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“Please take me with you”

Silas mounted Vala “Take care, b

oy”

“Please, don’t leave me here”

Mara watched as Vala carried Silas into the distance Don’t leave me here, please come back Turn around, please

It didn’t take long before they were out of sight He was alone, cold, and scared He wanted to shout out but didn’t want anything else in the forest to hear hi in there, I won’t go in

He wrapped his arht about Talon Peter’s death Being chased and beaten Being hungry and cold None of itinto the forest any better I have to catch Silas

What’s that? A black shape stood deep inside the forest Tall and wide, with big horns curling from its head

He felt like he’d seen it before, in dreaer he stared at it, the warmer he felt The same warmth he’d felt when he killed Mother Can I come with you?

The thing turned, disappearing into the black behind it

Mara followed

5

The ashy powder puffed up with each step Mara took The rows of bent and twisted trees stretched into the darkness, soers

He looked back to see that only the last ten of his footprints were still on the floor, and as he watched, the rest slowly disappeared as the powder settled He gripped his blade tight Night had fallen, and he’d walked far enough that he could only just about see the edge of the forest The castle can’t be far

The flashes in the clouds lit the forest every so often, and after each time, it looked even darker than before When the sky turned the forest white again, he saw a large puff of powder not far ahead of hi as the dust covered him