When Meri first heard Princess Estrella’s name, it was just a soft murmur that barely made it above the din of the tavern. The tone was what caught her attention and pulled her in—soft, wistful, almost reverent.

She slipped closer to where the two men were talking, loading dirty bowls and chipped mugs onto her tray from a deserted table as she listened in.

“—can’t return now, he’ll mount our heads outside the city if we bring the news that his son is dead.” The man speaking—young and with a patchy red beard that did him no favors—took a swig of his drink. “He’ll blame us for not escorting him through the forest in the first place.”

“No princess, no reward, and now no home,” his older companion across the table spat bitterly. He looked well-traveled, with olive-brown skin and creases between his eyes that gave the impression he was deep in thought. “We were cursed the second we agreed to go.”

Reward? Now Meri understood—the reverence wasn’t from the princess, but the gold. She should have known.

The tavern was busy enough that she couldn’t risk staying in one spot for too long—if Jesper spotted her, he’d accuse her of slacking and punish her. Yet, she found herself pulling a damp rag from her apron and wiping the table slowly, her interest caught in the conversation happening behind her.

“I’ve never believed in curses, but something wasn’t right with that place. And any witch should have been easily defeated by Lord Renart—his swordplay is unmatched.”

The older man nodded in agreement. “He knew the risk though, arrogant bastard. If I heard about scores of men dying at the hands of a witch, I’d stay far away. Dark, twisted magic, I tell you, it can’t be countered with a sword and shield.”

Meri suppressed a shiver, having heard stories of witches so warped by their evil magic that they were barely human anymore, surviving off of the souls and flesh of innocent people. It must have been a sizable reward to make any man—even an arrogant lord with impressive skill with a sword—risk facing such a formidable creature.

Perhaps enough to pay off even her debts.

The thought took hold of her so swiftly that for a second, her head spun and she had to brace herself on the chair next to her. Not because of the gold, but something much sweeter, much more valuable to her…

Freedom.

She approached their table before she could help herself.

The half-formed, split-second plan was just to gather information, nothing more. To find out exactly what a foolish and dangerous quest it was so she could purge it from her mind.

Or, so she told herself.

“Can I get you more to drink?” she asked sweetly as she reached their table, giving her best demure smile. “It looks like you’ve been on the road a while.”

When they grunted in approval, she topped off their mugs and watched as they both drank deeply, faces flushed from the heat of the fire behind them and the alcohol they’d already consumed. The younger man with the scraggly beard gave her an undisguised appreciative look—his watery blue eyes moving from her bright blonde hair to the low neckline of her dress without wasting a second—which she returned with another smile.

“I couldn’t help but overhear Lord Renart’s name… are you traveling with him?”

He grimaced. “I’m afraid not.”

“Oh.” She frowned down at that scratched table. “I was hoping to see him again. Would you be willing to give him a message for me then?”

“Do you know the lord?” the older man interjected, dark eyes narrowed in annoyance or perhaps suspicion. Though Meri doubted he was clear of mind enough to see what she was doing.

Conjuring up what she hoped was a convincing blush, she said, “Not well, but he stopped here once before. We had a night together that…I’ll never forget it. He’s been in my heart and my thoughts ever since.”

The men glanced at each other.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you but Lord Renart has died.”

She gasped, hand flying to her mouth. “He’s—no, he can’t be. How did this happen? He was in perfect health when last I saw him and such a fearsome warrior. An accident?”

The redheaded man stood and placed a comforting hand on her arm. “Not an accident but an act of bravery. Lord Renart heroically entered Delvern Forest in an attempt to rescue Princess Estrella, who’s been kidnapped and held captive by a terrible witch. He gave his life trying to save her.”

Meri sniffled. “So courageous until the very end. The princess must be very beautiful to entice such an act.”

“And rich,” the older man muttered under his breath, more interested in reaching the bottom of his mug than the distressed, lovesick tavern girl next to him.

This one speaking though was clearly happy to keep it up as long as it meant he could keep touching her and stealing glances down the front of her dress.

“Yes, she’s said to be stunning, a goddess among women,” he agreed. “All who knew her before she was kidnapped mourn her loss. Her father has promised her weight in gold to anyone who brings her home safely. Let that tell you all you need to know of her beauty.”

Meri had to struggle to swallow down a real gasp of surprise. Even if the princess was petite and half of Meri’s size, that amount of gold would pay off her debts five times over.

A thrill raced through her, settling heavily in her stomach.

Leaning into the man’s hand and watching his eyes go wide, Meri internally sighed in relief—it was going to be too easy to wring every bit of information out of him that she could possibly need.

Dark hair at the bar caught her eye and all of the mirth inside of her vanished instantly as she turned and met Jesper’s eyes.

She shrugged off the man’s hand instantly, stepping away, but it was too late.

“Let me know if you need another refill,” she murmured, turning away from the man’s confused and disappointed face, his companion still paying her no mind.

She was trying to ignore the way her knees were trembling and not succeeding. He would know she was guilty the second she looked into his face if she didn’t control herself.

Indeed, he was waiting for her at the bar, leaning against it with his arms crossed—it was when he looked at ease that she knew he was most dangerous. A carefully composed facade to hide just how close the true monster was to breaking out.

“What was that?” His tone was soft, almost casual and fear skittered down her spine.

“Just a man who had too much to drink and forgot his manners.” Meri made herself turn and meet his cool gray eyes. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“It didn’t look like you were handling anything from over here.”

She couldn’t look down, couldn’t flinch away, but the urge was there. Being submissive became an instinct long ago.

She got out a shrug. “I just took advantage of the situation to pour him another drink. Might as well make as much gold as we can, right?”

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed a full pitcher from the bar and walked back out to the tables, offering refills with a smile. It’s only when she no longer felt his gaze on her that she let out a shaking breath and pressed her cold rag against the hot, aching marks where her nails cut into her palm.

 

—

 

It took Meri less than a day to decide she was going.

Finding out the location of Delvern Forest was easy enough and it was less than a weeks ride away. All of the gold she made was supposed to go to Jesper but she’d hidden away a small bag, hopefully enough to buy her wagon rides with farmers and travelers headed that way.

She told herself that she was crazy, absurd, looking to get killed… and yet, the temptation was too much to resist. And she wondered if she was falling into the same trap all of the dead lords and knights had.

There was no point in pretending she had much skill with weapons or bravery to spare—if she did, surely she would have slit Jesper’s throat long ago—but she had faith in her sound mind and caution.

Perhaps the witch was so accustomed to knights in shining armor charging in on their steeds, swords glinting with a holy, righteous light, that she wouldn’t even notice one small girl slipping through her forest.

Despite her trepidation—really, it was fear if she was being honest with herself—Meri knew she had to go. It was the only chance she’d had in years to free herself, potentially the only one she’d ever get.

After her parents died, leaving her in the care of her older brother, Vayne, he ran their family fortune into the ground by gambling away every last gold piece. Meri had known his debts were bad but hadn’t realized just how bad until the night came that he gave her to Jesper to pay them off and save his own skin.

