Into the Forest: Gatebreaker, #0

By Michelle Wilson

An injured horse, a lost girl, and the magic that binds them together.

 

The morning of Adeline's sixteenth birthday dawns like any other. But while she dreams of spending time with her boyfriend, Sawyer, and planning their future together, a nobleman shows up and Adeline is forced to make good on a contract that was signed when she was a baby.

 

With the time she thought she had running through her fingertips, Adeline has only days to plan an escape. Meanwhile, she has to worry about her relationship with Sawyer and what to do about her new mistress Katalia.

 

But when Adeline enters the forbidden Golden Forest to save an injured horse, she never expects to unlock secrets older than the kingdom. Will these secrets lead her to the freedom she desires?

 

Into the Forest is a prequel novella set a generation before the events of Gatebreaker.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Wilson
• Release date: Oct 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201583842

Book preview

Chapter One

Tendrils of sunlight chased away the gray of predawn as I trudged back to the village. My sole company was the rhythmic slosh and slop of water in the buckets I carried across my shoulders. I stopped on a section of path still shrouded by shadows and lowered the buckets to the ground.

Flapping my skirts and swiping at the beads of sweat on my forehead only relieved the heat for a second. Two days ago, the stream that ran through Barr dried up. Now, it was up to me to make the trek to the river each morning and carry back water for the day. I was envious of those who could wait until day had fully arrived before driving their carts down to the river and carrying enough water back for the week. The cottage couldn’t afford a cart. At least according to Matron Verity. Nor did we have a place to store enough water for an entire week. The familiar creep of bitterness pressed in my chest, but I pushed it aside. Summer’s end was only a few weeks away. Rainy weather would be here soon, so I just had to put up with it until then.

As I braided and bound my dark auburn hair with a leather cord, a breeze caught up the cord and sent it flying. I sighed and left the path to chase it to the edge of the Golden Forest. The golden leaves sparkled in the rising sun as I grabbed my cord off the ground and tied it firmly in place. Just past my toes, the green grass at the edge of the path turned gold as it merged into the forest, creating a barrier between me and the trees.

I had lived on the edge of the Golden Forest my entire life. Unlike other forests in the kingdom, everything that should’ve sprouted green sprouted gold here instead.

If the forest doesn’t kill you, the king will. I whispered the adage.

King Lewis and all the kings before him issued lifetime decrees stating that entrance into the Golden Forest was forbidden. Every child in Barr knew the consequences if one was caught. No one was brave enough to test the decree.

I tilted my head back and stared up into the dense foliage. Some trees were so big, three men linked wouldn’t be able to wrap their arms around the trunks. Others were mere wisps. Golden plants covered the ground, knee high in most places. Branches with golden leaves and vines stretched into the sky. They were so tall I could barely glimpse the canopy. A light breeze continued to rustle the leaves and play with the strands of my hair that had already escaped my braid. I stretched a hand out to touch a leaf that danced in front of me.

It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

I spun, jerking my hand back like the leaf was a snake in disguise. Sawyer stood behind me. He smiled even as I glared at him. Perhaps because I glared at him. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against an outcrop of rocks between the forest and the road, completely unperturbed by my anger. I considered swiping the straw hat off his head and swatting him with it.

You should know better than to sneak up on me like that!

I apologize, my dear Adeline. How can I make it up to you?

I rolled my eyes and punched him in the shoulder.

What are you doing out here so early in the morning, anyway? I asked.

I couldn’t let you travel this dangerous road all by yourself, could I? Never say that Sawyer left a damsel in distress.

I rolled my eyes again and walked back to where I’d set the water by the path.

I can handle myself, Sawyer. You’re just trying to avoid working with your father. Keep this up, and you’ll never be a blacksmith.

It was Sawyer’s turn to roll his eyes as he followed me. I don’t want to be a blacksmith.

Then what are you going to do for a trade?

I was thinking about becoming a lovable rogue. You’ve taught me well all these years. I’ve mastered all your tricks. How about it? You and I could run away together. We’d live off the land and fight against the Crown’s injustice. Hilda and Ronar did it. We could too.

The words of Hilda and Ronar’s ballad, sung about their stealing away the wealth of the corrupt and giving it to people who needed it, stirred something within me. But Sawyer and I both knew he was just blowing smoke

I gave him a sidelong glance. Hilda and Ronar weren’t real.

Before I could pick up the pole that held the water buckets together, Sawyer swooped in to grab my hands and spin me to face him again. He pulled a small box from his pocket and held it out to me.

I came to give you this.

Cautiously, I took the box from him, raising my eyebrow as I opened it. Breath fled my chest in a long exhale as I beheld what was inside. I lifted the delicate silver chain from the box.

