“Has anything happened tonight?” I asked, accepting the mug of hot water she handed me. It helped warm me up and also served for hydration. We needed to remember to drink while we were on the road.

  She shook her head. “No, it’s been quiet, although I always feel something’s watching me—ever since we took to the road.”

  “I know what you mean,” I said. “All right, go to bed and I’ll wake up Thornhold at two-thirty.”

  She gratefully slid back into the tent as I settled on the log, using a stick to stir the fire. Brynn had stoked it well, so it would be another hour or so before I needed to feed it with more wood. Brynn had left a deck of cards by the log, and I slid down to sit on the ground so I could play solitaire by the campfire light. I shuffled the cards and began laying them out, trying to keep from dwelling on everything that had happened.

  For about half an hour, all was quiet. But as I folded up the cards, bored and a little sleepy, I thought I heard something coming from the forest. I straightened, pulling out my sword as I looked around. For a moment, everything seemed to be normal, but then I thought I saw a faint glow from behind one of the trees.

  “Goblins don’t glow,” I murmured to myself. Maybe it was just a lightning bug or some sort of insect? The glow seemed to be concentrated in the air, rather than near the ground. Curious, and a little bit worried, I stood, craning my neck as I tried to catch a glimpse of whatever it was.

  The glow strengthened, and my stomach twisted…just a little. As I cautiously moved toward the light, it grew in intensity. Frowning, I inched closer. Then, without warning, a globe of light shot out from behind one of the barren oaks.

  I jumped back, then froze. It wasn’t a creature—not any that I’d seen. No, I was facing a globe of pale pink light about six inches in diameter. I tilted my head, trying to remember all the game lore that I knew, but nothing came to mind.

  The next moment, the pink orb was joined by several others—one green, one blue, and yellow one. They flashed, blinking on and off. It almost looked like they were talking, and I was so fascinated that I forgot to keep my guard up.

  The next moment, one of the lights shot forward and bounced against me. I yelped as it jolted me, the current stinging me hard. The next moments, the other orbs came sailing toward me and before I knew what was happening, they were surrounding me, stinging me with long coils of light that protruded from each of them.

  And that answered whether they were dangerous.

  I yelled for help, and then turned back to the lights. I didn’t know what they were, but I knew that I was in for a fight.

  CHAPTER 29: WILL-O-THE-WISPS ARE DANGEROUS

  I yelped so loud that, within seconds, Thornhold was outside the tent, eyes a little glazed, with his hammer ready. He hadn’t put on his armor, but was in trousers and a tunic, and his beard was waving in the breeze. He came running over toward me, with Reggie right behind.

  They approached as another globe—a bigger one—approached me. It was a vivid purple, and it sent out a feeler toward me. I tried to jump to the side but it was so fast I couldn’t evade it. As the tendril of energy hit me, it felt like I’d stuck my finger in a light socket—one that was fully charged.

  “Youch! Motherfu—” I jumped a second time as it tried to hit me again.

  Thornhold swung his hammer at it, but the orb darted away like he was moving in slow motion.

  “Corpse candles!” Reggie yelled. “You can’t fight them without a strong magical weapon, or magic itself. Get away from them—they can kill you if they’re strong enough!” He motioned for me to run in back of him, with Thornhold right on my heels.

  Reggie stiffened, then ducked his head. By now, I could tell when he was gathering his energy. He was practically vibrating.

  Meanwhile, Brynn and Ray had joined us, and Ray moved to the front, taking out his holy symbol. He began praying over it, and a translucent shield of energy began to form in front of us. He continued to whisper the incantation, strengthening the spell.

  Reggie lifted his head, and his eyes were glowing. He held out his hands in front of him, fingers splayed. “Blades of Darkness!”

  As his voice echoed through the area, circular blades—that looked like they were out of a circular saw—wheeled through towards the light. Black, they glowed around the edges with silver light. As they cut through the air, the corpse candles drew back and began to streak out of the area. One of the blades sliced through one of the orbs, which—while it reformed—it was a lot dimmer than before.