The first night, Jesper tried to pull her into his bed and she bit his hand hard enough to scar. After he beat her, he declared her not worth the purchase price and dumped her brother’s debt on her, making her work at his tavern and gambling dens to pay it off.

It was a sick joke. In the years she’d been a prisoner, trapped by Jesper, her brother’s debt, and the weight of his life that she knew would be forfeit should she run away, she’d barely made a dent into the amount. She was never going to pay it off and everyone knew it.

Though she despised her brother with a fury that made her feel ready to rip the world apart, she felt sorry for him more. To be such a pathetic coward and to betray your family…she couldn’t bring herself to do the same and sacrifice his life for her own.

And so, the day after she heard Princess Estrella’s name, she packed her meager gold and a small bag of food she’d pilfered from the cellar and waited for nightfall.

Jesper was fast asleep when she crept down the hallway, little more than a shadow with her dark cloak on. His snores were audible through the walls, the rest of the building silent, holding its breath while she made her escape.

It stung how easy it was for her to leave. She’d never had anywhere to go, her only future being that of a prostitute on the streets with a dead brother on her conscience and Jesper knew it.

He’d be furious when he awoke to find her gone, but when she returned with a princess’s weight in gold, his anger will mean nothing. She’d left a note promising her return in hopes it would keep him from murdering Vayne and told herself it was out of her hands.

Part of her hoped he did.

 

—

 

Meri arrived at her destination a week after she’d left. She’d been fortunate while traveling, catching rides on wagons and carts with a little gold incentive, her men’s clothing shielding her from most prying eyes and potential harm.

Delvern Forest sat at the foot of The Red Mountains, farther east than she’d ever traveled before. There was a small town near the edge of the forest that was supposed to be welcoming and kind to all strangers. As she climbed out of the back of the farmer’s cart, she took it in.

Indeed, it looked like every small town Meri had passed on her journey here. The small wooden homes with thatch roofs were modest and the smell of cooking meat and smoke lingered in the air. Mixed in with the soft chatter and bustle, she could hear the soft clucking of chickens.

And yet…

Her gaze was pulled beyond the town and buildings to where the forest began. Something tingled at the nape of her neck as she studied the dense woods, the thick branches still despite the breeze that was blowing down from the mountains. The shadows seemed darker there, unnatural where they pooled on the ground and between the trunks.

She couldn’t help but feel like something was peering back at her.

“Are you well?”

The man’s voice startled her, though it was kind and concerned. Meri jolted, realizing that somehow she’d taken several steps into the field that separated the town from the forest, cold sweat beading at the nape of her neck.

She made herself look away from the trees and instead at the worried face of the man. “Yes, sorry, I’m fine. Can you tell me where I might buy some food?”

He directed her down the main street of the town, where several stalls were set up at the end. She went to the one and bought some apples, breaking the tender skin with her teeth and savoring the sweet juice.

Though her journey had been mostly free of trouble, she was tired. Her shoulders and back were aching, her fair skin long since burnt from the relentless sun, and her scalp was sore from keeping her thick blonde hair tightly pulled back.

There was nothing she wished to do more than rest, but she had work to do.

She wandered around the town until the sun was just beginning to sink beneath the tips of the trees, questioning townsfolk about the witch and Princess Estrella. Initially, she’d felt apprehensive about asking, but it seemed foolish to not use all the resources available to her.

No one seemed surprised by her questions and with each person, she got a similar response—they didn’t know anything about a witch or princess, but something was wrong with the forest.

The forest, they said, had paths that disappeared and made you lose all sense of direction. That none who valued their lives entered without good reason—even the children stayed away—and then, if they did come back, it was without any memory of being in there at all. Meri was warned not to camp in the field, for visitors who did would sometimes vanish without a trace, gone when the morning came.

Surely it had to be the witch’s doing, snatching away men to kill and eat. And she must have cast an enchantment of some sort over the forest. Meri wouldn’t pretend to have much knowledge of such things but it sounded right. Yet not a single person admitted to seeing a witch.

Feeling disheartened by the lack of information, but not any less determined to enter the forest in the morning, Meri decided it was time to check out a room at the inn. The main street was nearly empty, most people inside for dinner or packing their stalls up for the day.

“Excuse me,” a soft voice came from the shadowed space between two buildings. As Meri stepped closer, she saw it was a young woman perhaps a little older than herself. Her complexion was warm, a tawny bronze that reminded Meri of the rising sun, and she had wide, trusting eyes. “I heard you’ve been asking about a witch in the forest?”

“That’s right.” Meri followed her several paces into the alley, out of sight of anyone passing by.

The woman was clearly nervous, her hands twisted in the apron of her dress. “My name is Braya. I have information, but I’m not sure if it’s what you’re looking for.”

“I’m sure it will be helpful to me,” Meri prompted, trying not to sound too eager and spook the woman off. “I’m simply trying to understand what I might be facing when I enter the forest tomorrow.”

Braya nodded. “It’s…I’m sure you’ve been told that the forest is strange, but there’s more than that. The women here, they talk sometimes…about what the forest will do for you.” She was speaking in a hushed whisper, but her tone wasn’t afraid. “I heard that if you go to where the treeline meets the field, close enough that the woods can listen, and tell it…”

“Tell it what?” Meri asked once the woman trailed off, biting her lip.

“It takes the men,” Braya blurted out in a rush, and there was something feverish and excited in her eyes. “If you tell the forest about a man who likes to hit women after he has a drink at the tavern, or if a visitor comes who causes problems… the next day, they’re gone.”

“Gone?”

She nodded in confirmation, her next words coming out so quickly that she was nearly tripping over them. “I don’t think I believed them, the rumors, even when a few men had vanished. Everyone just said they ventured into the woods and got taken, but some of the women knew the truth. And when a group of travelers came, Deron, he took interest in me… I didn’t realize what sort of man he was until it was too late.”

Ah, now the look in her eyes made sense.

“You told the forest about him.”

“I felt so silly, out there in my nightgown, speaking to the trees. But in the morning, he was gone without a trace.”

The witch’s work was more complex than Meri had first assumed. It was one thing to kill anyone who ventured into the forest, but it seemed she was coming into the town and taking those she wanted. But if she was willing and able to do so, why wait for specific targets?

An idea occurred to her—crazy and impulsive but potentially her only chance. Speaking with all of the townsfolk made it abundantly clear that making her way through the forest to find the princess undetected would be nearly impossible while it was enchanted.

She knew that her only real plan was disposing of the witch.

The dagger strapped to her waist suddenly felt a lot heavier.

Meri placed a comforting hand on Braya’s arm. “Thank you for telling me, this secret is safe with me. You’ve been very helpful but I need you to do one more thing for me.”

The witch had to be taking these men or the bodies would be found. This could give Meri a way to get in close enough to kill her.

 

—

 

After Braya went out to speak to the forest, Meri tied her fair hair back and pulled up the hood of her cloak, the final touch of her disguise as a man. It worked well, her height and small breasts adding to the illusion as long as no one looked too closely at her face.

