Distinctly Different

Chapter 23 ~ New Perspective

Chapter 23

After reluctantly leaving Arabella and her mother alone in the physician’s tower Rowan had started to go to his room only to stop in his tracks. He felt weird. It was similar to his previous feeling but different. He felt a magnetic pull, it was suddenly important that he leave the citadel.

The logical part of him knew something was wrong but he was powerless to stop it. He resisted enough to stop by his room and grab a knife but that was all he could do. He didn’t take his bag with things to help with injuries and he didn’t take any provisions for his journey. Whatever was happening to him wouldn’t allow him to do anything.

He felt drained from the effort it took to even take a weapon with him. Whatever was controlling him had a strong hold over him and that scared him. He no longer had control of his own actions; he was basically a life sized puppet.

Next thing he knew he was at the stables with his hand on Pearl’s reins. He couldn’t remember how he had gotten there. The whole period in between when he was in his room and then finding himself at the stables was blank. She seemed uneasy as if she suspected Rowan wasn’t quite himself. He stroked her head gently to calm her. He felt like himself at the moment but he knew it couldn’t be much longer before he was taken over again.

He mounted Pearl and they headed to the citadel gates. If whatever or whoever was controlling him wanted him to ride Pearl than the destination must be outside the citadel. Once he was outside the citadel he had no clue where to go. So he just let Pearl stay on the main road.

Time passed and nothing else had happened to him. He didn’t know what to do now. Anyone else would have probably have turned back now but he kept going. He needed to get to the bottom of this one way or the other.

He looked around and realized he was getting closer to the forest. Specifically close to where he had been bitten before. Now that he somewhat knew his destination he didn’t want to continue. He was about to make Pearl stop and turn back but his actions once again wasn’t his own.

Instead of stopping Pearl he only spurred her on, towards the forest. He dismounted at the edge of the forest and tied Pearl’s reins to the tree. Pearl nudged his arm but Rowan still wasn’t himself. He ignored her and headed into the forest.

When Rowan got control of himself again he was in the middle of the forest. Problem is the last little while was once again blank. He couldn’t remember despite how much he tried. Every direction looked identical. He didn’t remember the way he had come so how would he find out which way to go to get back to his horse?

He sighed and pulled out his knife. There was a reason he was here so it wouldn’t hurt to be armed. Not knowing where to go he picked a direction and started walking. With any luck he would find the edge of the forest soon and then find someone to help him.

The snow was starting to melt. Rowan could see patches of earth alongside snow. He went another way to avoid a particularly big muddy patch of earth and then paused. Against the white snow was a trail of blood leading away in the opposite direction he was going. Someone or something must be hurt.

He was torn. He was curious to see why there was a trail of blood but he wanted to get out of the forest. In the end he decided to follow the blood. He just hoped it wasn’t going to lead him into more danger.

As he walked he knew he wasn’t anywhere near the end of the forest. There was nothing to help him know which way to go. He was just wasting time following blood. The amount of blood had increased as he followed it. He didn’t think anything could survive that much blood loss. Whatever had left the blood was probably dead by now.