Shadows of the Woods

Chapter 6

My knees almost buckled when Apollo and I landed roughly in the silvery trees outside Feloix Felaii.

I was steadily coming to hate traveling by sage salt. It smelt like sulphur, and the imbetween space it suspended us in while we travelled was cold and shadowy. I could swear I could hear whispers in the shifty stillness, and it made me shiver.

However, I couldn't complain. On the lonely stretch of Irish coastline, no elves appeared to transport us, and Apollo didn't want to risk summoning Jed to create a vortex for us. He was more vulnerable to the disease, since infection travelled faster in the water.

I turned to look at Apollo; he didn't seem too perturbed by our rough landing. Then again, very few things seemed to bother Apollo Ambrosia. I reached for his hand. "So where does Fang live?"

"The Stone District." Apollo replied evenly. We began to set off through the trees. Apollo was hoping Fang could help us find out more about Malius; he was our only lead so far, and we knew nothing about him.

Silvery light filtered serenely through the trees around us. "Do you think he'll be able to help us?"

Apollo glanced at me momentarily to smile wryly. "Like he said, information is a high commodity. He makes it his business to know as much as possible."

I nodded at his answer, thinking back to the huge, scarred werewolf I'd met only a few days ago. Despite his terrifying appearance, he seemed like a nice individual. I thought absently about how I'd like to be friends with him; of course any friend of Apollo's was kind and interesting.

I was submerged in my thoughts, but I didn't miss the shadow that melted from tree to tree in my peripherals. I halted abruptly, making Apollo raise his brow at me.

"Love?"

"Did you see that?" I squinted into the tall, thin trees. Nothing moved, but I drew closer to Apollo anyway.

"See what?" He asked patiently, following my gaze.

I opened my mouth to reply, but a figure suddenly appeared in the shadows. I yelped, and Apollo stiffened.

"Your senses need to be sharpened, Ambrosia." The stranger's voice was oily and smooth; his face was lost in the shadow of a giant hood that draped around his head and fell past his shoulders. The hem of his dark cloak brushed the ground gently, obscuring most of his figure, but I could just see the tips of ivory white fingers emerging beneath the thick fabric.

"I wasn't expecting a foe here on neutral soil." Apollo replied just as smoothly, his face carefully blank.

"Foe?" The stranger chuckled humourlessly. "You're quick to assume."

"Friends don't stalk each other at a distance." Apollo replied stoically.

The dark figure considered that. "True. However, this is simply my nature."

Apollo was silent. I looked away from the figure in front of us to see Apollo eying him calculatingly. I couldn't tell what the stranger was; he was devoid of any scent. He must be using kalleb to disguise himself.

After a moment of more silence, the stranger took a step forward. "Do you plan on entering the city, Ambrosia?"

Apollo paused before answering. "Yes. What is it to you?"

The hooded figure took another step closer. "Then I must advise you against going any further. The city has succumbed to the sickness you attempted to warn them of."

My blood turned to ice. "The entire city?" I blurted out.

I couldn't see his face, but I could almost feel his eyes shift to me. "Not yet. But it will soon. The population is too great to handle efficiently."