Free The Forest of Lost Souls by Anne Plichota Page A

after a few seconds of sheer torture.
    “Of course I do,” she mumbled, biting a nail.
    “Well, I’m descended from two of the most eminent members of the Firmhand tribe exiled from Edefia. I have gifts which the most powerful men on this planet only dream of possessing. I could actually be the most powerful man in the world and yet I have to bury what I am deep inside because to show it would mean death for me and my family. But that also holds true for your father, your gran, Abakum or my grandparents… and for you, of course. Particularly for you… Apart from that, I’m a sixteen-year-old boy who’s drawn to the dark, hidden side of all living creatures, human or animal. Some people call me neurotic and accuse me of having a morbid obsession but, the way I look at it, darkness and moral ambiguity are like food and drink to me. They’re just a route to self-fulfilment. I can be just as good as I can be bad. I can be the most loyal friend and the vilest traitor, and I never do things byhalves. I thrive on danger and, of course, death, particularly when they allow us to transcend our mundane existence. And, since you want to know everything, meeting a certain Lil’ Gracious rescued me from a terminal state of boredom. I was about to be carried off by the spectre of world-weariness when you appeared on the scene, like a little miracle. Basically, Lil’ Gracious, it could be said that you saved me from a deadly dull demise…”
    With these words, he stretched like a cat, the smug smile on his lips in sharp contrast to his icy stare. Fascinated but confused, Oksa had the unpleasant feeling that she was nothing but a plaything in his cruel claws. She thought for a couple of seconds, remembering the Lunatrix’s words of warning, before demanding:
    “You say that you can be the most loyal friend and the vilest traitor… so which one are you, right now?”
    “What do you think?” mocked Tugdual, teasingly.
    “Don’t make yourself out to be worse than you are!” rang out Abakum’s voice suddenly.
    Oksa turned round and saw the Fairyman, standing ramrod stiff in the doorway to the living room. At his side, Dragomira was looking wearily at Tugdual.
    “This is our young friend’s favourite game,” explained Abakum, walking over to join Oksa. “He likes to make people think he’s on the wrong side when, deep down, he’s probably the most fervent defender of our cause. Isn’t that right, Tugdual?”
    Tugdual’s only reply was to aim a dazzling smile at Oksa, which almost knocked her off her feet. She clenched her fists so tight that it hurt and smiled back with an expression on her face which she hoped was as dispassionate as his. Although she knew that this perplexing boy wouldn’t be so easily fooled…

12
T HE S TRANGER IN THE S QUARE
    D RAGOMIRA AND A BAKUM COULD SEE THAT O KSA WAS flustered by Tugdual, but they chose to ignore it because something had just come up which complicated what was already a very tricky situation.
    “We have a problem, youngsters,” said Dragomira, looking first at Oksa, then at Tugdual.
    “There’s a traitor in our midst, is that it?” immediately asked Oksa.
    “What makes you say that?” asked her gran with a frown, glaring at Tugdual.
    “Er… it’s just that it’s the worst thing that could happen to us now, isn’t it?” replied Oksa, in order to shift the blame from her friend and protect the anonymity of her little informer curled up in the corner of the hearth.
    Dragomira gave her a puzzled look, patted the crown of braided hair around her head and continued:
    “We don’t think we have a traitor in our group, but we are sure we’re under surveillance. Ever since Gus’s Impicturement, we’ve been followed, watched and spied on.”
    “How do you know?” broke in Tugdual.
    “You’re well aware, dear boy, that Abakum has a remarkable sense of smell. He’s been detecting the scent of our spy continually for the past three days and we’ve seen a man