Chapter 30

     The forest grew more twisted as Aurelia traveled deeper into the forest. Trees went from upright to gnarled and sickly. The pleasant smell of the pine needles shifted to rotten eggs and decay. Creepiness aside, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She kept her nose on Zinjo's scent, she didn't care much for Mshindi's. The werehyena smelled like sour berries and something she hadn't encountered before. Her ears caught the stillness of the area. Not a bird sang, and she swore the bugs crawled quieter here

    Thick cocoons hung in the treetops. Aurelia figured it was from caterpillars, a plague of them ran through Shadowfen one year. The streets were filled with disgusting things, and they left a horrid stink in their wake. Again unusual but not too far out of the wheelhouse of believable. 

   The mystery lay in the music. Each of the men heard music before they crashed through the green foliage and saplings in search of its source. Aurelia wanted to be mad, but she suspected something magical was going on. Nothing in any of  Shadowfens lore suggested such a phenomenon existed. 

    She took a short pause and leaned the paranoid Redford against a tree. Zinjo's scent hit her mind like a hammer and Aurelia knew she was close. At the same time, she couldn't leave the white-haired idiot alone, lest he disappears too. They needed the bandit because he knew the Cherish Empire. During her respite,  Aurelia tried to divine what sort of being could charm such a powerful creature Zinjo. Without experience with such things, she came up empty. 

  She stared at Redford and sighed, "Well looks like the journey continues,"  She heaved the brigand on her shoulders, a dull ache followed. The pain annoyed her, but fit within the realm of bearable. She continued to follow her future husband's scent.

  The endless forest induced a sort of madness. With no viable trails and the dense foliage slowing her at every turn, frustration came easily to Aurelia. At one point she used her blades to blaze a trail. Branches and bright green leaves littered the new trail behind her. 

   Redford began to stir and move. Aurelia stopped and leaned him against a tree. He held his head and groaned, "It feels like I drank a whole barrel of ale to myself. How long have I been out?" He touched the side of his head, "Why is there moss in my ears?"

   "A couple of hours," Aurelia offered him her waterskin, "The music got to you too. You almost bolted through the trees yourself. I stuffed moss in your ears and you passed out."

   Water dribbled on the edges of Redford's mouth as he drank heavily, "Thanks for not leaving me behind. I know more than a few people that would've." He handed the waterskin back to Aurelia.

   "Zinjo's scent is getting stronger. We are close, I can feel it," Aurelia handed one of her swords to Redford, "I can't believe you came weaponless. What kind of brigand are you?"

   "The kind that's lets his reputation do the work for him," Redford said, "I talk a big game about raping and pillaging, but most of the time I lock people in their homes after I've taken the valuables. Deanne wouldn't want me to become a murderer rapist. Maybe what I do isn't right, but at least I leave my victims alive. 

  "What can you tell me about the music," Aurelia asked as she waited for Redford to regain his strength.

   "I heard my Deanne. She would rise with the sun and sing me awake. It never got old, it made her special in every conceivable way. A part of my mind knew it was a trick because she's been dead for years. The other half, desperate to hold her in my arms one last time," The eyes laced with pain and sorrow. "It's all my fault."

   "You wouldn't be the first to be tricked by an evil being, and you won't be the last. Would Deanne want you to make things right?"

   "Yes," Redford whispered and sighed, "Perhaps I have been using her death as an excuse to avoid the past. I think it's time to reclaim my life, I am tired of despair."

   Aurelia held out her hand for the brigand, "Let's get our friends back together."

   The callused hands of Redford took hers, just before he left, he stuffed moss in one ear, "I have another glob ready in case things go wrong. Why didn't you hear the music?"

   "I suspect it's because I'm a woman, and whoever plays the tune is only interested in males."

   "Whatever it is, it is not a native to these lands..." he trailed off and tapped his head with a hand, "You know, one year a group of diplomats came from the far east. The disappearances started shortly after they left." He rose and gestured to the trail.

   "Are there any distinguishing landmarks in the area?" Aurelia's nose could smell the water and could hear it falling in torrents.

   "I think there is a waterfall in the area, why?"

   Zinjos scent grew fainter the closer to the water they came, "What if the creature lives in or around water?" Aurelia's mind liked the idea, and the more she thought of it, the more feasible her idea became.

   Redford stopped and nodded, "It would make sense. Hunting dogs lose the trail, and nobody thinks to look in the water." His eyebrows angled in thought, "You know the Diplomats called an emergency meeting just before they left and went on a hunting expedition."

   "Did the diplomats say what they were looking for?"

   "No, but they insisted on going hunting. They knew something followed them, and they felt guilty for leaving it behind because the trade agreements were weighted in our favor. Everyone couldn't believe our luck."

   "It's too bad none of them stayed behind to help us," Aurelia grumbled. 

   "Why not go full lioness?"

   "It would be stupid to reveal my full strength, and would leave our unseen enemy with an advantage. We need everyone weewee can get. Which is why you will be the bait." Aurelia said. 

   "No!" Redford made an X with his hands, "I know lots of people have gone missing, I do not wish to be one of them."

  "I will be behind you the whole time, what have you got to lose?" Aurelia asked with her hands on her hips.

   "My head, for starters. I'd like to die a whole man and not in two separate places."

    Time was of the essence and Aurelia's time did not want a long drawn out conversation, "Either you will be the bait, or I will kill you for the crimes committed in Shadowfen. Help and I will make your head of the royal guard when I ascend the throne."

   Redford shot her a hateful look, "You better make good on your promise," he handed the sword back to Aurelia.

    "I am a woman of my word, and Zinjo will back me, you have nothing to worry about."

    "Yeah because you aren't the bait."

     Aurelia grinned and said, "Let's make a loose plan."