Cursed [Book 1] ✔

Chapter 16: Back Into the Woods

The roads I instinctively navigated became increasingly familiar. I could have been driving home from work. At the thought of work, my headache returned. Focus. Drive. Find Lillith and Samael. The headache cleared, and I was able to see again.

Of its own accord, my foot eased off the gas pedal, braking near the side of a dirt road. Overhead, no stars were visible through the sunroof, just multitudes of boughs. While the outside environment was virtually unrecognizable in the dark, I knew where I had ended up.

The Uzita forest.

* * * * *

When I was a child, the forest behind my house flourished, wild and vast. Over the years, developments had reduced the number of trees, until at last only a few remained. As I crept through the forest, it was clear it had expanded. The model homes that had replaced the trees were missing. I squinted, discerning a slight shimmer, like reality trying to break through. Another shimmer passed over the scenery, and I was able to pull my hand through it. I stepped inside of the barrier, tingles raging over my skin. When I checked again, the shimmer had disappeared. No birds chattered, and the sky was tinged with red.

After about twenty minutes of treading through the moonlit forest, a stone tower rose above the tree tops. If a castle had existed in these parts, I would've heard about it. A large clearing opened up to reveal ancient crumbling remains of what looked to be a keep. There was no roof to speak of, and lights flickered from inside. At one point, there had been four complete towers, but time had whittled three of them down to almost nothing. The remaining tower boasted no definitive entrance. Circling the perimeter, I came to the conclusion that unless I gained the power of flight, I wasn't gettin' in.

I spilled my exasperation to the sky: "Rosalind, I know I said I didn't want your help, but a rope wouldn't hurt."

She declined to answer.

The weight of my sigh brought my head down. I had no idea what to do. Leaves at the toe of my shoes needed shuffling, and of course, I obliged. When I looked up, the last standing tower had a door-sized opening at its base. I was sure the door hadn't been there seconds before.

I laughed. "Thank you, Rosalind."

* * * * *

The interior of the tower was dark and wet. A winding stairway led up and up to a lit landing. As I climbed, a caustic smell increased in intensity. Ugh, demon-stink. I overheard grunts of exertion, and feared I was too late.

There were only a few steps left, and I poised for battle, sword drawn. How silly I must've appeared, wielding an ancient weapon, donning a fierce grimace, complete in a sundress. After my last fighting experience, I doubted I could handle the demon-gods. It had taken Rosalind's intervention to save my life, and she was gone. How was I supposed to defeat two (or possibly three) otherworldly entities, all on the same night I had acquired a new body?

I was ready to turn around and go home. This fight wasn't mine. Even if it was, I was going to muck it up royally. At the top of the staircase, I hesitated.

True, I wasn't ready, but something had shown me how to get to the tower. Was it God? Pfsh, I was unconvinced that he/she existed, or cared, or that he/she was capable of petty human emotions (even caring), but I was convinced that Rosalind was still with me, guiding me. Her trust, her faith in me was the push I needed.

The last step opened up to a large room. Torches hung along the circular walls, the smoke from the flames disappearing into the night air. A wine-colored carpet blanketed the floor, but it was so worn that several spots allowed for the stone to peek through.

One long groan of relief signaled the end of Lillith's labor. She was on the floor in the corner of the room, laying back.

"Constanople!" she cried, and it was my vision replaying all over again. Things were already in motion. What was the point of my visions if I was only destined to show up and watch them occur in real time?