Symphony of Sorrow

Chapter Two

Even in the light of day, I had never liked the forest, but the thought of venturing through the unrelenting storm in the darkness was even more terrifying.

The woods held creatures great and small, but what I feared was not the animals that walked on four legs but the monsters that called themselves human. I had been born after the witch trials, but the tales of their brutality and torment still lurked in the coven. They feared our magic, but we were outnumbered and knew the odds were against our kind’s survival if a war erupted. Most of the covens now hid under cloaked villages in remote places. We were no different. Our coven was tucked away in the depths of the forest, away from most human villages. The protection cloak covered to the end of the meadow.

Once in the forest, our kind were left to our own devices. We risked persecution or death if we were caught using magic. But Raine had been clear. She told me to go to the forest because she knew the cost of staying would be much the same. If my father found me, he would likely kill me. I swallowed my fear, forcing myself to enter the forest. I winced, ignoring the pain, as the thick briar vines scraped my bare, exposed skin.

The rolling thunder unsettled me as the lightning flickered, lighting an open path just ahead of me. I sighed with relief as I broke free of the thickets, but it was short-lived because just as I reached the opening, I felt the pelt of hail reigning down upon me. I cursed under my breath, “Damn it all to hell! Can I catch a break?” As if in answer to my plea, the thunder boomed loudly. “Guess not,” I grumbled.

I picked up my pace, looking for anywhere to hide safely from the elements that seemed bent on tormenting me further. The leaves had all fallen, leaving me unprotected from most of the pea-sized ice daggers that pierced my skin with each unrelenting stab. Using my arms to shield my eyes, I squinted, trying to see in the darkness. I saw what looked like the outline of large boulders scattered upon each other. I pulled my cloak above my head as I climbed the steep incline towards the haven of some sort of shelter. A smile escaped my lips as I saw the opening of what looked like a cave, “Finally, thank the Gods!”

I would’ve been grateful if for once in my life, something went right, but that is not the way of the Gods. Just as I felt the slightest sliver of hope, I realized I was not alone. I gasped as I heard a low rumbling growl from the darkness behind me. I slowly turned towards the terrifying sound, hoping for a miracle, when I saw startling amber eyes glowing in the darkness. This damn curse was useless for anything that involved my own well-being, I thought sorely.

I tried not to choke on my fear as I whispered, “I don’t want to hurt you. Please, just don’t give me a reason.”

The amber eyes didn’t blink as the shadowed creature took another step towards me, this time opening its mouth, revealing sharp fangs as it growled once more. I backed towards the cave when I felt the presence of something behind me as well. I hesitated to glance over my shoulder, dreading what I was almost certain to find. Matching almond-shaped eyes stared back at me. My hands trembled as the sky illuminated with a lightning strike and revealed how truly damned I was. My eyes grew wide as I saw an entire pack of enormous wolves staring at me like I was their next meal.

A frightened moan escaped my lips as I grasped I was going to have to fight using the only weapon I had. I raised my hands and allowed my magic to course through my veins, not even bothering to pray that I would survive this. “Well, let's do this! Shall we?”

The wolves all ran towards me in perfect unison, as I forced the surrounding air to rush towards them, forcing them back with a gust of wind. The black wolf that I had seen first seemed to bark orders to the others, as I immediately bolted towards the opening, trying to escape. I was cut off by two wolves before I even got a start. Groaning, I pulled from deep within and allowed my hand to shoot forward and sent light barreling at the wolves that stood between my freedom and certain death. The heat of the light scorched their fur as they retreated with haste. My victory was short-lived when the alpha wolf struck from behind, barreling me into the rocks below. My neck’s bones snapped as my head ricocheted off the boulder before I collapsed into a defeated pile.

My head throbbed as I tried to make my legs cooperate, but it was of no use. The blow he had dealt made my vision blur and my body incapable of moving on its own. I had been conquered by the cunning wolves, despite the use of my magic. This is how it ends, I thought to myself. I clenched my eyes shut, hoping for a quick death, but it did not come.

A deep voice I did not recognize bellowed, “Aus!”

