The crusader who had spied on them sent word to King Ehrryn by way of a skeletal messenger hawk. Typical that a necromancer would employ such things. Rusk and Felix and Flow and Loretta didn't notice the hawk fly overhead past them on way to the kingdom's capital because they were busy navigating the landscape. It was a slush through the village of huts and then a forest on the opposite side, much like the one where Rusk grew up, but the entire forest was dead. With the gnarly dead tree limbs hanging over them like birdcages, Flow got fidgety, and Rusk thought to himself he might as well die if he saw his home forest looking like this after the scourge of the king. He would have to prevent that scourge from happening. But what of the bad luck? Surely the king had no actual control over that?

Unless it was like the Elva.

"There is something not right about this forest," said Flow.

"Shush," said Loretta. "The animals here will sense your unease and attack."

Rusk wasn't sure if Loretta was playing with Flow or if she was telling the truth. He'd spent too far away from her to know for sure. But it seemed like she was sincere anyway. He kept quiet, and it was all Felix could do but to keep up with the rest of them.

He stayed at the back gasping every now and then until Rusk sighed and slung Felix's arm across his shoulders, practically dragging his friend along the path.

This was going to be a long hike. Rusk could've sworn he saw something white and fluttery over the canopy a while ago, but he couldn't put his finger on what it had been. A bird? But it didn't much look like a crane or a dove or any other otherwise white bird.

They walked on. The forest seemed to lean toward them, always overhead with its bony branches, and Rusk shivered not just from the wind. Felix didn't speak for a long while, and then eventually whispered to the others. His voice carried a long way even though he hadn't spoken very loudly.

"I think we're being followed."

That got Flow's attention right away, but when Rusk glanced behind them there was nothing. Nothing but the dirt path. Nothing grew here.

"You sure?" asked Rusk, and his voice since it was spoken normally echoed all around them.

"Not entirely," admitted Felix.

Rusk made a contemplative noise. "We're going to have to make camp pretty soon. Daylight's waning. How far is this safe house anyway?"

"A few days' walk," answered Loretta.

"Then we shall sleep and take watch once night falls," said Flow. "Even if we are not being followed, the aura here is all danger. I fear there may be monsters."

"And what do you know of monsters?" asked Loretta.

"Not as much as Rusk or the Heroes of Sanctuary if the stories are to be believed. But in my homeland we also had them. Our own variety. They came from things unnatural. I cannot say for the monsters of this realm."

"Pretty sure they're basically the same," said Rusk. "I once knew someone who was half monster, if you'll believe that. She conquered it. Don't ask me how."

"That Mandy person?" asked Loretta.

"Yeah."

Felix closed his eyes and leaned more on Rusk and breathed.

"Need to rest?"

"Need to breathe. The air is making me ill here."

"Not enough oxygen," said Loretta. "All the death in the trees."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

They found a clearing that wasn't so much of a clearing and looked more like a gravesite with the way the dirt was stacked up in mounds, and then they found some brittle twigs that had fallen to the forest floor and made a fire. Courtesy of Flow, of course.

The crusader that was on their trail was under orders to observe them not kill them, so when they all made camp he took up a tree trunk himself and propped his weapon against his shoulder just in case to sleep for the night. Restlessly, of course, and that was exacerbated by the fact Flow was telling ghost stories within hearing distance.

It was the story of a ghost who was once a person that fell into her volcano back home, and who began her family line. The Daemontra Entity. Supposedly she was a direct descendent.

Rusk didn't know if he believed that, but the way she told the story, she certainly did.

Loretta was halfway between skeptical and outright vocal about how the story spooked her. She was putting up a front, but Rusk got the feeling that even during their little resistance movement she'd never spent much time sleeping out in the open.

"If something is following us," said Loretta over the crackle of the fire that set their faces awash in oranges and blues. "Then what are we going to do about it?"

"I'll shoot them," said Rusk.

"Or they could be of some use to use," said Felix. "A person who gives word to the king likely knows where the king spends his time. Besides the castle, obviously."

"Didn't we already know where the castle was? Why bother with an interrogation?"

"Rusk, you mean well but sometimes you think slowly."

Rusk pouted. Now he really wanted to shoot someone. He didn't voice his opinion on account of the fact Felix was in such poor condition and probably only calling him an idiot because he was worn and tired.

"He means the necromancer," said Loretta. "There's the king himself, obviously, who pulls the strings, but the necromancer is the real problem. It's akin to taking the king's ammunition."

"You should rest," said Rusk to Felix. "I'll take first watch. Both of you look worn thin."

"I volunteer for watch," said Flow.

"No," said Rusk. "I'll do it. You need sleep too. We've been walking for days as well. And you're right. This forest gives me the creeps. It's like there's monsters who are invisible or something."

"Invisible monsters," said Loretta. "Lovely. Now I know what I'll be dreaming about. Thank you so very much for that, Sir Rusk."

"You're welcome." Rusk set his bow and an arrow on hi slap and smiled at Loretta in good humor.

Felix curled up in a blanket they had brought and fell instantly asleep. Then Loretta curled next to him and dropped off while stroking his hair.

That left Rusk and Flow.

"You're not going to sleep, are you?" said Rusk. A rhetorical question. In the time they had journeyed, she had never once slept within the first night of arriving anywhere.

"You know me well."

"You deserve some sleep too though."

"I shall manage, as I always do."

"You're really worried about that crusader that's been tailing us, aren't you?"

Flow didn't speak, but she did press her finger over her lips, a gesture of silencing.

Rusk silenced himself.

And a few yards back on that tree trunk, the crusader knew he'd been had. He wondered how much time he could take to rest before he'd have to get up and flee. If they knew he was tailing them, then why hadn't they attacked? Shot him, just like that leader of theirs said? One arrow through the neck, that's all it would take. He glossed a hand over his chainmail collar, thankful for its presence over his carotid artery. Thankful for all the things the King provided.

Though, listening in on Rusk and Flow's conversation, the crusader wondered if perhaps he was on the wrong side.

Rusk looked up at the sky. The campfire was dwindling. It set his eyes in a dull orangey brown, and his face in a grimace made of goldenrod. Flow nodded off pretty soon after she figured out Rusk was really going to keep watch, not that she doubted him, but Rusk knew he wouldn't be able to sleep at all tonight. That vague white shape flying ahead of them a while back. What had it been? It had to have been headed toward the king, or the necromancer, or some other enemy he had yet to meet in person. Rusk wondered how many enemies he actually had, now that he'd deliberately chosen to take up arms against the king. Surely a lot. But why hadn't the crusader trailing them pounced? The rest of Rusk's little band of travelers was asleep. It was prime ambush time.

Rusk wondered if maybe the guy was having second thoughts.

"Hey you," said Rusk, and boy did his voice carry across the skeletal landscape full of all those dead trees. Not a leaf on the ground in this forest. Not a shrub. "You're obviously spying on us. By any chance you're not with the king, are you? I'd really hate to have to murder you." Half a bluff. Rusk didn't really want to murder anyone, and Felix's words from before were playing at his mind. Perhaps this person really could be useful, if handled correctly.

And there was of course the whole Heroic Code of Honor thing.

No sound. Or, less sound, as if someone had shot bolt rigid at being discovered and decided to slow down their breathing on purpose. So as not to be pulled out of their hiding spot.

Rusk sighed. "I know you're there. Are you human or monster? Heck, maybe you're some kid looking to rob us. You starving?"

The crusader fled. And in his wake, another hawk of bones flapped after him.

Rusk didn't give chase.