- Chapter 21 -
Dawn broke through the windows of Beorn's house slowly. When Shyloh opened her eyes, the hut was illuminated in a warm, golden hue much to her surprise and as she roused, she noticed Thorin and Gandalf sitting together near the over sized table. The wizards eyes caught her movement and they suddenly quit talking. She pretended not to notice even though she grew suspicious as she brushed the straw off of her and stood up. She wasn't blind though, because she had seen them talking quietly between the two of them for days now, and anytime someone – particularly her – came close they drew apart and said no more. She'd even questioned the wizard, curious about what was suddenly so secretive, but he pretended he didn't know what she was talking about.
One by one the dwarves roused and Bilbo only seemed to wake when a large, fat bumblebee landed on his nose. They stretched and scratched and shook themselves free of the straw.
It seemed everything here in the hut was bigger than it normally would be even for folk like Shyloh and Gandalf. The chairs seemed bigger, and even the table was higher and it made her feel quite small.
"Gather around, gather around," Gandalf called and they all shuffled forwards. "Ah, Bilbo, there you are."
"I say we should leave and run out the back way," Nori said nervously as he peered out the window.
"I'm not running from anyone, beast or no," said Dwalin and he grabbed the front of Nori's shirt in his fist.
"There's no point in arguing," Gandalf said quickly. "We can not make it through the wilderland without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we even get to the forest. Now, this will require delicate handling, and we must tread very carefully. The last person to startle him was torn to shreds. He's not overly fond of dwarves either."
The dwarves eyes widened fearfully and she swallowed hard and leaned up against a heavy wooden post.
"I will go first and, er, Bilbo, you will come with me," said Gandalf and he ushered the hobbit forward.
Bilbo looked startled. "Is – is this a good idea?" he asked Gandalf as he made his way towards the wizards side.
"Yes, now, the rest of you wait here until I give you the signal. No sudden movements or noises, and only come out in pairs. Shyloh," Gandalf said, turning to her quickly. "You come out last."
She was about to ask why but the wizard already looked frantic enough and didn't give her the chance to speak.
"Oh, actually, Bombur, you count as two so you should probably come out alone also," he said and the fat dwarf nodded.
Gandalf turned towards the door suddenly and pushed Bilbo along with him, disappearing outside.
"What signal are we waiting for exactly?" Bofur asked from his perch by a window. Confused, the dwarves looked back towards the door but Gandalf was already out of sight.
They stood there and waited as the heavy sound of a thunk was heard in the sudden quietness of the room. She sank down onto the high step beside her and tucked her hands between her knees.
"You look worried," Thorin said quietly as he sat down next to her. The other dwarves were trying to pair themselves up and decide who would be the first to go out the door but no one seemed willing.
"A little," she admitted. "Gandalf said he wasn't fond of dwarves, but said nothing about elves." Giving him a tight lipped look, he nodded his head slowly.
Finally Bofur urged the first pair out the door and there were two less dwarves in the room.
Thorin gave her half a smile. "Who wouldn't like you?" he asked.
She couldn't stop the blush or smile that broke over her worried face. "A skin-changer with a short temper might not."
"Well," he said slowly. "Even dwarves can sometimes be too quick to judge."
She gave him an impressed look and her smile widened. "Who knew that was possible? But, I hope that doesn't mean its taken you lot this long to take a liking to me."
He snorted. "You did not see the way they were trying to keep you from those goblins back there, did you?"
She shook her head and then touched her neck. "No, I was a little preoccupied."
Two more dwarves down, seven to go.
"They would have ripped the heads off each one of them if they could."
"I had no idea."
"You know Snowball, they don't just nickname anyone."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, not you too!"
He gave a dry laugh. "I have to admit, its grown on me."
Minus two more dwarves.
"Yeah, they're pretty great too if you can get past the snoring, food throwing, and impeccably bad manners," she laughed as she looked over at the remaining dwarves.
Bombur was shoved out the door just then, shortly followed by Fili and Kili. Bofur looked over at the two of them seated there and gestured to Thorin.
"Our turn Thorin," he said and with a grunt, Thorin heaved himself up and crossed the threshold. Together the two of them disappeared outside.
