The Broken Forest by Megan Derr Read Free Book Online Page A

about being wet and cold the rest of the day, however." At least her cloak and tunic would dry quickly; they were made from specially treated material meant to weather through almost any rough treatment.
    "We can stop and build a fire, rest for a bit while you dry. It's not healthy to stomp around in wet clothes."
    Adamina shrugged. "Believe me, I've walked around in much worse condition. Dragon blood, for one. There is nothing more miserable than spending seven hours killing a dragon, only to realize at the end that you're miles from where you started, and you have no easy way back because the stupid dragon ate your horse. As if that is not enough, all the blood covering you is getting into uncomfortable places, attracting insects and scavengers, and you can't remember where you last saw water. It took three dunkings in a river and two hot baths to smell human again, and all of my clothes had to be pitched."
    Grete slapped a hand over her mouth in a poor attempt to stifle giggles.
    "Yes, my family thought it was quite entertaining as well." Adamina made a face, then went to wring out her clothes as best she could. When she was finally damp rather than soaked, she shrugged her pack on and settled her weapons. "Lead the way, witch. Let's see if we can reach this tower before dark, though as to that I'm not certain I want to camp there…"
    "But the sooner it's over the sooner we can leave," Grete said as she settled her own pack before beginning the careful climb up a steep hill heavily covered with trees and shrubs.
    They did nothing but go up for nearly two hours, though that was largely because the forest grew so dense and tangled that they had to backtrack often and find new paths. "I thought you said it grew dense later," Adamina groused when they finally stopped to rest, sitting together on a fallen tree suspended a few measures in the air because the top portion had fallen across a small, moss-covered boulder. She took a large gulp of water from the skin Grete handed her, then handed it back.
    Grete took a healthy swallow of her own and let the skin rest in her lap, clutching it loosely. She brushed sweat-damp hair from where it stuck to her brow. "It wasn't this bad before. I don't know how it could have gotten so bad so fast. This sort of contamination usually takes years to spread this far, sink in this deep."
    Adamina pursed her lips in thought, resting a hand on the trunk. Closing her eyes, she felt down, down into the forest. It was even more fractured here than where she had bound herself to it just outside the village. "The troubling news is that it could have spread much faster. The forest has been trying to slow the poison down, and close off the worst part, where it must have started. It's trying to save what is left, but unfortunately its efforts are in vain."
    "I had no idea it was so bad. I thought this forest was just made gloomy by shadows of past deeds." Grete gazed around sadly at their surroundings, stroked the tree they sat on. "I will always regret my mother and I did not do more, that we did not realize how much more was needed."
    "You did the best you could. Even we Huntresses never realized that this forest was so broken. It's not part of the Royal Forest, but still we should have sensed it. Hopefully we can bring it peace, though I fear the only peace it will find is in destroying it." The thought made her want to cry.
    She startled when a hand curled around hers, squeezed gently. Adamina looked at their hands, then up at Grete, who smiled softly and reached up with her other hand to brush away the tears on Adamina's cheeks. "Is that truly all we can do now?"
    Adamina shook her head. "The forest has gone mad from poison and pain. Even if we get rid of the rapunzel, the forest is too broken to recover. The best we can do is put the forest out of its misery. Doing so, however, will take more Huntresses and a few Sorcerers. For now, you and I can only destroy the rapunzel and ensure it stops