She set up her bedroll and a small fire in the field—there was no point in bothering to waste her money on a room at the inn—and sat there with her hand on the hilt of her dagger as the sun disappeared behind the wall of trees, their shadows reaching across the grass like long, skeletal fingers.

There was fear right in her chest, raw in her throat. She tried to reassure herself that she had knowledge to help her and the element of surprise. That after tonight, freedom would be within reach.

She’d never killed anyone before. It was strange how easy it seemed in theory but now that the opportunity was drawing near, her hands refused to steady. She prayed they would not falter when she needed them most.

Her thoughts did little to keep the shivers at bay as night swept in, stealing all lingering warmth and light from the land, aside from her meek little fire. Even that seemed to sputter and wilt as the darkness grew.

There was something inside of her that was urging her to get up and walk into the trees, and it frightened her.

A hush seemed to fall, all of the crickets and rustling of branches, the pop and crackle of the fire going silent. The town suddenly seemed so far away, beyond Meri’s reach.

A loud snap cracked through the quiet.

Something pale flashed in the trees, flickering in and out of sight.

That had to be it.

Slowly, Meri climbed to her feet, grip tight enough around the hilt of the dagger that her fingers were aching, and made her way across the field.

The thing flashed again—white, or maybe blue, and bright enough to stand out—this time deeper in the trees. She stopped at the edge of the forest, feeling her body sway forward slightly as she did.

There was no turning back now.

She stepped into the woods.

The forest wasn’t as she’d expected. It was cold and the trees felt old and imposing, giants towering over her head with dizzying height. But the air was fresh and crisp, the scent of fresh dirt and green unexpectedly comforting. There was beauty here.

The pale thing darted in and out of the trees ahead, always too far away for Meri to make out what it was but close enough for her to follow. It felt almost playful, weaving in and out of the trunks with a joyous, teasing sort of energy.

Eventually, it vanished around the edge of a rocky cliff and she approached carefully, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

Behind the cliff, the trees surrounded a small clearing, the ground covered in a dense layer of pine needles and moss. Mist crept around the roots of the trees, tendrils reaching towards the clearing. The air felt thick here, charged with an energy that rose up the hairs on Meri’s arms.

In the middle stood a woman in a pale blue cloak, most of her face hidden by the hood’s shadow. All Meri could see were her full lips curled up into a small smile. She was barefoot, her dainty feet pressed against velvety looking moss.

“It seems you’ve caught me,” she said, her teasing tone making a peculiar heat crawl up Meri’s neck. Slowly, the woman reached up and undid the clasp of her cloak, letting it fall to the ground and reveal her naked body beneath.

Meri felt her something stutter in her chest.

She was no older than Meri herself, with rich, sepia brown skin. Her eyes were wide, her face young and sweet. Ebony curls were lush and framed her heart-shaped face, cascading down her shoulders and skimming the tops of her bare breasts. Her body was soft and curvaceous in a way that would have men falling over each other to reach.

Was this the witch?

She looked more like a goddess than a monster.

“Would you like to claim your prize?” the woman murmured, no hint of shame in her gaze as she stood nude before Meri.

This had to be the trap, how the witch lured all of those men away from the town. A manipulative disguise meant to make them lose all sense.

Indeed, even Meri was struggling to keep her mind focused, her eyes straying to the perked nipples of the witch’s full breasts and the length of her smooth legs. When she couldn’t help but glance at the apex of her things hidden only by dark curls, the woman laughed.

“If you come here, you can do more than look.”

What a trickster she was. Her youthful, pretty looks set Meri at ease, her playful tone just shy enough to intrigue and bold enough to draw her in. No man would stand a chance, assuming her easy prey, a blooming flower ripe for the plucking.

When Meri came forward into the clearing, her hand was shaking as she readjusted her grip on the knife. She’d have to strike quickly before the witch discovered her disguise or killed her.

Yet she faltered when she was close enough for the witch to reach out with slender hands and push back the hood of Meri’s cloak—part of her wanted to be seen. The magic around this woman was thick indeed, enough so that for a split second, she forgot about her true goal.

And too late, she realized that the rushing sound in her ears were actually thick roots slipping across the ground to wrap around her boots.

“What—?” Meri gasped, her words leaving her in a rush as the roots tightened and the world heaved upside down.

Her dagger fell to the ground as she hung in front of the witch, helpless as a fish on a hook. She felt her cloak slip free, revealing her face and bound hair and icy cold fear trickled down her spine.

The witch actually looked surprised, her dark eyes widening. “A girl?” Her gaze moved to where Meri’s shirt was hanging open and her bound breasts were visible. “No, a woman.”

Meri didn’t respond, reaching in vain for her dagger and when it was clear she couldn’t reach, heaved herself up to claw and scratch at the knotted roots around her feet.

The young woman closed the gap between them and smacked Meri’s hands away almost dismissively. “You’ll make them angry if you do that. Why are you here?”

The roots tightened their grip menacingly, and tears sprang to Meri’s eyes. “I came to kill the witch and rescue the princess.”

To her utter shock, the witch laughed, an unexpectedly low, gravelly sound, her voice rough from disuse. She laughed and laughed, long enough that Meri felt her face color in embarrassment.

When she was done, the young woman went over and stroked the rough bark of the nearest tree trunk. “Let her down, this one is mine.”

The roots around Meri loosened, dumping her ungracefully to the ground. She staggered to her feet, head swimming as the forest spun around her, her dagger once again in her hand. Her blood was thumping in her veins, pulse pounding with fear and adrenaline.

The woman’s back was to her but when Meri lunged at her, dagger high, she sidestepped easily and backhanded it out of her grip like she was swatting a fly. It went tumbling away into the mist and vanished, so Meri just lunged at her instead, grabbing a fistful of her hair.

Laughing lowly again instead of fighting, the woman just grabbed the front of Meri’s shirt and pressed her naked body close.

“As fun as a fight sounds right now,” she said, “you’re here to see the witch. And I won’t be able to take you to her if I kill you.”

Was this another trick? Was she not the witch? Perhaps this woman was just a specter of some sort conjured up by the true witch. Though she certainly felt real enough, the warmth of her body noticeable even through Meri’s clothes, and her curls silken soft where they were wrapped around her fist.

She pulled away and the woman let her go with an amused look.

“Fine, take me to see the witch.”

The woman dipped into a low curtsy, nimble fingers snatching her cloak from the forest floor and sweeping it over her shoulders to hide her nudity. “Your wish is my command.”

Meri followed cautiously behind her, eyes warily watching the ground and trees for any more traps. Though if the woman had wanted to kill her, she certainly would have by now.

“Tell me,” she asked after a minute of walking, unable to hold her tongue. “Is the princess still alive?”

“Oh, yes.” That was all the woman said but unspoken words hovered heavily in the air between them.

It was a relief though—now Meri knew her journey hadn’t been completely in vain. And if this woman truly was taking her to see the witch, she’d figure out a way to kill her. Or perhaps barter, find something she might be willing to trade for Princess Estrella.