She had no idea how long she was supposed to wait before coming out but she heard no screaming or shouting, and the thunk, thunk, thunk, she'd heard earlier had stopped so she figured it must be safe. Quickly, she pulled her messy hair out of the sloppy bun and ran her fingers through the tangled locks, trying desperately to make it look nice. She flicked it over her shoulder and shook it out, desperately wishing she had a mirror. Then again, maybe she didn't want to see what she looked like.
She wished she had her weapons on her. It was strange how they brought her comfort but if she appeared with weapons in her hands it would look like she was threatening Beorn, and she couldn't have that. Standing slowly, she stepped towards the door hesitantly. Once she counted to fifty, she stepped down the short stone steps and into the sunlight.
She had no idea what skin-changers looked like in human form, but compared to the ghastly beast they'd seen the night before, the man looked just as threatening. He stood there, bare chested, with a long handled ax held in both hands. His beard was long and straight and looked like heavy sideburns. His dark hair stuck out like a lion's mane, and he had horribly bushy eyebrows, even more so than Gandalf, and he towered over them all. She always thought Gandalf was tall but he looked very short compared to Beorn.
He startled a little when he saw her and raised his ax higher, but then he got a good look at her. He stared for a few moments while Gandalf shifted uncomfortably, giving a little bit of an awkward laugh as if he were trying to make light of the situation.
"You are an elf," Beorn said suddenly, his eyes never leaving her. She twitched uncomfortably, twisting her fingers together until they hurt.
"Ah, yes," said Gandalf. "And this is Shyloh Atanalcariel of Rivendell. She is the last of our company I admit."
"Strange company you keep," Beorn said as he stared at her some more. Slowly his ax lowered. "Dwarves, wizards, hobbits and elves do not normally travel together, especially in these parts."
"Yes, well, it is quite the story if I may say so myself," said Gandalf.
To their great surprise – and relief – Beorn lowered his ax to the ground and Shyloh let out a sigh of relief. Her worries about whether or not Beorn would be accepting of elves - and dwarves for that matter - lifted when the skin-changer invited them into the house after he and Gandalf spoke a few words together.
There weren't quite enough chairs for all of them at the table, but the long bench fit them with room to spare. The mugs he gave them were much too big, even for Shyloh, but she didn't complain and neither did the rest of the company. They ate bread with delicious honey, drank milk, and had quite the mixture of berries and fruits. Compared to Bombur's cooking over the last couple of months, this was like a feast.
"So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me," said Beorn eventually. "Why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"
Thorin stilled and looked up at Beorn with an intense gaze. "You know of Azog? How?"
"My people were the first to live in the mountains. Before the orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family. But some he enslaved, not for work, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."
"There were others, like you?" asked Bilbo.
"Once there were many," Beorn said, drawing himself up.
"And now?" asked Bilbo quite innocently.
"Now there is only one," said Beorn almost sadly, then he turned back to Thorin. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn."
"Before Durin's day falls," said Gandalf. "Yes."
"You are running out of time," the skin-changer said as he took a seat.
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," said Gandalf.
"A darkness lies upon that forest," explained Beorn cautiously. "Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Goldur. I would not venture there except in great need."
"Which is why we must take the elven road," said Gandalf with a determined nod. "That path is still safe."
"Safe? The wood-elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous," said Beorn and as his eyes slid to Shyloh she shifted nervously under his heavy gaze. "But it matters not."
Thorin turned suddenly in his seat and fixed the skin-changer with a look. "What do you mean?"
"These lands are crawling with orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive," explained Beorn and the table went quiet. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind; blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own. But orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
"We need your help getting to the forest," explained Gandalf steadily. "As you say, we are on foot."
"The ponies I would be willing to lend you, if you but swear to turn them loose before entering the forest and send them back home," said Beorn. "You will have to ride double, as there are not enough for all of you, but my ponies are strong and you are after all just little things. They will take care of you."
"We would greatly appreciate it," said Gandalf.
Beorn turned to Shyloh again. "You are not a Mirkwood elf," he said. "It is rare elves from other lands travel through the forest. But I will warn you now, not to stray from the elven path. You will never find it again if you do. Elves do not suffer from the enchantments of illusion, but a word of caution: the King will not favor the lives of the dwarves over the lives of an elf. Pick your battles wisely."
