Desperate Forest Sample

© 2019 Cece Louise. All rights reserved. 

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

PROLOGUE

Five days. That’s how long I’d been in the forest. Only five days but it felt like a lifetime. Fear filled my heart when I thought of the long journey I still had ahead of me.
          Be brave, Roselynn. After all, you didn’t even think you’d make it this far.
          But bravery had never been my strong point.
          Take heart, Roselie. My father’s kind voice rang in my head, quoting Shakespeare: The coward dies a thousand deaths, the valiant, only once.
          Memories of the hours my father and I spent together came rushing back, bringing a smile to my lips.
          My father had, indeed, lived by those words until his dying day. He took challenges head-on, living fully. Courage was never something he lacked.
          Like I had many times before, I wished I were more like him.
          Had my father been in my shoes, he would see my trek as a challenge—an unexpected adventure that would lead to better things.
          Pressing forward in the dark woods, I willed to be given some of his strength.
          Please, Father, help me. I can’t do this without you!
          As the prayer left my mind, my ankle hit something hard and I lurched forward. I shrieked as a weight dropped on me, and I collapsed.
          A heavy net entrapped me. My fingers clawed at the substantial material, trying to loosen myself. Suddenly, I heard foreboding footsteps behind me.
          I turned, expecting to see my uncle’s knights closing in. Instead, a lone man carrying a knife emerged through the trees. I pulled my own knife from my belt and frantically began cutting the net, but I wasn’t quick enough.
          A rough hand clasped my shoulder, gripping me tightly. The man wrenched the knife from my grasp through the small opening I had cut.
          “What the—” He seemed as shocked to see me as I was him. “Who are you? What are you doing in these woods?” His eyes were dark and menacing, and I knew I had to think fast to avoid giving away my real identity.
          “I’m sorry, sir,” I said, doing my best to sound pitiful, which was not hard given my circumstances. “I was out riding when I was thrown from my horse, and I’ve been lost ever since. I’m sorry if I’ve trespassed on your land.”
          “You expect me to believe that?” The man frowned. I could see now he was young, perhaps only a few years older than my nineteen years, but that didn’t make him any less intimidating. He shook my shoulder. “No one lives in this forest for miles! What are you really doing here?”
          “Get your hands off me!” My fury displaced my fear. “I’ve done nothing wrong, and you have no right to speak to me like that!”
          With his free hand, he cut through the net and thrust it off, then wrenched me from the ground. “I’ll speak to you any way I like until I get some answers out of you. What’s your name?” He kept a vice-like grip on me, brandishing his knife. Mine was tucked into his belt.
          “Mary,” I lied.
          “Mary?” He cocked his head, shadowy eyes assessing me. “And where are you from . . . Mary?”
          “Marcsnovia,” I lied again, hoping if I avoided mentioning Tover, he wouldn’t realize who I really was.
          He stiffened. “Are you traveling alone?”
          ;“No.” I lifted my chin, feeling more confident with every lie. “I’m traveling with a group of Marcsnovian knights. They’re likely worried about where I’ve gotten to.” I hoped my answer might frighten him into leaving me alone.
          Fear did flash in his eyes, but it was soon replaced with anger. “You’re lying.”
     “I’m not—”
     He pressed his knife against my back and pushed me forward. “Move!”
          My feet unwittingly obeyed.
          Who is this man and where is he taking me?
          He wasn’t dressed like a knight, but I feared he still worked for my uncle. He seemed strangely familiar. Or perhaps he was one of the outlaws said to roam this forest—a thief or a murderer.
          I tried to hold my head high, but inside, I was trembling. I cursed myself for not paying closer attention to my surroundings.
          The situation felt bitterly ironic. I had prayed for help, and instead, been delivered into the hands of greater danger. Perhaps there was no one watching over me after all.
          As my captor pushed me farther into the dark forest, I heard my father’s gentle voice whisper again.
          Have faith, Roselie . . .

