The beast wasn’t the only danger in the wood, either. Terrible creatures had been set loose by the curse, and unlike the beast, they didn’t seem to be hindered by the tree line. They used to burst out of the Forbidden Wood and eat any villagers out after dark. Occasionally they’d barge through a front door as well, and eat villagers out of their homes.
It hadn’t happened in a long time. None of us understood why they’d left us be, but they were still in the wood. I’d heard their roars, too. That place was a clusterfuck of danger.
“It’s fine,” I reaffirmed, even though he hadn’t rebuffed me vocally. “The everlass field is close. I’ll just nip in really quickly, grab what I need, and get out. I have a great sense of direction in that place. In and out.”
“Except it is two days until the full moon.”
“That’ll just help me see better.”
“It’ll also increase the beast’s power. He’ll smell better. Run faster. Chomp harder.”
“I don’t think a soft chomp would be any better than a hard one, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll be quick. I know the way.”
“You shouldn’t know the way.”
But from the way he said it, I knew Hannon was giving up the fight. He didn’t have any more steam to talk me out of going. I kind of hoped he’d try harder.
I grimaced when I’d meant to smile, and my stomach started to churn. I did need to go. And I had gone a bunch these last few years and come back safely.
I’d hated it every time.
“When?” Hannon asked somberly.
“The leaves are the most potent when harvested at night,” I said, “and we are on borrowed time, like you said. No time like the present.”
“Are you absolutely sure you need to go?”
I let my shoulders sag for a moment. “Yes.”
An hour later, I stood in the front room with a tweed crossbody bag draped across my sternum. The plant seemed to respond best when carried in this type of bag. I’d gotten the tip from a book and proven the theory with trial and error.
My brothers and sister stood with me.
“Be careful.” Hannon squeezed my shoulders, looking down into my eyes.
Standing about three inches taller than my six feet, he was the tallest man in our village. One of the strongest, too, with large arms and a thick frame. Most would assume he would be the one risking his life in the beast’s haunt. Or the one hunting for our dinner in the safer forest to the east. But no, Hannon was the guy who wrung his hands and waited at home to patch me up when I came bleeding through the door. Good thing, too, because I’d limped in on more than one occasion. Those damned wild boars in the east forest made an art of mauling. Vicious fuckers.
The beast was another situation altogether.
Courage.
A night bird cried a warning in the distance. The cottages around us on the dirt lane squatted in silence, their inhabitants asleep at this time of night. Asleep, or sitting quietly in their darkened homes, not wanting to draw the notice of anything that might’ve slunk through the tree line. It might not have happened in years, but people around here had long memories.
“Don’t take any chances,” Hannon said. “If you see the beast, get out of there.”
“If I see the beast, I’ll probably piss myself.”
“Fine. But do it as you’re running.”
Sage advice.
“It’s fine, Hannon. I took the smell-masking elixir. That usually works when I’m hunting. It’ll help.”
He nodded, but the pep talk apparently wasn’t done. “There is only one beast,” he said. “That’s the main concern. You’ve confronted the other creatures in that wood and come out swinging.”
Not exactly, but as I said, Hannon was a trusting soul. He didn’t seem to know when I was lying. If he thought I was tougher than I was, he’d worry less. Who was that hurting?
I turned and gave Sable a fierce hug, kissing her on the head. Dash was next, and then I had to peel him away.
“Let me go, too,” Dash begged. “I know where it is. I can help collect more. I can fight off the monsters!”
“How…” I stopped myself. Now was not the time to shout at my younger brother. I pointed at Hannon instead. “While I’m gone, find out how he knows where the field is. Wait to punish him until I get back. I want to be in on it.”
I gave Hannon one last hug and quickly set off. I could do this. I had to do this.
My bow had been broken last week by one of those bastard boars, so I was going in with nothing but the dagger and the pocketknife tucked into my trousers. Neither weapon would do a whole helluva lot against the beast. Then again, if the beast really did have scaled armor, the ten arrows I owned wouldn’t do much to protect me, either.