She had absolutely no idea what he meant by that last line but Gandalf cut in before she could ask.
"What do you mean?" asked the wizard.
"The Son's of Durin burned the alliance with the Mirkwood King many years ago before the dragon. They favor dwarves as much as you favor them. It would be wise of you not to anger the King if you wish for peaceful passage."
"We will have to take our chances," Gandalf said firmly and Beorn left it at that, his eyes still lingering on Shyloh.
As the day wore on, the dwarves took to wandering around the gardens and Bilbo followed them quietly as usual. They would leave on the morrow at first light, hoping the orcs wouldn't be waiting for them when they broke from the safety of Beorn's home. The skin-changer offered to aid in their protection as a scout but no more.
She walked with Gandalf and Beorn towards the far side of the skin-changer's enclosed gardens. A green grassy field met her eyes and trotting through the tall grass were at least a dozen black and white ponies with heavily feathered feet. They reminded her of Gypsy Vanners; short, stocky, and full of mane and tail. They kicked up their heels at one another and snorted through their nostrils. They were the perfect size for the dwarves and Bilbo, but she felt she might be too tall for one.
As she watched them, two taller horses trotted up to the small herd, shaking their heads as if they were scolding children. The ponies scattered playfully and raced towards the end of their field. Her eyes lingered on the taller black and white horse and then flicked to the gray beside him. The horse was tall with long, dark colored legs that lifted high as he stepped out. His deep gray muzzle bumped his chest once and then he broke out into a rocking chair lope that was so familiar to her she could almost feel it as she recalled memories she'd long ago buried after presuming he was dead.
He hadn't changed in the four and a half years she'd been away from him, and even though he was there before her eyes she could hardly believe it was him running before her. Perhaps his mane was longer and no longer nicely trimmed for shows, and he looked a bit wilder than he used too, but it was him.
"Boss."
The name escaped her lips for the first time in years. Gandalf and Beorn stopped talking and turned to her. Eyes wide, she watched the tall gray race around the field, wild and free as if he'd lived here his whole life. Her heart hammered in her chest and she didn't hear what Gandalf said.
How did he come to be here? What happened to him after her fall? He'd clearly survived the trollshaws but to what extent? How had he wandered so far on his own? Questions buzzed in her head as she stared, wide eyed and full of disbelief. She wanted to go running to him, to throw her arms around his neck and never let go.
What if he didn't remember her? If she whistled for him now, would he come running like he used to? Or was he perhaps too wild? How many nights she had cried herself to sleep after loosing him she couldn't recall. Her mind had imagined one horrible fate after the next, thinking he was dead and that she'd failed him by falling off when she had; abandoning him to a world unknown to the both of them. How in the world he had come to be here, in Beorn's little field with a bunch of ponies was beyond her, and she felt her throat constrict.
Licking her lips she had to at least try. If he didn't come, she would know then that he'd forgotten her, and she would have to accept that fact one way or another. The whistle was high at first and then low and she did it three times in a row.
The gray horse stopped in his tracks and raised his head high. Nostrils flaring, he sniffed the air in her direction. She whistled once more and he cried out in a loud neigh that split the quiet air. Then he was running. Legs raised high, he closed the distance between them so quickly she thought he might jump the hedge, but then his legs locked and he slid to a stop right before her. He thrust his muzzle towards her, bumping her chest and she couldn't stop herself from throwing her arms around his face.
He didn't protest as she buried her face in his forelock, unable to stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes.
"Oh Boss!" she cried. "Oh, my boy!"
Gandalf chuckled behind her but she didn't care if she was making a scene. Twisting away from his face she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his mane, clinging to him for dear life.
"Well, what do you know? I think some good will come of this after all; if only to reunite a girl and her horse," said the wizard with a smile.
"So you are the one he calls his Master," Beorn said after a length.
"I thought he died after I lost him," she sobbed as she pulled away and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "I never saw him again after we came here."
"He has been here for three years. He is a smart horse but did not understand a great many things when I found him," Beorn said, tilting his head to the side. "He did not seem like an elvish horse."