“We’re here,” the woman said, stopping suddenly and pointing to a massive tree, its trunk as wide as some of the homes back in the town. “The witch is there.”

Meri stepped forward, brow creased in confusion. There was nothing here except for the tree and its thick, moss-covered roots rising from the ground.

Then her eyes caught something tangled there in the roots at the base of the tree, as if it was a prize being cradled against the trunk—a skeleton, lank strands of hair hanging limply from the yellowed skull.

“She died some time ago.” The woman’s voice came from behind Meri, light and unconcerned. “Some knight or lord—they all look the same to me—fought her and died, but not before dealing a fatal blow. It was easy for my forest to take her after that. The trees were eager to take her life after she’d stolen so much power from them.”

What—what did this mean?

“But…the princess…”

She turned to find the woman watching her in a self-satisfied sort of way. “She’s alive and well…though a little offended that her supposed rescuer tried to put a dagger in her back.”

The forest floor seemed to shift beneath Meri’s feet and she had to reach out and steady herself against the nearest tree.

Then that meant—

“Princess Estrella.”

The princess grimaced, her nose wrinkling in distaste. “I’d forgotten how much I hate that name.”

“But…why?”

“It’s a family name, tradition and all that, but I—”

“No,” Meri interrupted, righteous fury bubbling to life in her chest. “Why? Why are you here? Why are you killing people? Why didn’t you flee once the witch was dead?”

Princess Estrella cocked her head. “You’re angry.”

That was an understated description for the tumultuous emotions inside of Meri right now.

“Of course I’m angry! I just traveled for a week to come here and rescue a princess who apparently”—she gestured violently at the woman—“doesn’t need rescuing! You’re acting like a joke when this is—when this is—”

She sat down suddenly with a gulping gasp that burned in her chest. This was it. Her only chance at freedom. Her only hope she’d had in years of escaping servitude.

Jesper was going to murder her.

If she even made it out of here alive.

“Are you going to kill me?” she asked tiredly, thinking that even if she still had her dagger, she wouldn’t have the energy to defend herself.

“No. You’ve done nothing to deserve a death by my hands, or that of the forest.”

“But I tried to kill you.”

She shrugged. “I’m still alive. Besides, the trees have developed a taste for angry, evil men. You’d do little to satiate their hunger.”

Meri drew her knees to her chest, her adrenaline starting to fade and fear taking its place. The princess spoke of the forest as if it were truly alive, and the way those roots had hung her upside down earlier…was it a witch’s trick or something more?

Princess Estrella shook her head. “The only witch in this forest is long dead behind you. I have no power of my own, just my loyalty and friendship to those who truly rule here.”

Above them, the leaves and branches rustled with a soft whisper that filled the air.

“Are they—I mean, will they not let you leave?”

She seemed surprised by Meri’s question. “Am I their prisoner? No, I have no desire to leave, to return home to that place—” Her lips curled back in disgust as she cut herself off. “They protect me from those who wish to make me leave.”

It was a warning, but Meri wasn’t stupid. She knew it was all over.

Without a word, she got up and walked away. The forest offered no hint as to which direction would lead her out but Meri didn’t care. To stay was to die and to leave was to be killed.

The princess didn’t say anything or try to stop her and when Meri finally glanced over her shoulder, she was gone. Only the bones of the witch remained, bound to the tree.

She walked not nearly far enough before the swollen, hot, painful thing in her chest refused to be ignored anymore. Leaning against a tree, the rough bark snagging against her hair, Meri sobbed.

It was years worth of tears. After her parents died, she refused to cry again. When Vayne hurt her with his distance and the widening chasm between them, she ground her teeth and held them in. When she was given to Jesper, she clung tightly to the anger and let it burn the tears inside away. And when days turned into months, and months into years, the thought of showing him any sort of weakness and despair kept her eyes dry.

She had nothing left, and so she sobbed.

It hurt and it was the sweetest relief she could remember.

There was a rustle in the branches above her but Meri just kept crying. If the princess had changed her mind or the forest decided to eat her, so be it. She’d been fooling herself all along.

Something gently stroked her hair.

Meri froze, more out of surprise than fear, and glanced up. A branch, thin and long and leafless, was reaching down and as she watched, it slowly, carefully, brushed over her head.

It was almost as if it was…comforting her.

How long had it been since she’d been comforted?

Despite herself, Meri leaned into the touch, and a second later, there was a soft rumble that she felt more than heard. Next to her foot, a huge root as thick as her leg shook free from the dirt and rose in front of her. The end of it curled before her, hovering at her waist.

A quiet sound filled the air, like a murmur of voices. It ebbed and flowed, like waves of the sea urging her forward.

Meri reached out and placed her hand on the root.

It was warm and alive and against her palm pulsed a gentle beat.

“Thank you,” she whispered in awe as it slowly curled around her hand, holding it in the air.

The murmur shifted deeper into a low hum that she felt in her muscles and bones. Something in the forest was speaking to her, singing a song she felt in her soul.

“You can hear them.”

Meri gasped and spun around, pulling her hand free of the root’s grasp—it let her go with no resistance—and found the princess watching her curiously from only a few feet away. She hadn’t heard her approach, no snap of twigs or crunch of pine needles.

“I—I don’t know.”

Princess Estrella pursed her lips like she knew Meri wasn’t being entirely truthful.

“Come with me,” she finally said.

Because there was nothing else she could do, Meri followed her.

 

—

 

Princess Estrella’s home was just as strange and beautiful as she was.

It had clearly once been a slender stone tower, perhaps where the witch had lived and held her captive. But through the wear of nature or the magic of this forest, it had become molded to the nearest monstrous tree, the two of them fused together in a blend of brown and gray. Where stone crumbled, plants held it in place, and where branches sagged, stones supported it.

As she drew nearer, Meri saw the vines and branches were wrapped around the tower in a thickly woven embrace, holding it close and secure. Like a prisoner.

She glanced at where Princess Estrella was gazing at it fondly.

Or a lover.

Rather than leading her inside, the princess took her around the side to where a water pump sat.

“Get undressed.” It was a command.

Gaping at her and then the pump, Meri struggled to find her voice for a second. “I—what? It’s freezing out.”

Or, it had been. Since she’d stepped foot in the forest, she hadn’t noticed the chill that she knew was in the air. The princess certainly didn’t look cold, her skin smooth and free of goosebumps.

“The water is warm, I promise. If you’re staying in my home tonight, you’re going to bathe. You reek of horse and sweat.”

If Meri’s face wasn’t already burning hot, she would have flushed. She’d been on the road for a week with no bath—she supposed she might have a particular odor about her.

“Fine. But I’m not getting naked.”

Surprisingly, Princess Estrella didn’t argue as Meri only stripped off her shirt and boots, leaving her chest bindings and pants on. The water was pleasantly cool and fresh feeling as she splashed her face and chest, wetting her grimy skin.

When she leaned back to wash her tangled hair under the stream, she found that she was being watched.

“Listen, Princess Estrella—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“What?”

