It clicks at me again.
“You are adorable,” I say to it, and then I turn to Galinor. “What do you think it is?”
The prince tilts his head to the ground. “It’s going to be a meal in a moment.”
Danver watches the creature, crouched low, ready to attack.
“Danver, no!”
I’m too late. Danver pounces, and the little squirrel-mouse disappears into the trees.
I scold Danver once it’s gone, but the fox only looks at me, twitches his ears, and then runs down the deer trail in front of us.
Galinor leans in so close, his breath tickles my ear as he says, “Very well trained.”
He laughs under his breath when I swat his arm, and I bite my bottom lip, fighting back a grin as we continue along the path.
For the rest of the day, we ride somewhat aimlessly through the area with the strange blue bushes, cutting through deer trails and making our own in some places. Danver finds more of the mouse-squirrel creatures, and we stumble across several deer.
But we never find an eldentimber tree, and if there are fairies nearby, they don’t make themselves known.
The shadows grow long as the sun sinks lower in the sky. The once-warm breeze carries the chill of evening, and I wrap my cloak tighter around my shoulders.
“We have to turn back,” Galinor finally says, his voice soft and full of regret.
“Not yet,” I beg desperately, frowning at the ever-darkening forest. “Please.”
“You don’t want to be in these woods at night, Anwen.”
We must be close—how can we leave now?
Before I can say as much, I hear horses behind us. I turn and find Irving and Bran approaching, their gait steady and fast.
“Something is following us,” Irving calls as soon as he’s near.
Galinor tenses. “Have you seen it?”
Bran shakes his head and looks behind him. “No, but we’ve heard it.”
Chapter 4
“We looped around to see if it would continue its pursuit, and it has,” Irving says.
“Then, let’s not linger.” Without warning, Galinor urges his horse forward at a fast pace.
“Wait!” I cry, twisting around. “Where is Danver?”
“We don’t have time, Anwen,” Galinor says.
I meet his eyes, pleading with my gaze. “He’s too little. He can’t keep up.”
Galinor sets his jaw but then draws his horse to a halt. Before he can stop me, I leap to the ground.
“Anwen, wait!” He dismounts as well and follows me, his hand on his sword.
“What are you doing?” Irving asks when he and Bran draw their horses next to us.
I ignore them, leaving Galinor to explain. I whistle for Danver.
