Page 8 of Forgotten Fate

“He told Callum that if he gave him his armies, he would help him get his revenge for your mother’s murder. And Callum, so broken and desperate, didn’t look like he was going to say no when I stepped in. Callum’s face was so full of hatred and sadness, I had never seen anything like it. He would give anything to avenge your mother, and Volund knew that. If I wasn’t there, there’s a chance Volund would have taken control of half our armies because of your father’s vulnerability.”

I gulped. “I…I didn’t know.”

“Like I said, Aurelia, he’s a manipulative snake hellbent on controlling those around him. Stay as far away from him and his kingdom as you possibly can.”

“Fine,” I replied. “But how do you expect me to get to Zolmara? No one who has made it to the Forest of Torment has ever returned.”

“Because you’re as smart as you are strong. You’ll find a way.”

“Uncle—”

“You’ll find a way, Aurelia.” He walked past me and hopped off the stage. “I have to go before the sun rises and the guards at the gate are able to recognize me.” He put a hand out to help me down, but I only glared at him.

“Fine,” I said again, this time with a bit more disdain. “Goodbye, Uncle.”

He pulled his hand back, a frown on his face. It was dead-silent for a moment more. “Goodbye, Aurelia,” he finally said. “And good luck.” And with that, he turned and left the theater, leaving me alone on the stage.

I took a deep breath and inspected the map one last time. Zolmara. I had to get to Zolmara. And Balor, for whatever reason, wouldn’t even give me a hint of what lied in the kingdom or how to get to it. This only left me feeling angry and disappointed.

Placing the book in my pack, I swallowed my emotions then started making my way back home, stewing in my own endless thoughts and ignoring the lingering feeling that I had a shadow. I hated that those closest to me kept so many secrets. I hated being left in the dark.

I spent the long trek back to the castle contemplating my options. I could remain in Rimor, a prisoner in my own kingdom until the reign was passed to me. In that scenario, I may never find the answers I seek. Or the second option, I could escape my so-called prison now and find out what my family was hiding on my own.

My recurring dream had only served as a catalyst to my inevitable decision. By the time I climbed the castle wall and scaled the stone tower up to my bedroom with burning muscles, I had made up my mind. I would find my way to Zolmara, or the Forest of Torment, or whatever it’s really called. I would find my way to the answers no one else would give me. And I had no idea how to survive out in the world on my own, so I would find someone to take me.

CHAPTER FOUR

The next morning, I slept past breakfast, which was expected as I did not get back to my room until shortly before dawn. When I met with Rose in the late morning, we sat on my bed as I told her everything about my exchange with Balor.

“You’re sure he’s hiding something?” she asked me. Balor was difficult to read, yes, but I was sure he was keeping something secret from me. For whatever reason, he wouldn’t tell me, but he made it seem like I would find my answers in Zolmara.

“I’d ask you not to go, but I know you better than that,” she said with a smile that did not match her sad eyes. I smiled with her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“If you have any other options, I’d love to hear them,” I replied. “This dream. This book. They will haunt me until I get the resolution I need. I have to get to Zolmara somehow.”

“I know,” she answered with a slight sniffle. “And I know I can’tcome with you.” I opened my mouth to tell her I would never ask that of her, but she continued. “I’m not adventurous like you, Aura. I’m not courageous like you. I don’t know how to fight. I would only slow you down.”

“You’re braver than you know, Rose. But I won’t ask you to join me.” Not only was a handmaid not suited for such a quest, but I would also never forgive myself if something happened to her. There was a moment’s pause before I spoke again. “I’ll need you here to clean all the nasty cobwebs under my wardrobes, anyway.” I nudged her with my elbow, grinning at my own joke.

She laughed and elbowed me back with playful force before shifting to a new question at hand. How was I going to get to Zolmara? Who in Rimor or otherwise would be willing to travel to the Forest of Torment with a runaway princess? It would need to be someone with experience in traveling, who knew how to survive in nature. Someone who could hunt, make shelter, and navigate the vast woodland between kingdoms. Traveling the beaten path would not be an option for me if my father was looking for me. He’d have Rimorian guards monitoring every roadway.

“Would one of your guards be willing to go with you?” Rose asked.

“The guards are too loyal to my father,” I replied. “Not one of them would hesitate to go running to the King the second I opened my mouth about it.”

“Hm,” Rose agreed. Her gaze shifted, and her eyes darted for a moment, something I noticed she did when she was lost in thought. “I might know of somewhere you could find someone, but it’s a longshot,” she said at last. “There is an alehouse towards the outskirts of Draymarn. I can’t remember what it’s called. Let me think.”

Draymarn was the same city where Rimor Library resided. Sometimes I forgot that Rose had free roam of the kingdom when she wasn’t on duty as handmaid to the Princess. She was with meso often, it always felt like she was trapped in the castle by my side.

“The Cracked Hoof!” she exclaimed. I quickly gestured for her to keep quiet, knowing two guards stood outside my room like always.

“Why would someone at an alehouse agree to escort me?” I asked, not condescendingly but with genuine intrigue.

“I’ve never been, but I’ve heard others talk about it. It’s the kind of place women are told to avoid at night,” she said. With that, I understood. “It is frequented by thieves, criminals, and miscreants. I wouldn’t even step foot near it during the day,” her face turned sour.

I thought about this for a minute. The Forest of Torment was rumored to be riddled with criminal-kind, so who better to ask how to get there than a criminal? And if it was money they were after, I could certainly afford their fees. I could potentially pay one of them to simply get me there and guide me through the so-called labyrinth. That is, if I could trust them not to rob me first. It may be a longshot like Rose said, but it was worth a try.

After further discussion, this was the only idea either Rose or I could come up with. She was always smarter than me; something I adored about her. I told her I would make my final decision by tomorrow and start planning from there.