"He's not an elvish horse," she sniffed, tears dropping from the corners of her eyes like rain. "I didn't...I mean...we didn't grow up here. In Middle Earth that is."
"That would explain much," said Beorn, his face growing serious. "So tell me little elf, where did you grow up, if not in Middle Earth?"
"Shyloh is a special case. One the Valar themselves had a hand in keeping safe for many years in a world unknown to us," explained Gandalf. "She was brought back to Middle Earth not long ago by the Valar."
"Interesting circumstances I would say," said Beorn. "I have come to enjoy his company but it seems I will have a hard time keeping him here when you leave. I would tell you to take him with you, but the forest of Mirkwood is not a place for horses to travel through. Turn him loose at the edge of the forest with my ponies, and he will be safe here until you can come to collect him."
"Really?" she asked, wide eyed. "I can come back and get him?"
Beorn nodded his head deeply. "If he was not an elvish horse before, he is now."
Shyloh spent the rest of her time with Boss, much to the confusion of the dwarves. Bilbo came out later, followed closely by the dwarves to join her as she sat in the grass while the big gray horse grazed quietly around her, not leaving her side for a second as she soaked up the last peaceful moments before they stepped back out in to the Wild in the morning.
"So, you know this horse?" asked the hobbit curiously as he sank down into the grass next to her. "He looks like a horse of the elves. They fancy grey ones."
"He's been my horse for years," she said, then corrected herself. "Well, he was technically my aunts, but he sort of became mine after..." Her voice trailed off as the memories struck her.
"After?" asked Thorin. He didn't sit down with them, only stood there with his arms folded across his middle like many of the others.
"After my mom died," she choked. She plucked a tall blade of grass from the ground and ran it between her fingers, feeling the rough threads of it.
"Your adopted mother?" asked Bilbo.
She nodded. "I was sixteen. We were headed to town. There was a really bad accident, and she was killed instantly." Her hand reached up to touch the necklace on her neck, and she slid the gems back and forth slowly along the chain as she recalled the memories she worked so hard to bury over the last few years. They all came to the surface surprisingly easy, and a lump rose in her throat as fresh tears threatened to spill over. Blinking, she kept the tears at bay for a little while at least. She'd trained herself to not cry and wasn't going to break down, at least, in front of a bunch of dwarves. They would only think of her as a child.
"The gems," Thorin said after a while. "What do they mean?"
She turned to look at him with a questioning frown. He tilted his head towards her as if saying 'come on, there's more to that story.'
"They're not from this world," she said suddenly, surprising even herself. "I didn't grow up here in Middle Earth."
Before she knew it, she was telling thirteen dwarves and a hobbit about how she came to Middle Earth. Thorin knew of course, no thanks to Gandalf. He'd known since their arrival in Rivendell but the story was new to the rest of the company.
She had no idea why she was telling them this story, but it was like her mouth was running away with her and she couldn't stop herself. It seemed weird, but she felt it was important that they understood why Boss was so important, and she couldn't explain the gems or Boss without telling all of it. She didn't tell them too much about her other world, but it was like a great weight lifted from her shoulders and for once in four and a half years, she felt so much lighter and just a little freer.
"My parents were born in July. Back home, each month has a different gemstone. We would call them birthstones. So, July birthdays are rubies; those are my parents. My brother Mack was born in September, so a sapphire for him. And I was born in April, so a white diamond for me," she explained as she held out her necklace. "My family."
"A true warrior I would call you, my Princess, to be brought so far by the hands of the Valar themselves," said Balin. "We should take it as a sign that you have been chosen to come with us on this quest."
The dwarves nodded in agreement but Thorin's eyes only stared at her and he said nothing.
Settling herself into the saddle, Shyloh held her breath and then let it out slowly. Boss turned his head and nudged the toe of her boot with his nose, so she reached down to scratch his neck. After all this time, he was here, alive and well. She would have spent the night in the yard with him, but at Beorn's beckoning she was forced to retreat inside the safety of the house. The animals would be safe, he assured her, but his nightly patrols could cause her harm, and he had taken a strange liking to the young she-elf.
There was no way she could repay Beorn for taking such good care of Boss, even though he said it was not needed. Taking care of animals was his calling, no matter whose they were.