CHAPTER 1Five Days Earlier

Almost there . . .
          Fearing I would be discovered, I listened for any sound behind me as I meticulously picked the lock of my uncle’s study.
          The mechanisms released, and I slowly opened the door.
          Ha. My uncle may have denied me many things, but he would not keep me from the last connection I had to my father—his large collection of books.
          My father’s warm study was where I had many of my happiest memories, reading by the fireplace while my father worked, or sitting with him while he told me stories of my mother, who died shortly after I was born. Now, I was no longer even allowed to set foot in it.
          I extracted a leather book from the shelf, then froze at the sound of two sets of footsteps approaching. Swiftly, I hid myself under my father’s grand oak desk. As the door pushed open, my uncle’s venomous voice rang out.
          “The girl has been promised in marriage this whole time!” The heavy wooden door shut with a crash. “If her fiancé comes for her, it will put an end to everything. If the girl marries, her husband will become the rightful King of Tover. She must be disposed of.”
          “Yes, King Abrax,” my uncle’s head knight, Kartoff, said. “And how do you wish me to get rid of her?”
          “It needs to look like an accident.” I could practically hear the calculating wheels turning in my uncle’s head. “Wait until she’s out riding one day. Ambush her, then make it seem as if she fell from her horse and hit her head. Messy, I know . . . but we can’t poison her like her father. It would cause too much suspicion.”
          My blood turned to ice. My worst fear, the one I had tried to push aside for months, was confirmed. My uncle had killed my father, his brother, in cold blood. All to take over his kingdom.
          I had an urge to reveal myself from my hiding place and confront my uncle. To let him know what I thought of him, and how I would make him pay for his crime.
          But I didn’t. For once, not from a lack of courage, but because I knew if I did, it would mean my immediate death. I had no weapon to defend myself with, and even if I did, I wouldn’t stand a chance against my uncle and his strongest knight.
          Instead, I stayed frozen under the large paneled desk, praying my uncle wouldn’t come to the other side and sit down.
          “Yes, Your Highness.” The excitement in Kartoff’s voice made it clear he was ready to prove himself to his king.
          My uncle said nothing as he snatched documents off the top of his desk. I froze, holding my breath, sure my beating heart would give me away. But my uncle headed toward the door, not to the other side of the desk where I was concealed.
          My uncle opened the door of his study, then locked it behind him. As his and Kartoff’s footsteps faded away, I finally dared to stray from my spot and retreat to my room.
          It all made sense now—how my father’s health had slowly and inexplicably declined. My uncle had poisoned him, leisurely, to avoid suspicion. Now King Abrax had discovered I was a threat to his power, so he would eliminate me as well.
          It was ironic how the one small freedom my uncle had allowed me since the passing of my father—my daily ride over the extensive palace grounds—was now designed to be the death of me.
          Once in my room, I swiftly locked my door and sat down heavily on my bed. I couldn’t stay here. I could avoid going riding for a few days, but beyond that, my uncle would grow desperate. He would find some other sinister way to kill me.
          If only I had a way to get word to my fiancé, Prince Darius.
          No, King Darius now, I corrected myself. He would come for me immediately and put an end to my uncle’s schemes.
          I recalled the last time I had seen Darius. It had been at my father’s funeral. It was a miserable day—the worst day of my life—but, oddly, I’d thought back to it many times these last months, remembering the moments I had spent with Darius alone.
          “How are you holding up?” he asked as we trotted our horses leisurely across an open field. The sunlight felt warm on my face, but every inch of my body was cold from loss.
          “Honestly, it’s like being in a dream. One I think I’ll wake up from, but I never do. I keep expecting to see my father walking down the hall or sitting at the dinner table.” Tears built as my voice trembled. “Waking up is the worst part of every day. Remembering fresh it really happened—that he’s truly gone.”
          “I’m so sorry,” Darius said. “I know the pain will never go away, but . . . you can be happy again.” Darius stopped his horse beside mine and gazed at me with his caring blue eyes. The sunlight gleamed off his black hair. “I will do everything in my power to make you happy.”
          He placed a gentle hand on my cheek and spoke the words I had dreamed of hearing from him since I was a little girl.
          “Marry me, Rosie,” he said, using the nickname he had given me in our childhood. “I promise to take care of you. Let me be the one to bring joy to your life again. We can start over and move on from this pain, together.”
          “Oh, Darius . . .” Joy filled my heart, although it was bittersweet. It was a dream come true on the day that was my worst nightmare. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” Tears flowed freely from my eyes now, both happy and sad.
          “I love you, Rosie. I always have,” he said in barely a whisper. “When we marry, when we unite our kingdoms . . . all will be well.”
          Darius placed a tender kiss on my lips, causing my head to feel light and my heart to soar with hope. Hope that I could be freed from the deep sorrow that invaded my soul after losing my father.
          When Darius pulled back and smiled at me, I couldn’t help but smile too. The first time I’d really smiled in a while. I imagined how happy my father would be if he had lived to see our wedding. He had long hoped for a union between me and Darius.
          The next day, Darius and his father departed, unable to leave their own kingdom for too long. Darius promised he would return in a week to properly announce our engagement and begin our wedding plans.
          But that never happened. My uncle had assembled a strong army and cut off all major roads to Marcsnovia, Darius’s kingdom. The only way to travel from Tover to Marcsnovia was on the outskirts of our land in a deep, treacherous forest. A forest that was rumored to be full of dangerous outlaws, as well as bloodthirsty creatures.
          From that day on, I wasn’t allowed contact with Darius or anyone outside the castle. Although I knew Darius would do everything in his power to reach me, my uncle was making sure that didn’t happen—especially now that he’d discovered Darius’s and my engagement.
          Although I had faith Darius would manage to help me, I was out of time. Even if he did find a way to get past my uncle’s barricades and guards, Darius recently had tragedy strike in his own life, making it unlikely he could leave his kingdom right now even if he wanted to.  
          I couldn’t wait anymore. I had to act. And so, I spent the rest of the day locked in my room, devising a plan to escape.
          Tomorrow night, I would leave the only home I’d ever known and take my chances in the dangerous forest until I made it to Marcsnovia—to Darius. It was risky, but it was the only chance I had.