Sawyer I—

Happy Birthday, Adeline. His voice had gone deep and soft.

How?

You know my mother used to be a silversmith in Windburn. Sawyer shrugged and ran a hand through his dusty brown hair. She taught me some simpler techniques, and I’ve been working on it for a few weeks.

I touched the chain and let it drip through my fingers. A deep purple gemstone glittered at the end, held in a twisted silver fitting.

Sawyer’s gaze stayed on my face. None of the usual teasing twinkle reflected in those copper eyes. I never knew what to do when he looked at me that way. Like he saw past the freckles on my nose and the scraggly, sweaty hairs that clung to my forehead and neck. Like he saw all the way into my soul.

He kicked his boot into the grass, sending a pebble toward the forest.

And that’s not just a story. It’s true. I didn’t steal it. That twinkle returned to his eye, our past arguments about why he shouldn’t steal for fun reflected there.

Well, that’s a relief, I teased. I cleared my throat, attempting to dislodge the lump of emotion there.

Sawyer touched my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. Heat rushed up my arm, my chest, my face. He took a step closer. My heartbeat was much too fast. For a moment, it was easy to forget everything that worried me. And for a moment, I hoped that—in the end—everything would turn out okay.

Sawyer opened his mouth, but then his eyes widened as he looked over my shoulder. Before I could say anything, he yanked me off the path. We both tumbled to the ground, barely missing the outcrop of rocks as a large white horse thundered past where we’d been standing.

The horse flashed by us, huge blue eyes rolling in its head. A rope was caught around its neck, trailing as it ran, and an arrow shaft stuck out from its shoulder. The horse charged on. He veered off the path and crashed into the golden underbrush of the forest. The arrow caught on a tree and fell to the ground. As soon as the horse passed the trees, he disappeared.

I watched the unmoving trees, looking for some sign that the horse was real. Only silence greeted us.

We should still be able to hear it. I peered into the forest, expecting to see a huge gap in the undergrowth where the horse had plowed through, but there was nothing to tell which way it had run. Not even hoof prints.

Sawyer cleared his throat, drawing attention to how we’d landed. I was on top of him, and my skirt had rode up above my knees. My fingers curled around my gift on his chest.

Oh! Sorry. I rolled off him. I fastened the necklace around my neck, not wanting to risk losing it. Sawyer stood and dusted the dirt off the back of his pants.

More hooves sounded in the distance. We exchanged a glance and crouched behind the rocks. A group of men burst around the curve in the path. Their metal weapons and armor glinted in the sunlight. One of them carried a flag with the silhouette of a black wolf on it.

King’s soldiers? I whispered.

Sawyer put a finger to his lips. I pressed myself closer to the rocks.

The soldiers blew past us down the path, their horses’ mouths foamed, and sweat soaked their sides. We remained hidden until the distant beat of hooves disappeared.

Sawyer stood and looked down the road, hand to his brow, blocking the sun.

That was strange.

I wasn’t listening. I’d crept to the edge of the Golden Forest once more. The toes of my boots pressed against the golden line of grass. I picked up the arrow where it had fallen. The arrowhead was still attached. The whole thing had yanked free from the horse’s wound.

Adeline, what are you doing? Sawyer’s brow furrowed as he watched me.

Why would they shoot a horse?

Maybe they didn’t know it was a horse. Maybe they thought it was a stag.

There hasn’t been a stag in these parts for a decade or more.

Sawyer stood behind me now. He didn’t have an answer. I continued staring into the trees. Even though the sun was now fully risen, shadows still encased the forest floor. I couldn’t see beyond the first few trees.

It wasn’t like me to be reckless. Maybe the heat had driven me insane. Or maybe it was the fact that I was another year closer to a future I dreaded.

Sawyer grabbed my arm. Adeline, you can’t be serious.

Like usual, he guessed what I was about to do almost before I’d thought of it myself. I pulled my arm from his grip. He let go, but he kept that piercing gaze on me.

You saw that horse. It was hurt. What if that rope gets caught on a tree?

Sawyer ran a hand through his hair, clearly fighting the desire to grab me and haul me away from the edge of the forest. He didn’t leash his tongue.

Those were the King’s soldiers. You saw the banner. Going into the forest is a death sentence. And they didn’t look like they’d have any problem doling out the king’s justice.

I flipped my braid over my shoulder and glanced at Sawyer one more time.

Where’s your sense of adventure?

I crossed over the boundary and into the forest.

As I entered the forest, a shiver ran up my spine. Once I crossed the threshold, the dense trees opened up into a world of glittering light and birdsong. I turned in a slow circle. Energy flooded my veins, and I felt like I could take flight myself to join the birds in the trees.

Sawyer appeared at my elbow. He yanked me into his chest and breathed a sigh of relief into