The princess scowled. “I said, don’t call me that. It’s not my name anymore.”

She was hard to keep up with.

Meri bit back her scathing remark and settled for scrubbing at her hair forcefully. “Then what would you like me to call you? You have to have a name.”

Shrugging, the princess didn’t seem all that concerned. “Not here I don’t.”

Was she intentionally trying to be irritating?

“Well, what does the—I mean, what do they call you?” Meri gestured wildly at the surrounding trees, feeling silly for even asking.

“Their language isn’t spoken in words.” Despite how wrong that sounded, Meri knew what she meant. “I suppose if I had to try to translate it, they would call me…” She paused, full mouth pursing as she considered. “Youngling, like a child, but also warm. Lively, I suppose.”

That was entirely unhelpful.

“If you don’t like Estrella, how about a variation of that? Like a nickname?” Meri said her name a few times, teasing the syllables. “Ella? Est? El? Trella?”

The princess’s brown eyes lit up at the last one and she smiled. “Trella. It reminds me of a bird trill.” She made a beautiful sound like a bird call that sent a shiver down Meri’s spine. “Yes, you can call me that.”

Meri eyed her but didn’t say anything. For someone who claimed to not want her royal title, she sure was bossy.

“Okay, Trella, I’m Meri. What’s happening?”

“Meri.” Trella said her name like she was tasting it, savoring each sound. “You’re doing a bad job at getting clean.” Her quick grin gave away her intentional cheekiness.

“You know what I mean.” But Meri went back to washing herself, using her shirt to rub at her arms until her pale skin turned pink with irritation.

“You’re the one who followed me and then kept following.” Trella’s mirth faded as she studied her and despite being still mostly covered, Meri felt like she was seeing every inch of her. “You came here because you had nowhere else to go.” It wasn’t a question. “And now you’re lost and without a plan. No family, no friends, perhaps an unkind fate waiting for your return.”

How could she—

“I thought you said you weren’t a witch?”

“I’m not. We are simply more similar than you’d like to think.”

Meri doubted that. What could she possibly have in common with a princess turned imposter witch?

Yet she found herself too nervous to meet her eyes, afraid she’d see something she recognized.

Trella took pity on her, turning away. “Finish washing up. I’m tired and ready for sleep.”

 

—

 

The inside of her home was surprisingly stable, even as Trella led them up a set of spiral stairs to an open living space lit with stubby candles in sconces. The side of the room that was the rough bark of the tree trunk had a bookcase packed with battered volumes and a burgundy red stuffed armchair. A bed, vanity with a gleaming mirror, and trunk of clothes were against the other wall, a plush rug filling the space between.

It was clearly lived in but not messy. Meri hadn’t expected a princess to know how to pick up after herself. Then again, aside from her pretty face, she hadn’t expected a princess to be anything like Trella.

She wandered over to peer out of the wide window on the far wall, and when she turned back, Trella had changed out of her cloak and put on a long tunic that left her legs bare.

“Here.” She tossed Meri some soft pants and a white shirt that looked big enough for a man. “Change out of your wet clothes.”

Going over to her bed, Trella hung up her cloak and fiddled with the pillows, but Meri knew she was making an excuse to turn her back and give her some privacy. Changing quickly, Meri laid her wet clothes out to dry on the stone floor, shifting stacks of books out of the way.

“You certainly have enough books,” she muttered, more to herself but Trella heard.

“I like to read,” she said simply, but there was something defensive in the stiff set of her shoulders as she leaned to pull a blanket from the bed. “My father didn’t approve of it because it wasn’t ladylike to be more well-read than a man. He said that no potential husband would want to marry someone who had such boring interests.” She turned to face Meri, tucking a curl behind her ear. “I started collecting as many books as I could find the next day.”

Meri was unable to stop an incredulous laugh,  and she pressed her lips together tightly, horrified that Trella would think she was laughing at her. But the former princess grinned, her brown eyes warm with humor.

Her grin faded a second later, swept away by a somber sort of seriousness. “I’m sorry I was unkind to you. When I reveal the truth to those who venture in here…they try to hurt me or take me away.”

“It’s…it’s fine.” Meri didn’t know what to say. This whole night had felt like some sort of dream.

It didn’t matter though, because a second later, the haughty princess was back, all seriousness gone from her face. “I’m not giving you your dagger back though. If you want to try to kill me, you’ll have to get creative.”

She could keep it—it was of no use to Meri anymore.

Tossing a pillow and blanket on the rug, Trella said, “You can sleep there.”

Meri dropped to the floor, her sleeping accommodations nicer than any she’d had for a long time. “Why are you letting me stay here?”

“Do you have somewhere else to go?”

She hated the knowing way Trella said that.

“Why don’t you answer any of my questions?”

Tossing her thick curls over her shoulder and slipping into her bed in one, smooth movement, Trella said, “Just because I’m not giving you the answer you want to hear doesn’t mean it’s not an answer.”

Damn her.

Meri laid down with a huff, glad it meant she couldn’t see Trella in bed anymore. What was she even doing here? More importantly, what was she going to do now?

“My forest likes you.” Estrella’s voice was soft, almost a confession.

“What?”

“The trees, the plants…they like you. So you can stay.”

Why was kindness so frightening? So suspicious?

Meri wanted to sit up and face Trella, to see what her eyes were truly saying. She gripped her blanket tightly instead, fabric crushed in her fists. And when Trella didn’t say anything more, she made herself roll over and stare at the wall until her eyes were too tired to keep open.

 

—

 

Someone was singing.

Meri groaned, rolling over on stiff muscles, squinting in the morning light streaming in from the window on the far wall. As she lifted herself off the floor, she saw the bed was empty and there was no sign of Trella.

The singing was wordless, soft but clear, pure like a mountain stream trickling over rocks. It got louder as she crept down the stairs, the door at the bottom wide open. Through it, she could see the breeze rustling leaves, their shadows dancing on the forest floor.

Meri hesitated, nervous for reasons she couldn’t quite say. Somehow, it felt like the second she stepped into the open air, this would all disappear. She’d be back at Jesper’s tavern, waking up to the stink of her closet room and facing another day of servitude.

She would never go back to that.

The sweet song and her curiosity had her taking that final step outside despite her fear.

Trella was sitting near the thick fringe of trees—her cream-colored tunic practically glowing against the deep, smooth brown of her skin—with a spotted deer laying its head in her lap. She was singing as she stroked its slender face, her other hand smearing a thick green paste over a gash on its outstretched leg. Her touch was so careful, hands so gentle.

Her voice made the fresh air even sweeter, the morning sunshine a little warmer, the leaves a little brighter where the light streamed through them. Meri couldn’t move, frozen under the spell of the song and the fear of scaring away the deer.

Minutes went by before Trella stood, slowly pulling the deer to its unsteady feet as her song lifted and rose with them, a reminder that even the smallest of steps still counted.

The deer tested its weight. Upon realizing it could stand on its own, it accepted one last stroke between its ears before slowly disappearing into the trees. Meri hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until her chest started to ache.