CHAPTER 2
It’s a long way down.


        I gazed out my seven-story castle window and peered at the ground. I hated heights. Just looking, my heart sped up and my palms turned sweaty.


        Don’t be a coward—this is your chance! You can’t waste it.


        There was a part of me that wanted to forget the crazy plan I’d devised yesterday.


        Today, I had prepared as best as I could for the treacherous journey ahead of me. I’d smuggled food, a large canteen of water, ropes, and torches. Most importantly, I’d again broken into my uncle’s study and taken my father’s maps and compass, as a well as a hunting knife.


        Now, I was dressed in my most practical traveling gown, riding boots, and warm cloak, clutching my leather bag filled with all my supplies.


        The night guards took shifts passing by each side of the castle. I had spent much of last night awake, sitting in the dark by my window, counting how much time I had between checks to escape my room and get beyond the castle walls.


        I eased onto my window ledge, forcing myself not to look at the ground so far away. The ledge was narrow, so I pressed my back against the hard stone walls.


        In my hands was a thick, rough rope I’d stolen from the stables earlier that day. I had knotted it several times around a heavy chest underneath my window.


        I tugged the rope again to test its strength. Grasping the line with both hands, I positioned myself to begin my descent. Carefully, I placed my feet on the uneven stones protruding from the castle wall.


        My work downward was tedious and, before too long, my arms ached from holding myself up. I did not have a direct path to the ground, making my way according to where the largest stones jutted from the wall.


        The minutes ticked by slowly, but my zig-zag climbing gradually brought me closer to the earth.


        When I was about three-quarters of the way down, my right foot slipped, and I lurched backward. I clutched the rope, burning my hands on the coarse material as I slowed my fall, my arms and legs scraping against the castle wall.


        I hit the earth, my breath knocked out of me. I lay back, my head on the ground, struggling to force air into my lungs.


        Gradually, my breathing resumed and, although still stunned from my fall, I was relieved to feel only bruises and scrapes on my body, as well as raw wounds on my hands where the rope had cut into them.


        Rising to me feet shakily, I looked up and was satisfied the rope hanging from my window was not easy to see in the moonlight. I needed a full night’s head start before being discovered if I hoped to evade capture by my uncle’s knights.


        I ran across the empty courtyard. I didn’t have much time to get beyond the large stone wall and into the forest before the guards returned to this side of the castle.


        I moved quickly until I came to a large oak tree. It grew tall and proud, several feet away from the barrier protecting the castle from the forest.


        This tree was special to me. I had spent many summer days climbing it to enjoy the view while I read. For a moment, I wished for nothing more than to go back to those simple days when I was safe and my father was alive. But, unfortunately, I did not have time to dwell on those precious memories.


        I hoisted myself onto the tree’s strong trunk and made my way up to the longest branch that always gave me the best view of the forest.


        This branch extended far enough so I could swing forward and propel myself onto the castle wall. Because the wall was built to keep out unwanted visitors, not to keep anyone in, this branch had been allowed to flourish unfettered. A fact I was very grateful for now. My father had never been concerned I would try to venture into the dark forest without him. Nor had I ever imagined I would want to.


        I steadied myself on the branch, trying to push aside the dizziness in my brain. One wrong move and I would fall. I removed another rope from my bag and tied it around the long tree branch. I threw the rope so it landed across the stone wall, its length disappearing over the other side.


        Hoisting myself down, I gripped the firm branch, which was suspended several feet above and away from the wall. I carefully slid my legs off the tree until they were hanging freely. With all my strength, I swung my legs and released my grip.


