Embers (The Wings of War Book 1)

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Book: Embers (The Wings of War Book 1) by Karen Ann Hopkins Read Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Ann Hopkins
field and tall grass tickled my arms.  Other times, I had lounged with the cats in the barn loft where I’d gaze through the window at Cricket while she ran through the pasture with a wild herd in a game known only to equines.  Most times though, I was here, in the forest.
    But this wasn’t an exact duplicate of my other dreams.  This forest was different.  In the past, the sun had shone through the breaks in the branches to warm me.  Butterflies had fluttered around and all kinds of animals greeted me with the touch of their soft noses.  Sometimes the deer would stay with me on my wanders, quietly shadowing me through the trees.
    The forest that surrounded me now was swallowed in the kind of darkness you only found in the deepest part of night.  There was a damp chill in the air that had me shivering in only a t-shirt. As my bare feet squished into the damp earth, I inwardly wished that I had fallen asleep wearing warm socks and tennis shoes. 
    I paused, listening.  Coyotes yapped in the distance and a whip-poor-will whistled its night song.  The air was heavy with tension that raised goose bumps along my arms.  I took a breath, trying to calm my nerves.  A low growl erupted from the blackness.  The sound was guttural and deep.  I froze in place hoping that the creature didn’t notice me. 
    Closing my eyes, I cleared my mind and attempted to change the scenery.  I thought of the bright sunlight and the smell of pine needles.  When I slit my eyes to take a peek, the light was moving toward me, pushing the darkness away.  I’d altered my dreams before, so I wasn’t surprised.
    The wailing scream of a woman snapped my eyes wide open.  The shrill noise began on my right, but shifted to the left and moved closer.  Blazing red eyes stared out through the shadows of the naked branches and the growl returned, only it quickly turned into a hiss.
    The vision of a sun-filled happy forest disappeared completely.  This dream was not the same as the ones that had entertained me in the past.  Fear suddenly gripped my insides. 
    I had no control here, and the forest was full of terrible things. 
    I began to run, dodging limbs and jumping over stumps and rocks.  I had to reach Aunt Ila’s valley.  Even in a dream, I was sure I’d be safe there. 
    An exposed root grabbed at my foot causing me to stumble.  I frantically brought my leg out to brace myself, but I wasn’t quick enough.  The ground caught me hard as I fell into the slimy, rotten leaves. 
    The woman’s voice was joined by a crying child.  The sounds reached out from behind me, almost touching my back with solidity.  When I glanced into the trees, I saw distorted faces forming around the crimson eyes.  They were a horrible blend of animal and human features, with tails of flashing scales.   
    My heart raced out of control and I held my breath.  Thick darkness blinded me and I reached out frantically with my hands, trying to see with them.  I snatched them back when my fingertips brushed the rough scrape of solid boards.   
    I raised my head slowly, not wanting to see it, but knowing it was there.  The wooden wall towered over me, shooting into the sky.  I could barely make out the top of it.  A spray of moonlight landed on the wall, leaving me in its black shadow.    I tried to crawl away from the structure, but the trees pressed in closer.  They moved on their own accord against me. 
    As I cowered in the darkness, my stomach tightened with queasiness. I could barely catch a breath.  The voices grew louder.  Their wails encased my body in a cold touch that passed through my skin and straight into my soul.
    I placed my hands to my ears to try to block out the sounds, but it didn’t help. 
    “Please, stop, stop the pain,” a woman cried.
    “No, don’t do it.  Leave me alone,” the child yelled.
    “Go away…you’re hurting me,” another woman wept. 
    “Damn you to hell,” came the whisper of a man.
    The growls and

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