Sophia, lying down, stared at the fire while she thought about the almost run-in with the vexsnare. Everything she had learned about them mentioned how they didn’t stop stalking their prey once they caught its scent. They were something of nightmares that weren’t supposed to exist outside of fairytales.

But it did. And it was not only hunting Andreas, but something or someone else too. She felt thankful that the creature didn’t pick up on them as they stood above it, else they would have likely had a different story to tell about their brush with death and horror.

A shift in the air pulled her attention. She heard something walking at the edge of their camp. She pretended to be asleep since Ezekiel was on watch, though he looked even weaker than before.

She, on the other hand, felt stronger, more capable, and needed less sleep. She waited until an opportune moment and made a move for the woods, under the pretense of relieving her bladder. She snuck through the outskirts of their camp and surprised the person by grabbing her and tossing her to the ground next to Ezekiel.

“What are you doing here?” Sophia said, using the nearby light of the campfire to inspect the girl and make sure she didn’t have any weapons.

The girl, beautiful and elvish in features, seemed harmless and frightened as she held her shaking hands up in front of her face, defending herself against a blow that Sophia might make.

“Please don’t kill me!” the girl said.

“Then answer my question,” Sophia said, backing off a bit to let the poor girl up.

She sat up and scooted closer to the fire, pulling her legs close and wrapping her arms tightly around them. She took in a shuddering breath. When she spoke, she avoided eye contact, preferring to stare at the ground instead. “My name is Torra, I live in a village not too far from here. I’m trying to get out of the mountain and was hoping you would take me with you.”

“How do you know we are wanting out of the mountain?” Sophia asked as Edric and Andreas started to stir.

She shrugged. “I’ve been following you.”

“Prove to us you live in a village nearby, then I may consider taking you with us,” Sophia said.

The girl nodded and stood.

Edric ran his fingers through his hair and yawned. “What’s going on? Who is this?”

Sophia said, “This is Torra. She wants to come with us out of the mountain and is willing to take us to her village that is nearby.”

Edric steadied his gaze on her as if there was more beyond what his eyes saw, and she nodded to him once.

Andreas stood and began collecting their things while Ezekiel doused the fire and gathered the supplies they had amassed.

Once they had everything together, Sophia turned to Torra and nodded. “Lead the way.”

Torra smiled weakly and turned toward the opposite direction of the castle. It wasn’t a long walk, but Sophia could tell that it wore on Ezekiel. They followed the rockface to an opening that led to an oasis with beautiful colored ferns, a clear water hole, and little creatures that resembled sprites, but with butterfly wings and a soft white glow. They danced and fluttered around her and rested on her shoulder as she followed Torra to her village.

Torra walked along a path that was worn into the ground, and through the trees Sophia could see small huts decorating the side of the cliff wall and some even along the ground. Each hut was connected by a series of vine bridges and ladders, as well as branches from the trees surrounding them.

People that looked just like Torra filtered out of their homes and looked to her and her men with distrust. As soon as they took in Torra, their eyes grew with hope and excitement that filled Sophia with joy and relief.

“I have got to get this down,” Ezekiel whispered none too softly as he pulled out his book and began jotting down notes like an excited student on the first day of academy.

Sophia stifled a giggle and shook her head. Even exhausted and weakened by the magic poisoning his system, he still found it in him to be excited by new discoveries and writing them down in his book.

Torra stopped at the center of the village where a table full of ripe fruits, vegetables, and a few choice cuts of roasted meats were set. She gestured toward the table and said, “Please, eat your fill. Then we will talk.”

Andreas immediately sat down and started pilling a plate with handfuls of each item he looked at. Edric took his own seat and began with smaller amounts. Ezekiel was too wrapped up in his notes to notice the spread. Sophia smiled at the girl before taking her own seat.

“Thank you for such wonderful hospitality,” she said.

Torra nodded and was joined by the small number of her people. Andreas and Edric took notice and immediately stood, hands resting over their weapons. Ezekiel finally looked up over the spine of his book with his eyebrows raised and his eyes taking in the situation. The people gasped and took a step back, and Torra’s eyes widened. Sophia held a hand up to stop her men and then gestured for them to sit down. “It’s okay, guys. They won’t harm us.”

She knew these people carried a gentle nature just by the way they carried themselves and reminded her of the misunderstood creatures within the Witch Woods.

“Are they the ones we seek, Torra?” A man asked.

Torra nodded. “I believe so. Formidable warriors not from the mountain, though use the magic. At least two of them are.”

Sophia’s ears perked at that. “What do you mean?” she asked.

Torra waved her off with a gentle smile. “All will be explained wh—”

The man that had just spoken said, “We are in need of warriors like you to free us from the pain and suffering of Lady Naomi’s hand.”

Sophia gulped. “What do you mean?”

He sighed, shoulders slumped as he said, “We are in hiding, trying to stay out of the clutches of slavery and suffering of the thugs that work with the woman who leads in the Blood Queen’s absence. She is but a mild comparison to the queen, but horrible just the same.

“Many of our people have suffered and died at the behest of Lady Naomi’s will. Our children are enslaved and beaten when we don’t work hard enough for her. To what purpose, we don’t know, but the results are regrettable.”

“And those are?” Edric asked.

The man nodded. “Death. Such is the only freedom our people know now, and what we face if we are found.”

“You want us to kill this Lady Naomi?” Andreas asked.

Torra nodded. “Yes. Overthrow her and free us.”

“What of this Blood Queen?” Ezekiel asked. “Where is she?”

“We don’t know,” the man said. “But we aren’t privileged to such information.”

Sophia thought for a moment. This could be their way to get the guide they needed to get out of the mountain, so her men could heal and live. “Say we were to help you. What is in it for us?”

“You seek passage from the mountain, to return to your land?” Torra asked.

Sophia and her men each nodded, said “yes” or hummed the answer.

“Then that is what we will do,” the man said. “Will you help us?”

Sophia turned her attention to her men. They each seemed to wait for her to make the decision. But she couldn’t guarantee they would make it out alive. She turned to Ezekiel and asked, “How are you faring? Tell me the truth.”

He sighed. “Weakened. I should be dead by now, but I’m not, and I haven’t figured out why. But we should help these people, Sophia. It’s the right thing to do, and we will have guides out of the mountain.”

“Not to mention,” Andreas said, “fresh new allies.”

Edric nodded. “I agree.”

Sophia shook her head. “I don’t. We need to get you and Zeke out of the mountain before any more damage is done.”

“Perhaps,” the man said, “our elder arbors could help you. If there is a way to stave off the effects of the mountain, they would know of it.”

Sophia’s hope grew. “You would do that for us?”

He smiled and nodded.

“Then take us. We will help if they can provide a way to heal Edric and Ezekiel of the effects the mountain magic is taking on them.”

“We’ll leave at once, then.” The man gripped Torra’s shoulders and gave an approving smile to her which she returned.

The men quickly finished stuffing their faces before standing. Sophia shook her head. Regardless of what they faced, they carried a hefty appetite with them.