        For a terrifying moment, nothing but air rushed around me as I threw myself forward. I landed roughly on the top of the wall. I never imagined I’d feel so grateful to smack my body painfully against stone.


        Not much farther now. The hard part of my escape was over, but I still had to make it to the other side of the wall. I took the rope I had secured to the tree only moments earlier and positioned myself to scale down backward.


        I hesitated.


        Here I was, about to leave my once comfortable and safe home, terribly ill-equipped to handle myself in the menacing forest before me. Was I more likely to last longer in the woods, where death was probable the moment I entered, or here in the castle with my uncle, where death was inevitable the longer I stayed?


        My chances of survival were slim either way, but I had to choose the option that gave me a chance.


        I pushed myself off the wall and gracelessly descended the other side, the rough rope burning my injured hands if I moved too fast. Looking below me, I saw only a few feet remained, so I released the rope and tumbled down, landing clumsily on the mossy forest floor.


        It was done. I pulled a torch from my bag, striking it fast against the stone to light it. I yanked out my compass and consulted the map where I had previously planned out my route.


        I only had until morning until my disappearance was discovered, so I needed to cover as much ground as possible. My direction set, I placed my bag upon my shoulders and faded into the thick trees.
















CHAPTER 3
The next day, every muscle in my body ached. With every step, my bag felt heavier and I grew weaker. I had been walking for hours, my compass guiding me in the right direction, but my exhaustion made me feel as if I’d been walking in circles. The thicket of trees surrounding me seemed endless.


        One thing was certain, my easy castle living had not prepared me for the hardships of this journey.


        My stomach protested having to last the day on nothing but cheese and bread. My throat was dry and burned for water, which I had to preserve.


        The only thing keeping me going was the promise on my map of a river ahead. I expected to reach it in a few days, but until then, I needed to save what little water I already had.


        Hoping to get my thoughts off my uncomfortable circumstances, I directed my mind to happier things. Soon I would see Darius again. My uncle could no longer keep us apart.


        I remembered the years when my father was alive and we would travel to Marcsnovia together every summer. It was a custom started between Darius’s father, King Charles, and my own because they had long been friends.


        Our visits ensured good relations between our kingdoms, and there were always whispers of a possible match between me and Darius. Over those summers, my love for Darius had grown.


        He had always been strong and confident. I admired the way he seemed at ease in any situation. Quite the contrast to me, who felt uneasy in most situations, especially social ones.


        When we were younger, Darius had not paid much attention to me, much to my chagrin. But over the last few years, our friendship had grown and blossomed into something more.


        Now, I wished for nothing but to relive one of those carefree summer days. How could I have known that in just a few years my father would be ripped from me, and I would be running for my life?


        Unfortunately, when tragedy struck it had not done so singularly.


        A few months ago, Darius’s father, King Charles, had been killed.


        When I had heard the news, I was devastated I couldn’t be with Darius to help him during his grief. I was also greatly disheartened because I knew Darius would have no way to come for me anytime soon with his own kingdom in such distress.


        My only hope was once Darius and I were reunited, we would help each other get past the loss in our lives.


        I steadied my steps and pressed forward. That thought was enough to keep me going even though my aching body protested.


        Soon we’ll be together and have the life we were always meant to have.

 
 

***

        A few days later, I trudged through the forest, trying to ignore my weary body. According to my map, today was the day I should reach the river. A necessity, since I’d depleted my meager water supply yesterday.


        Night would be falling soon. In the dimming forest light, I struggled to study my map and compass. Normally, this was the time of evening when I hunted for a safe, hidden place to sleep. But tonight, I needed to reach the river, or I would not rest.


        My throat burned and my head swam. My body was telling me to give up, but I knew I couldn’t yet. I had to cover as much ground as possible before the forest grew dark. Then I couldn’t search unless I used one of my few remaining torches—a risky move because light and smoke could attract unwanted attention. I shoved my map and compass back into my bag and continued over the next hill.


        Just over this hill. I tried to coax myself, knowing I was minutes away from losing hope and dropping from exhaustion. That’s where it’s got to be. Just a little farther now.


        A few minutes later, I reached the top and gazed upon the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. Below was a clearing, and in the pale light of dusk, I could see a rich flow of water. My legs moved faster than I thought possible.


        As I raced toward the river, I prayed it wasn’t just a mirage, that my mind hadn’t failed me, taking me into the first stages of delirium.


        At the bank, I fell to my knees and scooped a handful of water. I drank for what felt like hours, then filled my bottles. I splashed the cool liquid on my face, arms, and hair. I never realized what a luxury it was to bathe myself.