  So they could be hurt, I thought. But would weapons work against them? I raised my sword and launched myself at the nearest one, slashing through the air. As my blade touched the glowing light, there was a crackle. But I knew it wasn’t simply the metal that made contact. When I found the sword, I had the feeling it was magical in some way and this told me that I was right.

  Ray increased his chanting, and I felt the wards around us strengthen. Emboldened by the protective energy produced by his spell, I moved closer to the dim corpse candle and slashed at it again. It vanished and I thought I heard a faint shriek, although I wasn’t sure if it was just in my mind or in actuality.

  Reggie was gearing up for another round when Bryn waded in. She was trying to hit them with her sword, but it wasn’t having any effect, which only strengthened my feeling that only magic could affect them. One of the larger corpse candles sent a jarring bolt her way, and she stumbled back, cursing. A burn mark rose on her cheek. She was lucky. If the orb had hit her a couple inches higher, it could have blinded her.

  “Get out of there, Brynn!” But even as I yelled, Thornhold charged in and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her back. This was a battle only magic could win.

  Another orb began drifting toward me and I brought my sword up in front of me, threatening it. It seemed to recognize that I could cause damage to it and so it backed away.

  Once again, Reggie called out, “Blades of darkness!” And once again, the circular wheels spun through the air, but this time they met the mark. Five more of the orbs dissipated, and the message seemed to get through because the others began to back away into the thicket. We watched as they retreated and, within a few moments, vanished.

  “What the hell were those?” Thornhold asked.

  “Corpse candles,” Reggie said. “They’re also known as will-o’-the-wisps, and they can be deadly. They’re thought to be part of the Fae realm, though no one truly knows what their nature is. I’m not surprised that we found them here. This seems the perfect area for them, and the closer we get to the Cryptic Marshes, the more I expect we’ll run into them. They tend to hang out in swampy areas.”

  “I thought they were the souls of the dead,” I said.

  “There are some theories about that, and some people say they’re the souls of the Fae. But as I said, nobody really knows. We’ll have to be more cautious while camping.” Reggie took a deep breath, looked around again, and then sat by the fire. “I wonder if we should travel at night and sleep during the day?”

  “I don’t know if I want to be on the road at night,” Thornhold said. “That just seems to be asking for trouble. It would be far too easy to miss a turn and end up lost somewhere deep in the forest.”

  “I agree with Thornhold,” Brynn said. “We can go a lot faster during the day. Although, we might want to set two people on watch at a time, even thought that means longer shifts. I know we’d get less sleep, but it just seems safer.”

  “I agree with Brynn,” Reggie said. “Two at a time, six hours shifts. Since there are five of us, each night one of us can get a full night’s sleep and we can round robin who it is.”

  “All right,” Thornhold said. “Ray, shall we take the next watch together? I don’t want to take a chance on those things coming back. I think it would be a good idea to keep Ray and Reggie on separate shifts, so we have at least one spellcaster on alert at all times.”

  We all agreed, so Ray and Thornhold took over the watch while I crawled in bed with the others. Luckily, the rest of the night was silent.

  When we woke at first light, Brynn’s cheek looked mostly healed except for a thin, red welt. There were no signs of infection, so all was well. As we gathered around the campfire, stoking it so we could make a hot breakfast, I looked around the thicket. Although I couldn’t see anything out there, and everything seemed peaceful, the forest now made me uneasy, and I could hardly wait until we made our way out of it.

  We had been walking for over three hours when we heard a small stream to the side. Our water bottles needed filling, so I suggested we go in search of it. But, memories of Hansel and Gretel fresh in my mind, I took out a chunk of bread and began dropping crumbs as we made our way into the thick of the wood.

  “You realize you’re wasting food?” Ray asked.

  “I’m also marking our path. Unless you have something that will work better than bread, I suggest that you quit worrying.” I gave him a long look, and he shrugged.

