94-THE DARK, HAUNTED WOODS

ANTHONY’S POV

The rumble of thunder brewed in the distance as the wind blew its mossy scent of wet earth and stone in my face, making me brush back the dark hair that shadowed my eyes.

“So, say this again just so we're clear before we run off into the wild hacking at every Tom, Dick, and Cherry that falls in our way.” Klein Markov started before my brother cut him off, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

“It's Tom, Rick, and Harry you nitwit,” He spat acidly before I cut the both of them off, refusing to engage in their petty squabble.

“We follow the trail through the woods, cut around the mountains, and make it to Cove before nightfall,” I growled, stabbing at the map in the guard’s hands before hopping back on the horses.

We had been in the woods for hours now, and it was time to move. The sun had already peaked in the sky and was beginning its decent into the red line of the horizon. The sooner we got out of these treacherous woods, the better.

I tried not to remember how we had been in