Goldy: Dark Fairytales by H.P. Mallory

Author:H.P. Mallory [Mallory, H.P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-05-18T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

Kassidy

The small city of Morsoe, where Discordia’s palace is located, lies at the furthest reaches of Grimm, in the bottom of a curious bowl-shaped depression in the ground, settled deep within the cavernous mountain. It’s almost as if a giant’s hand scooped away massive chunks of earth long ago and left a scabbed-over rocky crust in its wake.

It looks eerie.

We observed if from a rock outcropping, overlooking the city for a time, trying to ascertain the number of foes we’ll face when we enter. It proved impossible. Too much mist hanging over the town. I didn’t need Sorren’s confirmation to know the stuff’s not natural. There’s no reason for fog at this time of year, and in a cave, no less. There exists no body of water for the mist to lift from. It’s Discordia’s doing. If we had any doubt about her presence here, that doubt has been erased.

There are no lights in the city. No fires burning, no lanterns hung to guide the way. Not that lights would do us much good through the mist, but damn it, it would be something. We’re creeping into the town blind. I think I’d rather cut off one of my less-treasured body parts than attempt this without the element of surprise and almost no visibility. What I wouldn’t give to have my brothers or Neva at my back. At this point, I’d even take Tenebris, and I don’t like her much. Tenebris, or Belle (her first name), is something of an arrogant bitch, though the arrogance is well deserved. She’s possibly the most powerful sorceress Fantasia has ever seen.

But, Gods, she’s a cock.

The road into town has thankfully hardened due to the cold, so we’re not squelching through mud. We’ve opted to leave our horses behind, sure the things will spook if they end up being surrounded. If one of them gets overturned and lands on us... well, that’ll be the end. At least for me. I’m not built as strong as the rest of my traveling companions.

I twitch every time shapes loom out of the darkness. Even the innocuous form of a wishing well within the square makes me jerk in surprise. The longer we go without seeing a humanoid shape, the more paranoid I become.

This village is completely barren, devoid of everything—people, animals, sound even.

“Where are all the damn people?” I whisper.

“They’re coming,” Sorren says suddenly, his voice eerily flat. Flatter than I’ve ever heard it. The words raise the hairs on the back of my neck.

“The people?” I ask.

“No.”

I strain my ears, cursing my mere mortal status. My life would be so much easier if I’d just been born a huntsman, instead of being adopted by them. Sure enough, after a few more seconds, I can hear them as well—the thudding of many feet on the packed earth, coming toward us fast. I bring my bow, which I’ve held pointed toward the ground, up to its ready position. It’s hard to know where to aim because it’s dark as hellhound balls and I can’t see a fucking thing.

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