory surged again. “You nearly turned him into a monster.”
Estella blinked, her mouth opening and closing as if she didn’t know how to respond. She glanced nervously at Kiaran, who was still watching us with an unreadable expression, before finally meeting my gaze.
“I didn’t mean to,” she said softly. “I didn’t know it would affect him like that.”
“That’s not an answer,” I snapped, my frustration boiling over. The forest pressed in around us, the shadows seeming to lean closer as my voice echoed through the stillness. “What are you? What kind of power does that?”
Estella hesitated, her hands wringing together as she looked away. “It’s not... easy to explain,” she said finally.
“Try,” I said, crossing my arms. “Because I’ve never seen anything like that before. And I need to know if it’s going to happen again.”
Kiaran sighed, turning back to face us fully. “Princess Mablevi,” he said, his tone low and warning, “this isn’t the time.”
But I ignored him again. My focus was on Estella, who still looked like she wanted to shrink into the ground.
“I’m the daughter of Oshun,” she said at last, her voice barely above a whisper. “The Goddess of Love and Fertility.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and strange. I stared at her, trying to reconcile the nervous, fidgety girl in front of me with the raw, overwhelming power I’d seen earlier.
“Oshun,” I repeated slowly, the name unfamiliar but weighty.
Estella nodded. “It’s not just love,” she said, glancing down at her hands. “It’s life. Growth. I can amplify the strength of those I care about, but it’s not... easy to control. I didn’t mean to push Kiaran so far. I just wanted to help.”
I looked at Kiaran, but his expression was unreadable as he watched her.
“And Mirelle?” I asked, turning back to Estella.
Estella shook her head. “No. Mirelle’s mother is unknown. Our father is the same... but... let’s just say he wasn’t exactly the faithful type.” She gave a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in it.
I swallowed hard, forcing down the lump in my throat. “She’s lucky to have you,” I said quietly.
Estella looked at me, startled, before offering a small, hesitant smile. “Thanks,” she said softly. “But I think she’s the strong one. I’m just trying to keep up.”
For a moment, the tension between us eased, the oppressive weight of the forest fading into the background. But then Estella tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing as she studied me.
“What about you?” she asked, her tone curious but cautious. “I know your father... is the same as mine.”
I stiffened, the question hitting me like a blade. “It doesn’t matter,” I said quickly, brushing past her. “Let’s just focus on getting through this place.”
“But it does,” Estella said, her voice insistent. “You’re the lost princess of Aranbiya... the Nwatti girl with the winds? You’re kind of a legend.”
I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “A legend? I’m just a mistake my father tried to bury. The brothel girls used to whisper about it like it was some kind of fairy tale. The castaway princess, forgotten and unwanted. That’s all I am.”
Estella opened her mouth to respond, but Kiaran’s voice cut through the silence, low and sharp. “Enough,” he said. “We’re wasting time.”
A faint giggle broke the silence, sharp, loud, and unyielding. I stopped in my tracks, my heart skipping a beat. “Did you hear that?” I asked, my voice low and uneasy.
Estella froze behind me, her eyes darting around the trees. “It’s... probably nothing, right?”
Estella’s breath caught. She reached up to brush back her hair—and froze. “Did something... touch me?”
Her fingers trembled as they grazed her temple. “My moon hair clip,” she muttered, eyes wide. “I swear I felt it move—like something stroked it, and then...” She looked down at her chest, touching her collarbone. “My necklace. Where’s my necklace?!”
I blinked. Estella hadn’t been wearing a necklace or a moon clip. But her panic was too real to ignore. And that’s when I realized—my dagger was gone too.
My blood ran cold. That dagger... was important. Who the hell stole my dagger?
As if on cue, I heard faint whispers and gossiping in the distance, as though somebody—or something—had taken note of our dismay and confusion.
Kiaran sighed, his hand already pulling his blade from the hilt. “Pixies,” he muttered. “Mischievous little pests. They like to play tricks... steal, but they’re not dangerous unless you provoke them.”
I frowned, scanning the flickering shadows in the trees. Something darted between the branches, too fast for me to follow. “Define ‘provoke,’” I said, my voice tighter than I intended.
Kiaran didn’t answer right away. Instead, he let out a weary sigh, like he was already tired of the conversation. “Last time I passed through here, a Pixie Queen stole my clothes. Left me naked with one boot.”
