The Untold Forest by Elisa Menz (ebook offline reader TXT) 📕

Embarrassed, Regn scowled at the tea before yelling at a snickering Kniv, using many words still unknown to her. She turned to Hakken, hoping he would translate.

The hunter rolled his eyes. “He said—”

“Wait, this will take forever.” Finn cut Hakken with a wave and placed his hand over Maeve’s ear. His other hand floated over her mouth before reciting arcane words. A gust of warm wind flowed from his palms, and he dropped them a second later. No one moved or said anything for a moment, waiting to witness any kind of change in her.

“What did you do?” Kniv raised an eyebrow.

“Well, Maeve can now understand your language,” Finn said, flashing a cocky grin.

“What? How is this possible? I’m just starting to learn.”

“I used a spell, of course. How else do you think I can speak 572 languages?”

“You can do magic?” Maeve asked, shocked. Humans didn’t possess magical abilities since they didn’t live in the Forest. Did something happen to Finn after coming here?

“Wait. This is... I can’t believe that you...” Kniv shook his head in disbelief, and Maeve understood exactly what troubled him. They were supposed to meet with the Warlock. The almighty, immortal wizard. Counselor to half the Forest. A living legend who had helped shape history for hundreds of years, only to find her devilish, very human brother in his place.

“Calm down, I can explain,” Finn said while munching a cookie and shaking some crumbs. “I am the Warlock, but only since last year, and I’m not the only—” He yelped when a shoe landed on his face, and they all turned to its origin. A very angry, very beautiful elf, shooting daggers from his eyes at her brother. “I should make you drown on that tea! Are you out of your idiotic, petty mind?” To call him angry was an understatement. His nostrils flared, and his bulging eyes remained fixed on Finn, who rubbed his nose and smirked, quite unapologetic.

“Uh... I was wondering when you would join us.” Finn stood and walked right next to the elf. Bold move, considering he still seemed ready to rip his heart off his chest.

“Ystävä, meet my sister Maeve and his half-breed friends.” He gave them all a bright smile. “Everyone, meet my master, Ystävä.”

Finn

11 years ago

His father would kill him.

Nevermind, he would die much sooner than that.

Why, oh, why did he have to entertain his never-ending curiosity and put himself in this situation? He had spent the entire night trying to find his way out of the Forest, only to walk in circles and end up utterly lost.

Weeks after his encounter with the Wandering Hill, he decided he needed to take a closer look. Finn hardly slept after the experience. He was drawn to the Forest, and nothing his father said would persuade him to ignore his need. So he broke the law.

The amount of trouble he would get at after returning home made him shiver, even though he wasn’t planning on staying too long or straying too far. But the incomprehensible nature of the Forest acted, and it didn’t take long before he couldn’t find his way back. Finn was certain the trees had shifted.

Under the faint moonlight, he glimpsed the trace of a path fading into the looming darkness. With no other way to establish which way to go, he followed it. He walked for hours until the first lights of dawn unveiled the beauty of the Forest.

It was hard for him to be scared when he just fulfilled his deepest desire. He was inside the Forest, and it was as wonderful as he had imagined it to be.

After a while, Finn realized he no longer searched for his way home. If he had to be lost, he would enjoy the whole quandary. “Damn... Maeve was right. I am stupid,” he chuckled.

Someone giggled nearby, and he turned around, noticing two tiny figures hiding behind a bush. They were staring at him while whispering among them. Finn was ecstatic.

They were fairies.

“What is your name?” One fairy spoke, batting her eyelashes.

Finn knelt, fascinated. “Hi! I’m Finn. What are your names?”

The fairies smiled, and the boldest fluttered closer to him with a flirty demeanor. “I’m Zélod, and this is my friend Lubje. You should not be here, human. They will punish you.” Her words were troubling, but her sweet smile reassured him.  They wouldn’t harm him.

“I know, and I’m sorry, but I got lost. Can you help me find my way out of the Forest? I swear I don’t mean any harm.”

Both fairies shared a knowing glance before Zélod turned to him. “We could, but then you wouldn’t play with us, and we like the color of your hair.” She blushed while playing with her thumbs. “If you leave now, you wouldn’t be my friend.”

What he wouldn’t give to be able to play with fairies, but Finn worried about staying for too long. “I promise I will be your friend, but I need your help to return to my family and—”

A sudden racket interrupted them—the sound of many hooves stomping the ground. Zélod gasped, terrified. “Run, boy!” she screamed before disappearing with her friend into the foliage.

Finn hesitated for a second before jumping into the thicket, hiding from the looming threat. The ground shook, and he dared a peek at the source of the noise. His eyes opened in wonder and fear. A herd of centaurs raced through the Forest only a few meters away from his hiding spot while their sentinels watched their surroundings. He ducked his head as soon as he spotted them. It was most unlikely they would be as kind as the fairies.

Finn crouched, praying to pass unnoticed. He didn’t move a muscle, but unfortunately, they could still smell him.

They shouted, raising the alarm. He wasn’t about to wait for them to catch him, so Finn jumped from the bushes and ran for dear life. Nevermind the direction; he wanted to make some distance between him and the fierce menace trailing close behind.

As panic won over, his eyes darted around, frantically looking