The skin-changer and Gandalf stood off a ways from the company talking quietly. The look on Gandalf's face though, told her it was not a pleasant conversation. Thorin looked at the two of them impatiently as he mounted his pony, while Ori struggled up onto the back of a pony behind Nori. Fili and Kili had to double up, but the ponies didn't seem to mind the extra weight.
Boss stamped his hoof, impatient to get going. Thorin called for Gandalf, and the wizard hurried over to his horse and mounted up. With a final look at Beorn, a howl split the air and Shyloh's skin shuddered. They took off at a lope, heading north through the rolling hills towards the elven gate. The Misty Mountains roared up to the west of them. They kept up the fast pace, and once the lands flattened they sped up, covering more ground as quickly as possible. They needed to reach the gate before the orcs caught up to them.
Boss's gate was as smooth as it always was and she interlaced her fingers into his mane. The fact that she technically died the last time she'd ridden him didn't even cross her mind at first, but as they rode her mind drifted back to her accident. She could still remember the sensation of falling and hitting the ground with a heavy thud. She could almost taste the dirt and then the iron like flavor of blood in her mouth. She remembered waking up and she remembered the dreams. Her last dream still lingered on her memory as much as she tried to forget. At this point, she figured she wouldn't be having anymore of those dreams again, and determined she would never get the closure she longed for.
They watered the horses at a small creek but then continued on their way as fast as they could. By the time they reached the edge of the forest, Shyloh's muscles were screaming at her. Months of walking hadn't kept her riding muscles toned up, and as she swung down from Boss, her legs almost gave out from under her. The dwarves dismounted rather ungracefully, and a couple of them opted to just falling off sideways instead of doing it the right way, and she would have laughed if her eyes hadn't caught sight of the trees.
Now that they were closer, the trees looked daunting and a whole new feeling of worry crept in her.
"No sign of the orcs," said Dwalin as he looked around once more before dismounting. "Luck is on our side."
Gandalf turned towards them then, but his eyes drifted towards the hills behind them. Shyloh followed his gaze and there, perched on an outcropping of rocks was the massive form of a bear. A shiver ran down her arms at the sight, and she easily recalled the snarling snout of the bear that had come so close to tearing them to shreds. She doubted it was merely luck; Beorn was waiting for his ponies.
"Have you ever traveled through here?" she asked as she stepped towards Thorin. The dwarf shook his head and eyed the trees warily.
"No," he said quietly. "And I would avoid it if another way was possible."
"Beorn said there were things living in the trees. Do you know what he meant?" she asked but again, he shook his head.
"This forest looks sick, as if a disease lies upon it," said Bilbo suddenly. "Is there no way around?"
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north," answered Gandalf. "Or twice that distance south."
The wizard stepped forward towards the trees. What was once probably a very magnificent entrance to the Woodland Realm, was not so any longer. Heavy vines wrapped around the pillars that marked the entrance almost masking them from sight. The white stone slabs that marked the path itself were covered in leaves and dirt, as if no one had walked the road for sometime, much less taken the time to maintain it. A small stone table sat just inside the trees and the statues were just as vine covered as the pillars.
Long ago, it had been the main road the elves in the east used to travel to the west. It had once been a safe passage, stretching from one side of the forest to the other, walked by those wishing to sail or settle elsewhere. Now, it looked forgotten and wild, no longer a constantly used trail since the darkness had settled in the south.
Boss nudged her shoulder and she leaned into his neck, wrapping her arms around him. It was too soon for her to part with her old friend, and her heart was torn in two. She wanted nothing more than to keep him safe by her side, having only just found him again, but Beorn was right; the woods would not be safe for a lone horse, and with horses, safety lie in numbers.
"It's okay boy," she said quietly. "I'll come back for you." She all but choked on the words, praying that her promise would stay true. "I'm not going to let you go this time. You'll be safe with Beorn. He'll look after you until I get back."
Stepping back, she slid her hands down the sides of his face and kissed his forehead. Walking as far as they had on this trip had been hard. Dealing with the aftermath of the giants, then the goblins, then the onslaught of orcs had been hard; but turning Boss away was probably going to be the worst of them all. He was her only link to home, to her past life, and she was tormented with the thought of letting him go. Safety waited for him back at Beorn's, but the selfish giant inside her wished that she could take him with her, if only for peace of mind and comfort despite the dangers that lay unknown to them on their path. Yes, the selfish part of her would be willing to take him with even if it meant danger, but the Jiminy Cricket on her shoulder told her that it was not a smart idea.
