Chapter 8 Bird Tangled in Thorns and Vines
My hands flew to my mouth as I gasped in horror and stepped back, tripping over my feet and tumbling to the floor.
“Robin?? Are you sure you’re alright?” Melinda called.
“I’m… ah…” I stuttered, unable to get a word out. I hadn’t noticed how rough my voice sounded until now.
This can’t be real! This can’t be happening! It’s just another nightmare! I told myself that over and over. Yet, already I knew if I pinched my cheek, nothing would change.
What am I supposed to do now?
I stumbled to my feet and ran down the hall. “Ma’am!—I mean, Melinda, have you seen a young woman with long platinum blonde hair and silver eyes around here?”
“Definitely not. This road is rarely used except by a handful of travelers and folks from Velvetstone.” Melinda hesitated. “I think you need to sit down.”
“I need to get home!” I blurted. “Please, which way is Embercrest?”
“Robin, you have dementia.”
I fell silent, looking the elderly woman up and down before whispering, “…What?”
“You developed dementia at a young age. Every month you forget who you are and we have to go through this again. Thankfully, you remember everything over time and eventually return here.” Melinda gestured to the pot of bubbling soup. “Come eat.”
Dementia? I thought only the elderly could develop that, not someone so young…
I was prepared to protest and press further, but claiming that I’m Embercrest’s crowned princess would only make me sound further insane.
“Oh. I see,” I said, deciding to play along, then gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’ve lost my appetite. Anyway, about Embercrest, I have business I need to do there.”
Melinda frowned. “Embercrest Kingdom is up north, but you won’t get anywhere close to it with the knighthood patrolling the border. Word of warning: you and those knights have a bad history. I wouldn’t bother; they won’t take kindly to seeing your face. Besides, your friends should be here any second now.”
“Pardon?”
“Yeah, you’ve got three friends from Velvetstone who always come by to get you.” Melinda smiled. “They take such good care of you.”
A sickening feeling churned my stomach, but oddly, it didn’t feel like mine.
Not good.
I forced a smile. “I’ll probably run into them along the way. I’ll be leaving now.”
”Don’t be a stranger! Take a coat on the way out.” Melinda called as she sat at the table and a black cat jumped onto her lap.
“Goodbye…” I whispered, taking one of the coats and stepping out. My chest stung with guilt. The woman may never see her Robin again, but I had to do what I must to get home and back to my real body.
Robin… If I’m in her body, then she must be in mine.
Nausea twisted my stomach.
What could she be doing to my body? Am I safe? Am I still in Embercrest?
I pulled the hood over my head and stuffed my hands in my pockets, briskly making my way down the road. The chilly wind tugged at my clothes. Fields of abandoned farmland were slowly replaced with trees until the rocky path was surrounded by a thick forest.
It’s dark here, I thought to myself, glancing over my shoulder.
What is this feeling? It’s like… the air is flexing.
I gripped my chest as the uncomfortable, foreign feeling sent waves through my body.
I stopped in my tracks when I came to a fork in the road. My brows furrowed as I glanced both ways.
Melinda said north, so…
I glanced at the road that went west and the uncomfortable twist in my chest grew stronger.
Something isn’t right. I’d rather avoid that road either way.
With quick steps, I scurried down the northern path.
Robin’s body has a lot better stamina than my—
“Oh, Robinnn~”
I jumped and spun around. Down the road leading west came three women. “Where are you off to?” A brunette asked.
Those must be Robin’s friends. But…
I looked them up and down, and the hair on the back of my neck rose.
Something tells me they aren’t really Robin’s ‘friends.’ I can’t stop this body from shaking! It’s not even me this time!
“Cat got your tongue, birdy?” a blonde called.
My lips pursed. What do I say? Should I ignore them? I stepped back when they came closer until my eyes locked with theirs. My jaw dropped as my heart pounded.
Wh—what in the devil…
Their eyes glowed, and their pupils were as thin as a cat’s. Fangs poked past their lips as they grinned. They lunged, and I screamed, tripping and tumbling to the ground. I scraped my knee as I scrambled to my feet and bolted.
I didn’t dare look back.
Their hisses tickled the rims of my ears, and their cold breath grazed the back of my neck.
They’re behind me! They’re right behind me!
My lungs burned as I gasped for air; sprinting with all I had. After a second, their hisses faded along with the flexing air. I finally gathered the courage to look back.
They’re gone. Thank the gods—
A jarring neigh skidded me to a stop, and a black horse reared back, kicking out its front legs. I screamed and stumbled back, landing on my butt again.
“Are you okay?!” a man shouted, hurrying to my side. “Careful there! You could have had a horse’s hoof in your head right now.”
I gaped up at the man. His silver armor still gleamed under the thin rays of sunlight.
The knighthood!
“Th—thank goodness,” I breathed and sat up. “Sir, I need help—“
"Hold on…” The knight squinted down at me before his eyes flew wide. “Wait—you’re that woman!”
Huh?
Before I could question him, he was pushed aside by another. The shing sound from an unsheathing sword rang in my ears, and I flinched when the cold blade jabbed into my throat. A bead of blood formed at the tip and flowed down my skin.
“To think I’d actually run into you again…” the burly knight growled, his brown hair hanging over one of his cold blue eyes, glaring down at me. “Robin.”