  “Fine, but that bread comes out of your share,” he said.

  “Oh for fuck’s sake,” I said. “Fine, I won’t eat any bread for lunch.”

  I wasn’t sure whether it was the battle the night before, or exhaustion from being on the road, or just the fact that we were stuck in the game, but he seemed particularly on edge this morning. I thought about asking him what was wrong, but I had the feeling I wouldn’t get anywhere. So I kept my mouth shut.

  Ten minutes later, we broke through the trees to a clearing. A stream flowed through the forest, at least twelve feet wide and with whitecaps churning over slippery rocks. Across the stream, set up on an embankment, was a small cottage.

  As we stood there, a woman came out of the cottage and stretched under the faint glimmer of sunlight breaking through the canopy of trees. She froze when she saw us. She was pretty, about 45 to 50 years old, and she looked extraordinarily fit. As she began cautiously backing toward her door, I decided to make the first move.

  “We’re simple travelers, working our way through the forest. We heard the stream and needed to fill our water bottles. We’re not going to harm you,” I said, hoping that neither she, nor anybody else living in the cabin, were looking to prey on an unwary pack of travelers.

  But she simply paused by the door, and shouted out, “Who are you?”

  I wasn’t sure if she was human, although I had the sense that she might be an in-game employee. “Do you know Liesel?” I asked. “We’re friends of hers.”

  That seemed to make an impression. The woman, still looking uncertain, relaxed.

  “What do you need?” she asked.

  “We’re players in the game. As I said, we’re just trying to find our way through the forest. We needed to fill our water bottles, so when we heard the stream we decided to find it.”

  After a moment, the woman nodded toward the water. “Go ahead. I’ll meet you down there in a moment.” She vanished back into her cottage.

  Relieved, and feeling that, for once, things were going smoothly, I led the others toward the stream. Sure enough, as we reached the edge of the stream, the woman reappeared and made her way down the slope, carrying a basket which was brimming with muffins. I relaxed, and sat down on the grassy edge of the stream to wait for her.

  CHAPTER 30: A HELPING HAND

  I stood, hands away from my sword, smiling as she approached. She walked over to a section of the stream that had large rocks jutting out of it, and then reached in her pocket. There was a whirring noise, and the rocks flattened out on top, providing a smooth walkway over the stream. As she crossed the water, Thornhold set down his hammer, and stretched, while Reggie handed our water bottles to Brynn, who filled them from the water’s edge.

  “Hello,” I said, walking toward her. “My name’s Erenye. And these are my companions: Reggie, Ray, Thornhold, and Brynn.”

  They waved at her as I introduced each one.

  “Hi,” the woman said. She was wearing a dress similar to the one Liesel had first worn. “I’m Onna. Welcome to the Dark Woodland. Where did you begin from?”

  “The landing area, actually. How are you doing? I assume you know about the game,” I said, hoping she did. Proving it wouldn’t be easy, if by some chance she hadn’t heard about what happened.

  “Oh yes, we know.” She glanced back at the cabin, where a man peeked out of the door. When he emerged, he was carrying a large, sturdy walking stick. It would be the perfect cudgel if needed, I thought. Onna noticed my gaze and said, “That’s Casper. He’s my partner—both in game and out of it. We both work in Abarria, and now we’re just as stuck here as anybody else.”

  “We came in…what…almost two weeks ago—just a few days before the game broke,” I said. “We met Liesel and made her home our base. Actually, her new home. Her old one burned down, but she’s safe and fine.”

  Onna grimaced. “That’s one of the scary things about this whole situation. If something burns down in here, there’s no way they can send in emergency crews to take care of things. So, you’re stuck here with us. Where are you headed?”

  My gut told me we could trust Onna and Casper. “This key?” I pulled it out from under the cloak I was wearing. “It’s stuck around my neck. It has to do with one of the game quests, so I’m not certain what I should do, but we’re headed toward the Summer Kingdom to find the person who can remove the curse.”

