Chapter 4

I back away very slowly. Unicorns are known to get violent when they don't know the threat before them and I'm sensing it doesn't know what I am! The unicorn stares into my eyes and -

What are youuu?! It whispers into my head.

I jump up and smother a scream just in time. I stumble over my words but luckily I get them out before the unicorn says something else.

"I'm Valery. I'm a vampire and a valkyrie hybrid. I've just been informed of this and I don't know how to reveal what I am yet. Please don't hurt me!" I say, taking another step back.

Why would I hurt something as unique as yourself without real caussseee! You may call me Anthea. Don't be afraid.

Anthea takes a steps closer to me and nuzzles my hand. She looks at me then trots towards the camp where David is waiting with a bunch of rabbits.

"Wha... what, who, HOW!" He stumbles over his words before he bows deeply before Anthea. "My apologies, uhm unicorn, I have never seen your kind before and I'm truly honored," he says before averting his eyes and hurrying to start the fire.

You may call me Anthea. I apologize for appearing without notice, but I have urgent news which couldn't wait.

Anthea walks closer to the fire that David just made and lies down next to it. I didn't realize the night had gotten so cold but a sudden wind swept through our little camp and I started to shiver. I move closer to the fire and sit down next to Anthea.

"What news could be so urgent that a unicorn would reveal herself to a couple of ordinary creatures? " David asks with a bewildered expression.

I'm sure you both know about the prophecy otherwise you wouldn't be here, correct? We nod our heads cautiously. Nobody has figured out the meaning behind the second part of the prophecy before now and it's crucial that you both know what awaits you.

"I'm sorry, what second part are you talking about?" I ask before I chicken out. I didn't like the first part and I don't think I'm going to like the second part.

Mhm, typical of the dwarfs to never tell the whole prophecy.

She sighs and takes a bite of the now cooked rabbit which David put before her.

You have to find Finn before the second moon rises on the first winter night otherwise your soul would turn to the dark side and you'll tear every valkyrie and vampire apart before you know what you are doing.

I gape at her trying to proses everything. Why does everything have to happen to me?! First I have to save two kingdoms, then Dacian has to die and now there's a chance I'm going to kill both of my kinds.

She suddenly stands up, her ears twitching. The wraiths have figured out you snuck away from the dwarf village. Move south of here, they can not travel through the waste lands. There's one last thing I want you to have.

To my astonishment she rips a strand of her milky white hair out of one of her braids hanging down her back. She takes the strand and weaves it through a flower she found somewhere. I have no idea how she did it but after a while she hands me a tiny blue, purple and pink rose. It's made from a material that I've never encountered. It's hard on the outside so that it doesn't break but... soft, as if it's made from wool.

"Th- Thank you. I don't know what to say. Although, I don't know why you would give me something so magically beautiful," I stand there admiring the rose she gave me when we hear branches breaking and that awful darkness I keep fealing when the wraiths are near.

Wove it through a braid. Keep it safe, it will protect you when you need it. Never, ever take it of your person!

Before we can say anything else, she dissapears through the trees. We quickly pack up the few things that we have and, for the second time in a span of a few hours, race through the woods. I put my hair into a braid and wove the rose between my hair, afraid that I'll lose it. The elk must have known where the wastelands were, for we quickly started to see less and less trees.

~~~°°°~~~

A few days have passed since we saw the unicorn. David insisted that we keep traveling and only take short breaks as to lose the wraiths completely.

One morning after we had a few hours of rest and were headed further into the wastelands, I started to wonder how the wraiths tracked us. We didn't leave any visible traces behind of where we went, well not that I was aware of.

"David, how do you think the wraiths tracked us when we didn't leave any trace behind?" I ask, desperately hoping he'll have an answer.

"Oh, you're aura of course. Anybody in a hundred mile radius can probably see it," he says matter of factly.

"My aura, What does it look like? Do you know if I can hide it?"

" Well, the way it looks to me is kind of awesome. The insides are a dark blue, like the depths of the ocean... peaceful. The inner and outer sirkels are varying shades of red, pink and purple, like it's fighting to be angry or something. " He looks back at me then back to the road and starts talking again. " As for the hiding part, we'll have to go into one of the witch towns and find a cloaker who'll be willing to help you, " he shrugs like it's no big deal.

" Why wouldn't they help me?"

"Well, because they don't know what you are. They are known to be scared of creatures they don't know. Like unicorns, mind you!"

I sigh and wonder if anybody will ever trust me again. I used to use the fact that I'm basically invisible to hunt bad vampires without them knowing, but know I just want to have more than four hours of sleep without everyone trying to kill me.

Eventually David starts talking nonstop about his family back home and doesn't notice my solemn mood. I tune him out and watch the beautiful scenery go by without saying a word. That night when David goes to sleep I try practicing to hide my aura on my own. After a while I go to sleep without ever having realized my tiny little rose started glowing.