"You will see him again," someone said, and when she turned, Fili gave her a reassuring look.
"I hope so," she sighed heavily.
"Turn the ponies loose," called Gandalf. "Let them return to their master."
Kissing Boss one last time on the forehead, she let go of the reins. He gave her one final look before turning with the ponies and trotting off.
Shyloh was just about to help Dori with Gandalf's horse when the wizard called out again much to their surprise.
"Not my horse." He came hurrying out of the tree line, a dark expression written on his face. "I need it."
Bilbo spun around on his heel, wide eyed. "You're not leaving!"
"I wouldn't do this unless I had no other choice," said Gandalf as he hurried towards his horse. The company watched him in disbelief. "This is not the Greenwood of old. There is a stream in the wood that carries a dark enchantment, do not touch the water. Cross only by the stone bridge. The vary air in the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."
"Lead us astray?" Bilbo repeated quietly. "What does that mean?"
"You must stay on the path. Do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. No matter what may come, stay on the path!"
He turned towards Thorin, his gaze piercing and the dwarf stilled.
"Our conversation earlier, you will give me your word?" Gandalf said in a low voice. The way he said it though, held an edge to it that she'd never heard him use before. It was both threatening and pleading at the same time.
Thorin's eyes drifted to her briefly before staring straight into Gandalf's again. With a curt nod of his head, the dwarf's face was like carved stone. "My word."
Just what exactly did they talk about?
Why did she feel like there was something she missed out on? Her face drew into a frustrated frown but before she could ask, Gandalf mounted then and spun his horse around. He surprised her by suddenly leaned down close to her. "Remember Beorn's words and stay on your guard at all times. And remember, to pick your battles wisely." He gave her a very pointed look before straightening. Digging his heels into the sides of his horse, he took off, shouting to stay on the path once more as he rode away.
"Well how do you like that!" she said, putting her hands on her hips. "What could be so important that he had to up and leave?"
"A word of advice," said Thorin. "Never get involved in wizards business."
"What exactly did you have to give your word on?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips. The others looked between them, both equally curious by the wizards meaning.
"What did I just say? Never get involved in wizards business."
She scowled at him but he missed it as he stepped around her towards the forest.
"Come on," he said, drawing their attention back to the task at hand. "We have to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn arrive."
Shouldering their packs, the dwarves and Bilbo followed one by one. Bofur laid a hand on her arm and gave her a little tug.
"Come on Snowball," he said with a little grin. "He'll be back."
She turned slowly as the two of them brought up the rear. "Think so?"
"Course he will," Bofur said and he seemed so sure of himself, but Shyloh was not so convinced. A feeling of unease was forming in the pit of her stomach, and suddenly walking into the forest seemed like a really bad idea.
As they passed the last statues, they followed the stone path as it wound its way through the trees.
"Bofur, what did he mean when he said the air was heavy with illusion?" she asked after an hour passed.
"I expect because there are many dark things that live in the forest. Dol Goldur itself is south of here some hundred miles, and the Dark Lord used to inhabit it after the elves were pushed northward. I don't exactly know the story, but that's just part of the tales we heard as children. Course, no one talks about those things anymore."
"So if the air is heavy with illusion and it will seek to enter our minds, as Gandalf so wonderfully explained, how does he expect us to make it from one side to the next?"
Bofur considered her question carefully and then shrugged. "Not a clue."
"Very helpful Bofur, thank you."
Hi! Sorry if things are a little repetitive but I felt it was necessary to follow the story line, and I really enjoyed Beorns character in the films. Felt like Shyloh needed a friendly face and something positive to look forwards to, so who better than good ol' Bossy boy? Slight twist in the plot coming up (not to spoil anything) but I'm looking forwards to it. Been doing a lot of writing lately and finally getting around to doing some editing, hence all the new chapters.
Thank you for following along and for the reviews, they are much appreciated and I love hearing what you think!
-S