The roadto Zlosa is a long, three-day trip despite the excellent conditions we’ve been blessed with. No malicious creatures or weather mishaps have slowed us down.
I’ve stopped applying my glamour, as I find little point in it when my true form is much stronger.
The white snow is blinding under the light of day, and I am more than grateful when the cursed flaming orb sinks beyond the trees.
A fox follows Melisa as we walk. I watch her trek on, head high and uncommonly quiet. She doesn’t say anything more, and I don’t have sufficient words to speak with her, so we continue in silence.
When there is rustling in the trees, I ignore it, partly because of the animals Melisa enjoys petting.
We need to sleep soon, and there is a clearing just ahead. There is enough space for our tent and a fire between a few trees. I can make her a proper fire instead of a cooking stone tonight.
It takes Melisa a few moments to realize I am no longer beside her. She stops, lets out an exasperated breath, and turns to look at the area.
“Are you ready to set up camp?” I ask, taking note of the fallen branches and large stones.
“This seems as good a place as any,” she says at last.
Then the words dry up again.
After the sun finishes sinking beyond view and the sky fades from a pinkish purple to an inky black, I hear rustling again and pause. When it doesn’t make another sound, I stone bend a small heat source to cook more dried food.
“When we arrive at Zlosa, we’ll need to get rid of our supplies. Estela showed me a hollowed-out trunk where she used to hide things. We can take your weapons and anything else there. It’s secluded enough that it won’t be found,” Melisa says, speaking more than she has the entire day.
I nod my agreement, still preparing the meal. “Thank you.”
Another rustle comes from the trees to our left. It’s a little too close and a little too loud.
This might not be a mere fox or rabbit. I stand, leaving the food to boil.
Melisa busies herself with the bedrolls.
“What are you doing?” she asks as I move away from the fire.
Holding my finger to my lips, I creep to the trees. I call the stones to fashion a short blade from the earth.
My heart gallops as I approach the thicket where the noise is coming from. I reach into the ground with my magic and send a light tremor to sense the exact location.
There are the small bodies of a family of mice, the four legs of a rabbit, and then… four paces away, obscured by two large treetrunks, I feel two feet, and one hand supporting a much larger body in the snow.
Shock precedes the searing protectiveness that sends electric pulses up my limbs. Without waiting, I enter its hiding place.
A hiss fills the air. Red eyes peek out from behind the tree.
“Vaimpír!” I shout at Melisa. “Get in the tent!
The creature charges me.
It knocks me on my back, breaking my focus. The makeshift weapon I crafted scatters around me. A glinting set of white teeth open just above my neck.
“Ra’Sa!” Melisa screams.
Can’t let it bite me.
I shove the beast away. A few twitches of my fingers have stone shards levitating off the ground. They swarm around the creature’s head before piercing its gray skin.
It screeches and falls to the ground next to me. I shove it further away.
Rolling over, I see Melisa frozen at the tent’s entrance.No defensive stance. No weapon.