The black wolf growled in annoyance as he backed away, submitting to the command I recognized as German. I groaned with an inaudible sound as the man stooped next to me, assessing the damage the wolves had done.

“Are you okay?” He asked with concern apparent in his voice.

Incoherent words poured from my mouth in reply.

“Lorryn, I need your bag. She is hurt badly. Onyx, bad boy! We told you people are not food!” I tried to focus my eyes on their faces as I heard the wolf whimper in reply.

The woman gave the man the bag as she frowned at the wolf, “I know, boy, you are just hungry. These damn poachers are making it impossible for you to survive!”

“We need to get her in the cave,” the man said with a worried frown. “She needs to be dry so I can see how bad it is.”

He lifted me up with ease as I cried out in agony and confusion, “Wolves…are…dangerous.”

His kind eyes softened as he looked down at me, “Yeah, but you seemed to hold your own.”

My heart dropped as I realized what he meant; he had seen me defend myself with magic. I whimpered as he leaned down and whispered, “Don’t be frightened. We are not the bad guys here.”

I had been taught my entire life to fear humans and the threat that they offered. This man was certainly not a witch, but he knew my secret. I was.

“Please,” I pleaded as I fought the urge to cry.

Lorryn walked into the cave, lighting a lantern that sat hidden in the corner. “What is she saying, Alaric?”

My eyes adjusted to the light as my eyes met his. I almost gasped as I really took in his features. His jawline was strong, his lips plump and inviting, but his eyes are what I found myself lost in for a moment. They were the color of the skies above on the most beautiful of days. He made himself hide a smile as he winked at me, “She was just telling me the wolves were dangerous. I told her they were just trying to survive like the rest of us.”

Interesting, he didn’t mention that he saw my magic.

I hesitated as I answered, trying to keep up the farce, “You trust them?”

Alaric smiled with a breathtaking smile, “With my life.”

Maybe he wasn’t human, I thought to myself. The humans that I had met were quite selfish and believed themselves to be far superior to other creatures. Not to mention, this man was far more attractive than the human I had encountered in the villages. “Are you a God?” I asked before I thought to filter my mouth.

Lorryn burst into laughter as she came to stand by our side. “Most women think so, but that’s because they don’t know the real him! I personally think he is atrocious, but what do I know?”

You know nothing, Lorryn; I thought to myself. That man was the definition of perfection. My Gods, I must have hit my head harder than I imagined. What is wrong with me? I had to get out of here. I tried to stand, but my legs were still quite unsteady as I attempted to take a step.

“Woah, what are you doing, young lady?” Alaric scoffed. “You need to rest. You took a nasty hit!”

I tried not to laugh at his attempt at scolding me, “I am no lady. I must get back home.”

Lorryn frowned as she looked out at the brutal storm that had unmistakably gotten worse, “You won’t be getting anywhere in that. Plus, Alaric is right you need to rest. We will stay with you. You are safe with us, and the wolves won’t bother you. You have our word.”

I hesitated as the ringing increased in my ears with each moment I stood. “I suppose you are right. I will leave at first light.”

Alaric seemed to relax at my relenting agreement. “Good. These woods are dangerous at night, and the wolves are not what you should be concerned about.”

I couldn’t agree more with that sentiment. I was no longer concerned with the wolves that had attacked me. However, the idea of literally sleeping next to the enemies unnerved me. I wanted to believe I was safe, but I knew better than to assume anything. I sighed as I lowered myself to the ground as I pulled my cloak tight around me, “Thank you for your help.”

Alaric smiled, “It was our pleasure.”

Lorryn rolled her eyes as she walked to the lantern and blew it out, but not before I saw her mocking him under her breath, “It was our pleasure.”

It was hard not to like them, but if my life had taught me anything, it was that I was never truly safe. Whether or not I liked them, I did not trust them.

I focused my attention on the rhythm of their breathing as I waited for my opportunity to escape, but before long, I found my eyes heavy with exhaustion. My futile attempts to stay awake were lost as I fell into a deep sleep. It wasn’t until the next morning when I opened them that I realized I had gotten myself into far more trouble than I expected. Because that beautiful man that I was taught to hate began to chisel his way into a stone heart, and things became abundantly clear. Love was not fair.