Ch. 4
The trees towered over Emmy, lending the forest night a sinister feeling and sending shivers down her spine. She was a ways inside the border now, and was starting to think she ought to turn back.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...
The night seemed to close in around her, playing tricks on her mind.
Crack, rustle, snap!
Emmy's breath caught in her chest. She could feel herself hyper-ventilating, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.
"Who's there?" she squeaked. Curses! That wasn't supposed to come out as a squeak! She turned around, almost tripping over her own feet as she did so, scanning the forest around her for any movement. She could feel her asthma acting up, could feel her windpipe constricting, and she couldn't stop it. No, no, no, not now, she thought. She felt light-headed and swayed where she stood.
More branches snapped behind her, and Emmy spun around and found herself face to face with thin air. "St-stop playing games with me! I'm warning you, I'll call the cops!"
"Dear, you won't be able to call the...'cops,' " a female voice said from above her.
Emmy jumped and looked up into the dense forest canopy; she couldn't see anything. When she looked back down she found herself looking at an elf. Emmy couldn't stop the scream from bursting out of her. She stumbled backward, tripped, and landed on her backside, knocking the air out of herself.
Leilita strolled forward as Emmy gasped for air and pushed the end of her bow on Emmy's chest. "Just what is a young girl doing out in the woods in the middle of the night? If I didn't know any better I'd say you were looking for something. Or someone. It wouldn't be that brainless centaur, Jaraden, would it? And why'd you scream? I'm not that scary, am I?" Leilita asked, baring her teeth in what resembled a smile.
Scary...scary... Emmy stared at Leilita, not sure what to make of her. "Why do you care?" she gasped, pushing her fear away temporarily. "Get off me!" She grabbed the bow in an attempt to push it off her. Moonlit metal flashed and Emmy found a blade against her throat.
"I see the fear in your eyes, girl," Leilita stated coldly. "I know you have the Sight. As such, you will help me if you want to live."
Emmy's mouth went dry; she nodded once, feeling the blade bite into her neck as she did. A slow trickle of blood ran down her skin; Emmy's already racing heart sped up as another adrenaline rush flooded her system. The sight? What's that?
A cold smile crossed Leilita's face. She sheathed her blade then hauled Emmy to her feet. "Come with me," Leilita said as she set the bow down and reached into a pouch on her belt. She withdrew a fistful of powdered white stone, threw it in the air, and dragged Emmy with her into the dust. To anyone watching, they disappeared into the white cloud and never exited.