  Onna frowned. “I’m sorry. That sucks. Here, please have lunch.” She handed the basket to me.

  I took it and opened up the right side. Not only was the left side of the picnic basket stuffed with what looked like cranberry muffins, but the left was also full. There were roast beef sandwiches and a big bowl of potato salad in it.

  “You’re kidding—thank you! You didn’t have to do that!” I was surprised—and touched. Her energy surrounded the basket, and it was comforting and maternal in a way that I hadn’t felt for a very long time.

  “You’re probably scared and overwhelmed. I know we are, and we’re used to being in here. And, now that I know your story, I wish I could do even more. I think I understand why you’re on a quest to loosen that key’s hold.” She sighed.

  “Have you heard anything?” I asked. “About the game and when it will be fixed?”

  Onna shook her head. “I’m sorry, but no. Now, have a rest and eat. If you’d like to come into the cottage, you’re welcome to get warm.”

  I yawned, still tired from the night before. The thought of a food and a warm fire sounded like heaven. I looked at the others and they nodded. “Thank you,” I said. “You don’t happen to have any tea, do you?” I was still jonesing for coffee, but the withdrawal symptoms had backed off a lot.

  “Tea, and hot cider and cocoa. Yes, come along.” She led us across the stones, then pressed the device in her hand and, once again, they shifted back into jagged stones. “We’re on a tiny island here, surrounded by the stream, actually—and a couple of its tributaries. The rocks give us some protection.”

  We hiked up the embankment only to see the cottage in all it’s delightful glory. On one side was the field for a kitchen garden. On the other, the yard was surrounded by several fruit and nut trees. The nuts were just falling, and I saw almonds and hazelnuts littering the yard.

  “At least you have some food,” I said.

  “We do, and my husband hunts. He’s pretty good with a bow.” She paused, looking at me. “I assume you’re an archer?”

  “Well, in here. I wasn’t outside the game, but I actually like it so when—if—we get out of here, I’m going to take it up,” I said, frowning. The “if” was sounding more and more likely as opposed to the “when.”

  “It’s a good skill to have here,” Onna said, opening the door. “Come in.”

  Casper stood back, away from the door, watching us trudge inside the house. The inside of the cottage was as charming as the outside. The rooms were small, but tidy, and it reminded me of some grandma’s house, all cozy and smelling of apple and cinnamon and soup.

  The living room had a large fireplace, and through one arch we could see the kitchen, with a snug wood cookstove, and what I assumed was a sink tied into a well. It had a faucet and a couple porcelain sink basins. A huge table sat on the opposite side of the kitchen, covered with a gingham tablecloth. We could have been in Little Red Riding Hood’s granny’s house, for all the charm and comfort here.

  “Drop your things and go on in to the kitchen. There’s a bathroom out the back door if you need, and a washbasin by the backdoor to wash up in. I’ll put the food on the table so you can eat in comfort.” She carried the basket over to the table.

  We divested ourselves of our packs and weapons in the living room, then headed out back. The outhouse was actually clean enough to feel comfortable in, and the square stone walkway leading to it was smooth and even. Solar lanterns lined the path to offer light during the night.

  I washed up next to Brynn. “I miss home,” I said.

  “So do I,” she admitted. “Maybe after we get rid of your key, if we’re still in the game, we should find a place and just settle in.”

  “I suppose,” I said. I didn’t want to tell her that I was nervous about settling down. Somehow it seemed like, if we did that, it would be admitting we were stuck here forever and I wasn’t ready for that. I didn’t know if I’d ever be fully ready to accept that we might be here forever.

  “For now, I’m happy to enjoy Onna and Casper’s hospitality. You know how you just have a gut intuition that you can trust someone? I feel that way about them,” I said.

  She nodded. “I feel it too. Some people radiate goodness. And they do.”

  “I did an alignment check,” Ray said, overhearing us. “While we were by the stream. They check out as good. Maybe a little neutral, but nothing evil about them. I suggest we enjoy their invitation while we can.”