Forsaken by the one person who was supposed to love her unconditionally, Red must brave the magic and monsters of the Wylds to find her true place in the world.
*****
Plague...
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Rana was more efficient than any rooster. She shook us awake as soon as the first rays of sunlight tinged the horizon with watery orange, spouting some nonsense about fried eggs and garlic mushrooms and hash browns.
"It's too early," I mumbled, burying my face in the Wraith's fur. "Come back later."
"Come on, you lazy louts!" Rana exclaimed, grabbing my wrist and hauling me up with surprising strength. I swayed on my feet and pawed at my groggy eyes, still drunk with sleep. "The witch said she wouldn't make breakfast until everyone was there to enjoy it."
"Probably because you ate our share of the lasagna last night," I grumbled, bracing myself against the trellis as I regained my bearings. "Go back to sleep, Rana. It'll do your wounds some good."
The wyvern rolled her eyes. "I've been sleeping for days. Besides, the witch made up a poultice for it with a bunch of herbs from the garden. It feels way better already."
My fingers, which were already massaging the back of my neck, instinctively sought out the place where the magma had splashed up against my skin. "Huh," I said, raising both eyebrows at the smooth, unbroken skin there. The witch must have treated my wounds as well, while I was sleeping in her cottage. Come to think of it, the swelling in my throat had gone down too; it no longer hurt to speak or swallow.
That thought reminded me of how parched I was, chasing away the last blessed remnants of sleep. And the thought of running water reminded me of another pressing need that could no longer be ignored.
"Alright," I said, patting the Wraith on the head before heading for the privacy of the trees. "I'll meet you inside in a second."
"Thank the Goddess!" Rana cried. A glance over my shoulder showed the wyvern steepling her hands in mock reverence, raising them towards the sky. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
"If the horse doesn't eat you first," I muttered, glancing over my shoulder. Eddy was already up and grazing, pulling carrots up by their feathery heads and tossing them into the air, where she caught them like those rodents in the Ashen Plains. Perhaps it was the distance or a trick of the light, but I could have sworn the foal had almost doubled in size overnight.
The Wraith's wolfish snort was the only indication that anyone had heard me.
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