“Nothing dies in my forest until their time is truly up,” Trella said, facing Meri. There was a honest gentleness in her face and eyes that softened her whole being. “Here, I am the master of death.”

Meri believed her. Her own life had only been spared because Trella had decided so.

“Is that why you’re staying here? To have control over life and death?”

For the first time, Trella seemed to take her questions seriously, pausing a second before giving her answer. “The only life I ever wanted control over was my own. That’s why I choose to stay.”

It frightened Meri how much the other woman’s words resonated within her.

“Are you…happy here?” she asked softly.

“Happier than I ever was as Princess Estrella. I’m content here, safe.” Her brown eyes turned caramel gold as she took a step into the sun, a step closer to Meri. “You’re safe here too, from whatever you’re hiding from. I’ll protect you.”

Protected. What a foreign concept. It might have meant something once when she was a child, when her parents were still alive. Now all she knew was being used, hurt, abused, silenced…

“I’m not—” Meri cut herself off. Who was she kidding? Hiding, running, they were the same thing. They both knew it was true. “It wasn’t part of the plan.”

“The plan that involved killing a powerful witch with a knife most warriors would pick their teeth with?” Trella’s tone was teasing and despite being embarrassed, Meri found herself letting out a quiet huff of amusement. “You must really need the gold.”

“Perhaps I just wanted to rescue a kidnapped woman out of the kindness of my heart?”

To Meri’s surprise, Trella let out a laugh that echoed around them. “If it wasn’t for the reward, not a single person would have come looking for me and my family knew it. Why do you think my father and brothers offered gold rather than coming to rescue me themselves?”

Meri just blinked, not sure where she was going with this.

Trella smirked but it was brittle and cold, an icy shell hiding a darkness beneath. “I wasn’t kidnapped, I was given away. My father let the witch take me, all part of a ploy to conjure up sympathy and attention and to make me desirable to the lords of the region. As the sixth daughter with no real chance at ruling, no man ever pursued me until I came with bragging rights for slaying a witch, undying appreciation, and a mountain of gold.”

“I—” Meri didn’t know what to say. “I’m truly sorry. These lords though, if they didn’t know, surely coming to rescue you didn’t mean they had to die. Greed isn’t punishable by death, or ignorance.”

The stare Trella gave her stole the breath from her lungs. “You truly think I’m a monster, don’t you?”

“I didn’t mean—”

Trella cut her off with a quick slice of her hand through the air. “After the witch was dead, every man who came here in search of me was told the truth and that I wouldn’t leave. And every single one chose the gold over my wishes. They tried to tie me up, knock me out, steal me away from the forest. One even came back with fire to burn the trees down. I gave them more chances than they deserved and if they still refused to go…” Her face hardened. “The only men I kill willingly are the ones the forest deemed necessary.”

Necessary? She recalled Braya’s words, how the men lured into the forest and failed to return were abusive drunks, rogues who came into town and hurt the innocent, men who used their power to harm others.

Trella nodded then closed the gap between then, taking Meri’s hand before she could flinch away. Grip firm, she led her to the nearest tree and placed her hand on it, Meri’s white, lightly freckled hand contrasting against the rough bark.

“Feel that?” she asked. “The warmth? The spark?”

Meri did. It was a hum, a tingling sensation that made her skin itch with awareness.

“There’s old power here,” Trella murmured, pulling their hands away but not letting go of Meri’s wrist. “The trees can see into a person’s heart and mind and detect true intentions. All I do is take them there, to the clearing I led you to. The forest’s power is strong there, the heart of it beating beneath the ground. It’s there that judgment is made. If there’s still good in them, they’re let go. If not…better they feed the forest than be allowed to continue on the path they’re one.”

No words would come. What argument could Meri make? That the men Trella spoke of didn’t deserve to die, that they should be given another chance?

It would be a lie. Meri hadn’t believed in such naive, childish notions in a long time.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think you’re a monster,” she finally said, twisting her wrist out of Trella’s grip, only to take her hand. Her palm was calloused and the rasp of their skin coming together sent a thrill down Meri’s spine. “I’ve seen true monsters and you’re nothing like them.”

Trella, who had been nothing but outspoken and confident since Meri had learned her true identity, suddenly averted her eyes in a way that almost made her look shy. When she glanced up through the thick fringe of her eyelashes—Meri hadn’t noticed that she was taller than the other woman before now—the trees shivered and shook above them.

“Would you—” Meri’s mouth was dry and she swallowed heavily. “Would you sing again?”

Bold Trella was back as she grinning knowingly, twirling away on light feet. “Only because you apologized. And because my forest enjoys it too.”

As she started to sing, the branches swayed and moved with the tune, shedding leaves of green and gold to swirl down onto them. Meri could only watch in awe as Trella let her song guide her feet, spinning and stomping, hands in the air, her long tunic twisting around her thighs. Leaves landed on her outstretched arms, peppering her skin and shining hair like jewels, offerings to a princess from her beloved forest.

She was radiant.

 

—

 

That night, a breeze blew in through the open window of the tower, ruffling the parchment on the table and making the candle flames shiver. Trella cocked her head to the side, brow furrowed.

“What is it?” Meri questioned.

“A message. A woman in the town is asking for assistance.” Her full mouth pressed into a flat line, eyes narrowing. “A group of three men came into town this morning and one of them destroyed the inn and took the innkeeper’s daughter back to their camp. She was not treated well.”

Something cold settled in the pit of Meri’s stomach. It easily could have been her if she’d still been alone and vulnerable back at the field outside of town.

“Looks like I’ve got work to do,” Trella muttered, getting up from her seat. She grabbed the blue cloak from where it was hanging near the bed. “Will you be alright here by yourself?”

She was so casual about going to murder a man, not even the smallest hint of reluctance in her eyes. Perhaps Meri’s life would have turned out differently if she’d had Trella watching over her town.

“I’ll be fine.”

Trella studied her for a second. “You aren’t going to try to stop me?”

No, she wouldn’t. A man like that, he’d just move onto other towns and other women to hurt or kill. Meri knew his type—more an animal than man.

“Happy hunting.”

Her smile taking on a pointed edge, Trella swept from the room and once Meri heard the downstairs door shut, she crept out after her.

The sun had long set and the dark shadows of the forest made it easy to follow the blue glow of Trella’s cloak. Meri was careful to not get too close, uncertain if she’d be sent back to the tower or invited along if she was found out. She wasn’t sure which one made her more nervous.

She just…she wanted to take a quick peek.

As they approached the edge of the forest, she stayed back, safely hidden behind a massive log. Enough time went by that she started to get nervous when a soft rustling caught her attention and Trella swept by, cloak brushing through leaves and twigs. Not far behind her, a tall, broad-shouldered man whose face she couldn’t make out lumbered through the bushes, clumsily attempting to catch up.

“Son of a bitch,” he cursed viciously, batting a branch out of his way. The crack of splintering wood was loud in the silence of the night, and a low rumble shook through the trees. The man didn’t seem to notice.