        On a whim, I removed my heavy traveling dress and shoes and waded into the river, still in my slip-dress undergarment, not bothering to take the time to loosen the back corset laces and remove it. I undid my hair from my gold hairclip, an heirloom of my mother’s, the one sentimental item I justified bringing with me on my journey. I placed the clip carefully on the shore, then walked in deeper until the water was almost up to my shoulders. 


        At first, the cold river shocked me, but I relished feeling the days of sweat and grime disappearing from my skin. I ran my fingers through my wavy, light brown mane. For the first time in days, my fear and strain subsided.


        I had reached my first goal. I had survived this far. I, who hadn’t been outside the castle walls in a year—and certainly never alone—had successfully navigated through the treacherous forest for five days. I knew my father would be proud of me.


        I tipped my head back, letting the cold water soak around me, revitalizing me and lifting my spirits. Perhaps my journey wasn’t so hopeless. Perhaps I really would reach my destination. Darius and I could be together, my father could be avenged, and my kingdom could know happiness again.


        I straightened up, then caught sight of something long and sleek gliding toward me. I let out a shriek, stumbling backward in the deep water. A giant black eel leapt from the river, striking the bare skin of my arm.


        Immediately, an electric shock pulsed through my body. My painful scream was quickly muffled as I fell forward into the cold river, the shadowy depths enclosing me as I lost consciousness.




CHAPTER 4
My mind was fuzzy as I awoke, coughing violently. My ears rang and my body tingled, gradually regaining feeling.


        As I struggled to get my bearings, expelling water from my lungs with every cough, I felt the strange sensation of a gentle hand on my back, rubbing it, coaxing me to consciousness.


        “That’s it . . . you’re all right,” a deep voice said, although I could barely hear the words above my gasping and choking.


        I shivered uncontrollably, my wet skin exposed to the cool evening air. The hand on my back retracted, then I felt the gentle warmth of soft material being draped over me.


        My breathing steadied slightly as I rested against the hard ground, appreciating the feel of the delicate grass against my cheek.


        Slowly, the sensation in my limbs returned, and l lifted myself onto the palms of my hands. I looked around to see who had saved me from drowning, but there was no one there.


        Pulling the warm fabric closer, I sat up and turned completely, wondering where my rescuer had gone.


        I saw and heard nothing except the lapping of the river that almost claimed my life and the soft swaying of the trees leading into the forest.


        Did I imagine the voice?


        Immediately, I dismissed the thought. I certainly hadn’t pulled myself from the river after being shocked unconscious by the eel.


        Pushing my wet hair from my eyes, I looked down to see I was wrapped in my own cloak, inside out, so the purple crest of Tover sewn proudly onto the lining was visible.


        I dried myself with my cloak as coughs sporadically racked my body, then put on my traveling gown.


        After I finished buttoning my dress, I pulled back my partially wet hair with my golden hair clip and threw on my warm cloak. I glanced uneasily over my shoulder, wondering where my savior had gone. My feelings were torn between gratitude over being rescued and apprehension that, whoever he was, he hadn’t stayed around long enough for me to thank him.


        Apparently, I was not the only one in this forest who didn’t want to be discovered.


        I walked up the hill, leaving the river and clearing behind. As I stepped through the trees, my heart sank.


        I’d spent too much time at the river, and now, under the heavy cover of leaves and branches, the forest had grown almost completely dark. I would have trouble finding a safe place to rest tonight.


        Walking slowly, I felt my way through the branches. I squinted, hoping my eyes would adjust to the darkness soon. I felt the rough, enormous tree trunks, trying to find one with a hollowed-out base where I could conceal myself for the night.


        The optimism I’d felt earlier was replaced with fresh fear. I had many long days ahead of me, and things would only get harder the deeper I ventured into the forest. Could I really make such a journey on my own? My foolishness at bathing in the river without a thought of what might be lurking only confirmed my suspicion that I was terribly out of my element here.


        Missing my father more than ever, I prayed he would find a way to guide me. His compass and maps weren’t enough. I needed his presence.


        Without warning, I stumbled against something protruding from the ground. Instantly, a large net fell from above, tangling me as I dropped to my hands and knees, crying out in surprise.


        Struggling to free myself, my heart gave a sickening lurch as I heard footsteps approaching. A rough hand grabbed my shoulder, and I turned to see a young man looking at me angrily.


        “Who are you? What are you doing in these woods?” he demanded.







KEEP READNG ON JULY 2ND! PRE-ORDER EBOOK