Chapter 4 Shadows Of The Past

The forest crackled with rustling leaves and distant animal calls, but Evie maneuvered through it like a ghost. She had light footsteps and a presence that did not sweep the room. Her dark energy hammered away inside of her like a second heartbeat, a constant reminder of the power she now possessed and the price she had paid to obtain it.

It was a few hours in, with a beautiful state of mind, and heightened senses. The ritual had transformed her in ways she was still trying to comprehend. Her body felt strong, fast, as if she'd been remade from the inside out. But there was a chill in her chest, an emptiness where her feelings used to exist. She told herself it didn't matter. Emotions were a liability, and she could no longer afford liability.

As she topped a hill, the forest opened up to a small village on the valley below. There was smoke swirling from chimneys, and a hint of laughter on the wind. Evie paused, her fingers reflexively drifting to the dagger on her hip. She hadn't encountered another person since her resurrection, and the idea of doing so both terrified and excited her.

But she wouldn't be able to escape the world forever. She wanted information about Kael, about Seraphine, about the state of the empire. And if she was going to live, she needed supplies.

Evie took a deep breath and walked down the hill, drawing her dark cloak around her. She saw the farmers plowing their fields, children playing in the streets, merchants plying their wares as she entered the village. It was a normal scene that now felt alien.

She walked over to the village square, where a small throng of people had gathered around a notice board. Intrigued, Evie moved in closer, her gaze fastened on the parchment nailed to the timber. Her throat caught on her breath.

It was a wanted poster.

Her own face looked back at her, a striking resemblance. The words under it were stark and damning: *Evelyn Ashford. Traitor to the Crown. Wanted for treason. Reward: 10,000 gold coins. *

Evie's heart raced, but she made herself stay calm. She pulled her hood tight over her face and turned her body away from the person in the mirror, her mind racing. Her face had been on posters in every corner of the empire; she'd have to be careful. Very careful.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," a voice said from behind her.

Evie whirled around, her hand automatically going for her dagger. Before her stood a man with a roguish grin and glinting eyes full of mischief. He was tall and thin, with messy brown hair and a scar alongside his face. His clothes were tattered but well sewn, and he moved with the calm confidence of someone who knew what to do in a fight.

"Who are you?" Evie asked, in a low and suspicious voice.

The man raised his hands in a gesture of peace and said, "Name's Rylan." "And you, my friend, seem to need a little help."

Evie's eyes narrowed. "I don't need help."

Rylan chuckled. "Sure you don't. So you're just standing here ready to run at any moment. Relax, I'm not here to turn you in. I'm just a humble traveler, extending a friendly hand."

Evie examined him, her instincts battling her caution. There was something about him that seemed authentic. But she couldn't bring herself to trust anybody. Not yet.

"What do you want?" she asked, her tone sharp.

Rylan's grin widened. "I want to know why someone like you is walking around with a price on her head. And maybe I want to help you stick it to the people who put it there."

Evie's breath hitched. "What do you know about that?

Rylan's expression grew somber. "I realize the name Ashford is mud these days. I find out that Lady Seraphine is throwing her weight around as if the empire belongs to her. "And Kael Ardent is holed up in the capital pretending he's not drowning in guilt." He spoke in a lower voice as he leaned in to tell me, "I know you're not the traitor they say you are, too."

Evie's heart quickened, but she nursed her face into immutability. "And how do you know that?"

Rylan shrugged. "Call it a hunch. Or perhaps I just have a weakness for people who've been wronged. In either case, I'm putting my services on offer. Take it or leave it."

Evie hesitated. She didn't trust him not yet. But she couldn't deny that it might be useful to have an ally, however dubious. And if he knew something about Kael and Seraphine, she couldn't afford to turn him away.

"Fine," she said finally. "But if you go double-crossing me, I'll kill you."

Rylan's grin returned. "Noted. Now let's get out of here before someone recognizes you."

But as they drove farther away from the village, Evie really couldn't shake the feeling that her life was getting more out of her control. But now, for the first time since her rebirth, she felt a flicker of hope. She had a mission, a strategy and, now, an accomplice.

Yet as the shadows lengthened and the woods became denser and darker, she could not help but question: Was she striding toward vengeance or her own downfall?.