Estella’s lips twitched into a chuckle, the sound cutting through the tension like a ray of sunlight. “What did you do to piss her off?”
“She asked me out on a date,” Kiaran said dryly. “I said no.”
Estella’s laughter only grew louder. “Wow. Leaving a trail of broken hearts, huh?”
“Shut up,” Kiaran snapped, though there was no real anger in his voice. He kept his gaze on the trees, his shoulders tense. “Just keep moving... we don’t have time for games, Estella.”
I couldn’t help myself. His actions had clearly landed us in this mess. “So let me get this straight... YOU PISSED OFF THE QUEEN OF PIXIES?”
I asked, my voice stern this time. I hated how my voice echoed through the forest, but I couldn’t ignore the nagging worry that had settled in my chest.
Kiaran’s tone darkened slightly, losing some of its usual sarcasm. “Yes... but we should be fine... just ignore them.”
I raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. “But you provoked one—not even just one, you provoked the Queen of Pixies!”
Kiaran stopped walking and turned to look at me, his expression a mix of exasperation and something else I couldn’t quite place—annoyance, maybe, or regret. “Yeah,” he said, his voice low and pointed. “But let’s just get out of here before she gets here.”
The giggle came again, sharp and high-pitched, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The shadows seemed to shift in the corners of my vision, darting too fast for me to focus on. My heart was pounding now, a little too fast, a little too loud.
Kiaran’s jaw tightened, his smirk fading into something more serious. “It might be too late,” he muttered under his breath. “She might be coming to greet me already.”
The forest felt heavier with every step, the oppressive air clinging to my skin like a damp shroud. The silence was gone now, replaced by a faint, high-pitched buzzing that set my nerves on edge.
At first, I thought it was just my imagination—the shadows playing tricks on me again. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement—small, flickering shapes darting between the trees.
“Keep your eyes open,” Kiaran muttered, his voice low but sharp. His hand whipped out his blade with precision, his crimson eyes scanning the treetops.
The buzzing grew louder. The first one appeared just ahead—a tiny figure with translucent wings and glowing skin, no bigger than my hand. It hovered in the air, its eyes gleaming with mischief. Then another appeared. And another.
“Pixies,” Estella whispered. “Aww... so tiny.”
I hissed, swatting at one as it darted too close to my face.
“The little ones are harmless,” Kiaran said over his shoulder, though his tone held a warning. “Just walk past them...”
The pixies, as if hearing him, began to move closer, flitting around us like a swarm of oversized insects. They tugged at the straps of our bags, snatched at loose threads on our clothes, and darted away with giggles that scraped against my already frayed nerves.
“Annoying,” I muttered, swatting at one that darted too close to my face. My voice was tight, but I forced a shaky laugh, trying to convince myself they were harmless. Just mischievous pests, like Kiaran said. Nothing to worry about.
“They’re just playing,” Estella said, holding out a hand toward one of the pixies. “They’re kind of cute, in a way.” Her voice was light, almost amused, but I caught the nervous edge beneath it.
Kiaran’s tone was calm but carried a warning. “Don’t engage, Estella.”
Estella yelped as one swooped down and pinched her cheek. “Hey! That wasn’t very nice!” she snapped, batting at it. Her tone was more indignant than afraid, and I almost laughed despite myself.
Then one bit her finger.
Estella let out a sharp cry, clutching her hand, and suddenly the whole swarm was on us.
The pixies erupted into a frenzy, their tiny claws and teeth biting and scratching at any exposed skin. 15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xjggCjWj2
They swarmed around me like a living cloud, giggling and shrieking as they tore at my clothes and hair. I swung my arms wildly, trying to fend them off, but it was like fighting a swarm of angry gnats.
I backhanded one, causing it to slam against a tree. It yelped in pain, its wings crumpled and bent at odd angles.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JrvKkYNtm
For a moment, it just lay there, stunned, before looking up at me with wide, tear-filled eyes, its tiny face frozen in a mix of disbelief and betrayal.
“Princess!” Kiaran’s voice cut through the chaos. “What did I just say?!”
“I didn’t mean to!” I yelled back, swatting at a pixie that was trying to pull my braid again. “It was an accident!”
