Chapter 1
Sabine
We had been on the road for a full day and night, the wagon rocking beneath us as the cold crept in. With a storm brewing and winter closing in fast, we needed shelter soon.
I curled beneath the animal skins that barely passed as blankets, twisting and turning but no amount of shifting could fight off the cold. The wind slithered through the wagon’s cover, icy fingers caressing my face, making me shiver.
“Jonah, we need to stop before nightfall,” my grandmother’s voice broke through the howling wind. I pushed the skins away, curious o hear the conversation. Peeking through a slit in the cover, I caught sight of her worried expression.
“Our men need rest, and so do the horses,” she urged, her voice laced with concern.
My father, ever the calm leader, didn’t budge. “Mom, we’ll take the path through the forest. Once we reach the caves, we can stop.”
Grandmother’s frown deepened. “Jonah, that’s not wise. The forest is dangerous. You know the stories; darkness lurks in those woods. The balance of Mother Earth must not be disturbed.” Her voice dropped, almost pleading. “It’s not safe for the women and children.”
But my father was resolute. After my grandfather passed, the responsibility of leading our people had fallen to him. Many doubted he was ready to fill such big shoes, but with my grandmother and the elders guiding him, he had risen to the challenge. Still, moments like these reminded me that leadership was not a burden easily carried.
“Mom,” Dad said, his voice like steel, “we need to reach the caves before the storm hits. If we don’t, we won’t survive. Supplies are running low, and if we take the long route, we’ll lose another week…a week we don’t have.”
A ragged breath left my Grandmother’s lips while, her eyes filled with unspoken fears. “I see.”
Dad softened slightly, placing a hand over hers. “I know you’re worried. But we’ll be fine.”
“Is there truly no other way?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I wish there was,” Dad admitted. Then, with renewed authority, he called out, “Paul, tell the men we take the forest path.”
Paul, his second-in-command, didn’t hesitate. “Yes, Chief.”
My stomach grumbled, a sharp reminder that I had skipped dinner. Not that hunger was unusual these days. With hard times approaching, I had learned to ration what little I had. I crawled to my corner of the wagon, digging beneath the hay to retrieve my stash—a small bundle of bread and dried meat wrapped in fabric. As I chewed, voices outside grew tense, curses rising in the air, accompanied by the crack of whips and the restless sounds of the horses.
Peering through the slit, I saw why. The forest was darkening, the path narrowing and steepening as we pushed deeper into the unknown. The horses fought against their reins, spooked by shadows that stretched and twisted between the towering trees.
I pulled back into my corner, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds of struggle. The skins that had once offered warmth now felt ice-cold against my skin.
Being the leader’s daughter was never easy. The other children had always treated me differently, not because of my father’s status, but because I was born a girl. Had I been a boy, I would have been next in line to lead. I would have been respected. Instead, my future had already been decided for me.
By Gypsy law, the moment I turned sixteen, I was to be engaged to the highest bidder. My so-called husband, a man I had no say in choosing, would become the new chief. My worth had been reduced to a business transaction.
I ran my fingers through my tangled hair, absently braiding the strands as the memories of two years ago crept in.
I clenched my jaw, unwilling to open my eyes, unwilling to face the reality of my fate. But when I finally did, dread curled in my stomach. I wasn’t in my wagon. I was alone, lying in the middle of the woods, half dressed.
Panic clawed at my throat. Had I been taken? Had someone… violated me? Shame burned through me at the thought of my father’s disappointment, the disgrace I would bring to our people.
“Stop worrying. Nothing like that happened,” a voice almost like a whisper sounded in my head.
I bolted upright, scanning my surroundings. “Who’s there?” My voice wavered. “Where are you?”
Laughter, warm and familiar, echoed inside my mind.
“Happy birthday,” the voice chimed.
I pinched my arm, hoping, no, praying it was just a bad dream.
“I’ve been trying to reach you for a while. I’m glad you can finally hear me,” the voice continued. “I know you have questions, but for now, let’s just say…I’m your guardian angel.”
I swallowed hard, my mind struggling to process what was happening. “Am I… crazy?”
A soft chuckle. “No. But if you start telling people you hear voices, they might think you are.”
I pressed my palms against my temples. “This isn’t real.”
“Of course it is. It’s very real. You have a great destiny ahead of you, and I’m here to help. But you have to promise me—don’t tell anyone about me. Not yet.”
I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but my father’s face flashed in my mind—stern, disapproving.
“You need to stop worrying about the chief,” she added, almost amused. “That’s not your path. That’s not your destiny.”
My breath caught in my throat. “How do you…”
“I can hear your thoughts. Feel your emotions.” The voice, Inna, as she called herself, sounded almost smug. “I’m part of you.”
A cold realization settled over me.
“I had to take you away,” she admitted, her tone turning serious. “I couldn’t let you get engaged. It wouldn’t be fair to our mates.”
Mates?
Before I could ask what she meant, I heard my grandmother’s disappointed voice.
“They’re gone,” she said as I reached the camp. “Your father had to reject all the proposals to save our people’s reputation. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
Before I could respond, a sharp whistle cut through the air, snapping back to the present. My father’s voice followed, commanding attention.
“Paul, report.”
“The men are tired, Chief. The horses won’t last much longer,” Paul answered.
A sudden wave of pain shot through my skull as I heard Inna screaming inside my mind.
“Danger is coming.”
Dread settled deep in my gut. Something was out there. Watching. Waiting.
Dad’s voice rang out. “I sent scouts ahead to find shelter. They should return soon. Until then, we keep moving.”
Moments later, the loud sound of approaching hooves filled the air.
“Chief! We found a clearing not far from here,” Mika, one of my father’s commanders, called out. “There’s a lake nearby as well.”
Excited murmurs rippled through the group. Relief flickered in their tired faces.
“Everyone, you heard Mika! We’ll rest there,” Dad announced while cheers erupted around us.
If only they knew.
If only they realized.
The real danger was already lurking in the shadows.