Meri followed them down the familiar path that she had ventured through the night before. When she reached the cliffs that she knew hid the clearing ahead, she carefully made her way around them, certain she was still hidden in the darkness.

Watching from behind a tree, she held her breath as the man made it the edge of the clearing. Trella was in the center, already free of her cloak and naked, temptation incarnate. She was the perfect lure.

When he paused, she moved towards him slowly, her hips swaying to the heartbeat of the forest he couldn’t hear.

“Have I chosen the wrong man?” she asked shyly. “You don’t look pleased. Or maybe you’re unsure of what to do with an unclothed woman.” Her hands went to the ties of his leather jerkin, undoing them slowly and revealing the skin beneath.

He surged forward, only for her to dance away from his grasp playfully, leading him farther into the clearing. Even from a distance, Meri could see the feral edge to his grin, teeth flashing white as he reached for the tie on the front of his pants.

Trella went to her cloak and laid down, spreading her legs for a teasing peek, urging him forward. Meri’s skin was hot, her mouth dry as she watched the man stalk after her.

Around them, the trees groaned, a low, hungry sound.

“You’re an eager one, aren’t you?” He stopped to kick off his boots. “Friends with that whore from town? I bet she told you all about the good time I gave her earlier.”

Meri’s nails sank into the bark of the trunk but Trella just smiled.

“Oh yes, I heard all about you,” she crooned. One of her hands circled her breast slowly, then danced down her ribs. Every movement she made was intentional and mesmerizing, a distraction of the sweetest kind.

Meri hadn’t realized she’d stepped out from behind the tree until Trella’s gaze landed on her. There was no surprise, just fire, the heat of lust and anger and vengeance.

Staring at her, Trella trailed her fingers down to between her legs. The man was struggling with his boots, oblivious to Meri’s gasping inhale or the fact that Trella’s focus was elsewhere. There was something in her face, in her eyes, like she was asking Meri to see her. Like she wanted to be stripped down and bare before her. Passion and vulnerability, boldness and a desire to be seen and accepted.

Heart thumping like a war-drum in her chest, Meri couldn’t look away. Not as Trella threw her head back, throat bared to the skin and chest heaving. Not as the man got off his boots and stumbled closer, only to lean down and yank her hand away from herself roughly.

“You don’t get started without me,” he told her, his tone dark and dangerous. “I’m going to punish you for that.”

A black shape formed in the shadows behind him, stirring the mist on the ground as it rose.

She lifted her head back up almost lazily, gazing at him in bemusement. “No, you won’t. This punishment is all for you.”

His lips curled back in confusion a split second before a root as thick as a fist punched through his chest.

Trella didn’t even flinch as blood sprayed across the ground and her bare skin, as he gurgled and gasped, crimson foam bubbling at his lips. She just smiled as the root lifted him into the air and higher into the branches above, his final strangled scream echoing through the forest until that too faded.

There was no sign he’d ever been there except for two boots and a bloody splatter in the dirt.

Lifting a hand to her mouth in shock, Meri was surprised to feel her own lips curled in a grin. Her hand was steady.

As Trella climbed to her feet, their eyes met once again.

Meri wasn’t sure who moved first but they met the edge of the clearing, coming together in one shared breath and a kiss that tasted of blood and wickedness. The heat of Trella’s naked body—her skin flower petal soft where Meri’s hands pressed against it—flickered and faded against the heat of her mouth. It was a claiming kiss, searing and scorching like a brand and a promise.

Though Trella swore she had no powers, Meri felt a spell being woven around them, a subtle thread tethering them together. She felt something deep inside of her wake up, responding to the call, to the desperation and bone-shaking, spine-quivering relief that rose and caught in her throat.

She felt wild and so alive for the first time in years.

Her heart was slamming against her ribs, pounding in her ears as she let her hand wander up to stroke the skin of Trella’s neck, clumsy fingers sinking into her thick dark curls. Trella made a pleased sound in the back of her throat and nipped gently at Meri’s bottom lip, soothing the sting away with another kiss.

“Stay here with me,” Trella murmured against her mouth, fingers twisting in the fabric of Meri’s shirt to hold her close. “Don’t leave.”

Somehow, she’d known the words were coming, yet they still took her by surprise. She was pulling away before she realized.

“Trella…I—You can’t mean that.”

“I do. Stay,” she repeated, brown eyes serious, and reached up to softly brush Meri’s golden blonde hair from her face. “With me. With the forest.”

“But—” Meri struggled to slow her whirling thoughts. “I can’t. I have…”

Nothing.

There was nothing for her to return to, no one waiting for her to come back, worrying that she was okay. No future, no dreams, no spot on the horizon to aim for. She’d been living as a ghost, a shade of a human being. If she stayed here, all that was left of her in her old life would fade away and be forgotten within days.

Her protests died on her lips but she felt gutted, like her insides had all been scooped out and she was left hollow.

“I have nothing,” she muttered numbly.

Sympathy flitted across Trella’s face. “You could have me. You could have this place. You could be happy here, if you let yourself be.”

It frightened Meri how her heart leaped at the words. How without realizing it, she’d already formed little half-thoughts of spending her nights in bed with Trella, safe up in their tower, and days listening to her sing and exploring the expanse of the forest, powerful and free and protected.

Trella must have seen something in her face, the wanting that rattled around in her ribs, trying to break free of its cage.

“You’re afraid…afraid of happiness because you’ve learned it never lasts. I can see it in you, the pain and the fear, the way you’re barely holding yourself together.” Her brown eyes glistened with emotion. “I’ve been where you are. Our souls were the same once, little hopeful flames just barely holding on. And I’m telling you…whoever hurt you, whoever made you feel this way…you can leave them behind. You can be free, here, with me.”

It felt like Trella was reaching inside of Meri and ripping out all of the unspoken truths she kept hidden away there. And it hurt to have those things torn from her, but there was a strange sense of release, like a pressure she hadn’t realized was slowly crushing her was being removed.

It frightened her.

Trella offered Meri her hand and it quivered in the air between them. “All I have to offer you is what you’ve seen. I want it to be enough. Please, say it is.”

The words were there. Meri wanted to say them, to take her hand and pull her back to her.

Instead, she said, “I’m sorry. I need some time. Some space. Please.”

Hurt flitted through Trella’s eyes, there and gone, and then a cold, blank mask slid into place. She stepped away, one small step that felt so much farther, then turned and strode away, vanishing into the trees.

Meri let herself start walking and kept going until she left Trella’s words far behind, but the stinging truth of them didn’t lessen.

Trella was right—she was afraid. More than afraid. Happiness had become such a foreign frightening thing, something to be snatched away, to be used to hurt her. Choosing to stay here with Trella was too big, too scary of a thought.

She was never meant for a happy ending. And she was just tired. So tired.

She needed to fall back on that right now—the impossibility of it, the reasons she shouldn’t dare even consider it, all the pain hoping could bring—but Trella’s words had broken through a dam inside of Meri. And she couldn’t patch all the holes up fast enough.

As a child, she’d thought her family was forever. When her parents died, she’d thought the love between her and her brother would carry them through. When he gave her away, she told herself to persevere and be strong. When months turned into years, she told herself to just wait for the chance at freedom. And then when it came and she left on this foolish quest, she’d never even had a chance.

Why would staying here with Trella be any different?

Her feet led her to the edge of the forest and she sucked in a breath of surprise when she saw the lights of the town. She lingered in the trees, peering out as the sun rose and the townsfolk stirred, not taking those final steps out into the field.

It didn’t feel right. She didn’t belong there.

She glanced over her shoulder, back into the depths of the forest that had somehow come to feel comforting in the last day. Back to where Trella was waiting for her.

Being brave wasn’t supposed to be easy, she knew that.

Despite all the ugly, painful doubts that sat heavily in her chest, Meri found herself thinking that maybe she could be brave just one last time.

Maybe she could stay.

Pain exploded through the back of her head and she crumpled to the ground, too startled to scream. Everything went bright white and the next thing she knew, she was tasting the dirt and leaves of the forest floor.

“I really wish I knew what you’d been thinking,” a familiar voice murmured from behind her and her blood ran cold. “When you came here with the delusion that I wouldn’t find you.”

Meri gingerly lifted herself to her hands and knees, ears ringing. Jesper stood over her, his fists clenched, eyes devoid of any emotion.

How had he found her? She thought she’d covered her tracks well with her disguise but perhaps his resources and connections stretched farther than she knew.

He stared down at her in disgust as she struggled to her feet. “Where is Jon?”

Jon? He was one of Jesper’s brute bodyguards who followed him around like a faithful hound.

“I don’t know,” she said honestly, flinching when he grabbed her arm roughly, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. The scar from where she’d bitten him flashed white against his tan skin.

“He vanished in the night. Did you get him away from camp and kill him?”

Meri’s breath caught. She hadn’t gotten a good look at the face of the man that Trella led to his death, but his size and stature matched Jon’s. A vicious sort of glee surged through her and she couldn’t cover it quickly enough.

“You little bitch,” Jesper hissed, shaking her like a doll, her shoulder screaming in pain. “What did you do?”

Hot, jittery fear was pumping through her views.

She surged forward and bit him on the shoulder as hard as she could. The sharp, metallic sting of blood filled her mouth and she bit down harder.

Jesper yelled in pain as he shoved her off of him, and she scurried away the second her arm was free. She could hear him cursing and yelling behind her, his heavy thudding steps as he chased her deeper and deeper into the forest. She just needed to outrun him, lose him in the dense trees.

Meri had always been fast but her head was spinning from Jesper’s blow, the ground uneven with roots and rocks. When she stumbled and nearly fell, catching herself at the last second, she knew she wasn’t going to escape a second before he tackled her from behind.

Air burst from her lungs as he pressed her into the ground, stars bursting across her vision. She thrashed and struggled, kicking and scratching at him as he flipped her over and wrapped his thick fingers around her throat.

“Help,” she gasped, choking and clawing, legs drumming uselessly against the forest floor. “Help me.”

“It’s just me here,” Jesper growled, his breath hot on her face. His eyes were lit up with a life that Meri had only ever seen when he was hurting someone. “And this has been long overdue.”

His grip tightened, cutting off the last of her air. Meri reached for his face, his eyes, his throat, anything, but she couldn’t reach and he laughed.

Then, from behind him, the rising sun cut through the branches and illuminated a towering shape. A thick twist of roots was gathering in the air and through the ringing in her ears, Meri heard the low angry hum of the forest.

The tendril shot out and wrapped around Jesper’s neck, yanking him backward faster than Meri could blink. His grip and weight vanished and she rolled to her side, coughing and hacking as she sucked down mouthfuls of blissful air.

She’d never tasted anything sweeter.

A root rose from the ground next to her, helping her roll onto her knees, supporting her when she staggered with shaking legs to her feet. It was firm and warm beneath her hands, comforting.

“Thank you,” she managed to get out, her throat raw. She leaned and pressed her forehead against the root, hot tears burning at her eyes. “Thank you.”

It stroked her face then nudged her shoulder. She turned and found Jesper a foot off the ground, eyes bulging and face red as the tendril held him aloft by his throat.

She approached him until she was close enough to reach out and touch him. His eyes were desperate, pleading, those of a trapped animal, as he gurgled and tried to speak. Her tormentor, her abuser, begging for help without a voice.

The branches above her rustled and when one dipped down, it was offering her something that gleamed in the sun.

Her dagger.

A gift.

She reached up and took it, the hilt warm in her hand, the sheath sliding off easily to reveal the glimmering blade.

Testing the weight, she watched Jesper struggle for a second longer. So many nights she’d imagined killing him, telling herself she was too weak, too cowardly. So many nights she’d imagined what she’d say when she finally did it, swiping a knife across his throat or plunging it deep in his gut.

Now, she had nothing to say.

She was ready to be free.

 

—

 

When Trella found her, Meri was sitting cross-legged on the ground, basking in the sunshine peeking through the trees. She was aching in too many places to count, but her shoulders were light and her breathing was easy.

Beside her, Jesper’s body was growing cool in the shade.

“Meri!” Trella rushed over, falling to her knees. “Are you hurt?”

Raising her blood-covered hands, Meri shook her head. “I’m fine, it’s not mine.”

Trella reached out and lifted her chin gently, examining the marks that Meri knew discolored the skin of her neck. Glancing over at Jesper’s body in disgust, her eyes narrowed.

“Get him out of my sight,” Trella said coldly, and a second later, his body was pulled into the undergrowth. Meri hoped the trees enjoyed their meal—it would mean at least one good thing came out of his existence. “Come on, let me help you.”

Meri grasped her hands but didn’t let her pull her to her feet. She needed to say something before the words erupted out of her.

“I want to stay,” she told Trella hoarsely, and she meant it. She meant it so much that her chest ached.

Trella watched her carefully. “What about all you’d leave behind? Do you have a family?”

While sitting here, Meri had thought of her brother. How Vayne might be killed once Jesper failed to return. How he might end up in debt again, hunted down like a criminal. How their mother would weep if she could see how they’d grown so apart.

She could send him a letter, a promise of a princess in need and a pile of gold even he couldn’t gamble away. It would surely bring him here and with the forest’s help once again, she could rid herself of him. He deserved it, and she doubted the forest would find him unworthy.

Yet, she knew that the worst punishment for him was letting him live his miserable life without anyone to rely on. When the debt collectors came again, he’d have no sister to use as a shield, no way to save his own hide. His suffering would be because he truly brought it upon himself.

“No,” she told Trella. “I don’t have any family. I want to stay.”

“You’re sure?”

“I am.”

Trella leaned in and kissed her, and there wasn’t one bit of doubt or hesitation when Meri returned it. It was soft and deep, completely different from the frantic desperation when they came together before, but affected Meri no less.

Everything—the pain and fear and uncertainty—fell away and all she could feel was the former princess in her arms and the contented hum of the forest around them.