The pixies darted closer, their glowing wings blurring into streaks of light as they swarmed us with a maddening hum.
The sting of tiny teeth biting into the back of my hand made me cry out in pain, and I swung wildly, trying to shake them off. My efforts only seemed to amuse them.
Their high-pitched giggles echoed through the forest, bouncing off the twisted trees, each laugh sharper and more grating than the last.
It felt as if the sound was burrowing into my skull, mocking every failed attempt I made to keep them at bay. My chest tightened, my frustration building with each strike that missed its mark.
I released a burst of air so sharp it cracked like a whip. The sound echoed through the forest, a low, resonant boom that made the ground beneath us tremble.
“That’s more like it,” Kiaran said, his voice sharp but steady. He didn’t look at me as he drove his spear through another pixie, his movements efficient and precise. “Keep it up, Princess. We need to get out of here.”
His words were drowned out as I focused on getting back the items stolen from me. That dagger was important.
“Play time is over!!” Estella’s voice cut through the chaos, trembling with a mix of anger and desperation. “Give us back what you stole!!!”
I glanced back at her, catching the fire in her eyes just before she dropped to her knees.
Her hands slammed into the ground with a force that sent a tremor rippling through the earth. The sound was deep and resonant, like the groan of ancient wood bending under pressure.
The air around us seemed to hold its breath.
Then, the ground beneath her exploded.
His words were drowned at I was more focused on, getting back my items that were stolen from me.......that dagger was important
“Play time is over!!” Estella’s voice cut through the chaos, trembling with a mix of anger and desperation. “Give us back what you stole!!!”
Vines burst forth, twisting and curling upward in a storm of green and gold. They climbed into the sky with impossible speed, their jagged thorns glinting like daggers in the dim light.
Roses bloomed along their lengths, their petals vibrant and glowing faintly—a stark contrast to the deadly thorns that surrounded them.
The vines spread out like a net, weaving through the air with eerie precision.
The pixies shrieked, their giggles replaced by cries of panic. The vines lashed out, striking with deadly accuracy.
Each thorn pierced a glowing body, silencing their cries in an instant.
The canopy of roses moved like a living thing, sweeping through the swarm until the air was filled with the sound of pixie wings tearing and their tiny bodies hitting the ground.
I stood frozen, my chest still heaving as I watched the last of the pixies fall.
The air was thick with the heavy, cloying scent of roses—sweet enough to make my stomach twist. Beneath it, there was a darker note, sharp and metallic—the unmistakable tang of blood. My heart pounded, the rhythm still erratic from the chaos of the fight.
Estella rose to her feet, her hands still faintly glowing as she turned to Kiaran. Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, her arms trembling slightly. Her voice was tight and defiant as she said, “That should hold them back.”
Kiaran raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. His gaze shifted, scanning the aftermath of the battle. That’s when he noticed a tiny pixie woman flitting in the background, trying to make its escape.
Then, Kiaran moved.
In a single, fluid motion, he reached out and snatched the pixie mid-flight. The tiny creature screeched, its wings fluttering violently as it squirmed in his grasp. He held it up, his crimson eyes narrowing into a dangerous glare.
“Talk, Rat Wings,” Kiaran growled, his voice low and sharp. “Where’s your Queen?”
The pixie hissed at him, baring needle-like teeth. “Let me go, you big dumb brute!” it shrieked, its voice high-pitched and grating. “Or I’ll—”
Kiaran shook it once, hard enough to make its wings go limp for a moment. “Try again,” he said, his tone like ice. “Where is she?”
The pixie’s glowing eyes narrowed, and it spat something in a language I didn’t understand. But it sounded like Kiaran’s mother tongue Irish Gaelic
The pixie twisted in Kiaran’s grasp, its glowing eyes narrowing as it let out a low, menacing laugh.
Not the playful giggle of before, but something darker, heavier, like the sound of a shadow curling around your throat. Its grin widened, sharp teeth glinting as it spoke, its voice dripping with malice.
“Tá an fear gan ainm ag teacht,“(**The man with no name is coming**.) It hissed in ancient Gaelic, the words slithering through the air like venom.
I’ts glowing gaze shifted to me, its tone dropping into something almost reverent. “Tá sé ag éileamh a chroí.” (“He is coming to claim her heart. It beats for him now.”)
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvPwIsKcvp
