She didn't know what he meant by that, but nodded.

They followed Grimalkin for miles, or at least it seemed that way. After the first tree lunged at Isiea, rattling its branches, more followed suit. The landscape twisted into terrifying versions of itself, reaching for her with twiggy fingers. Distant shapes beckoned from the shadows, calling her name. The ground turned into a writhing mass of spiders and centipedes, crawling up Isiea's legs. A deer stepped into the middle of the path, cocked its head, and asked her for the time.

Grimalkin paused. Jumping onto a rock, ignoring the boulder's indignant shouts for him to get off, he turned to face Lise. "You are on your own from here, human," he said. "Just keep walking until he shows himself. He owes me a favor, but also tends to distrust humans, so the chances that he will help you are about fifty-fifty. Unfortunately, he is the only one who can cure your sister now."

She begins shivering. While also sweating. On the upside, shes no longer paying attention to the fact the kelpie bite makes her ankle feel like its on fire.

" who are you talking about? " She asked.

"You will know what I mean when you find him, if you find him." Grimalkin slipped away before she could ask him anything else.

Isiea's limbs were numb, and she was suddenly very tired. Blackness crawled on the edge of her vision.

A strand of moonlight broke away from the trees and glided toward them. As it got closer, it shimmered and changed shape, sometimes resembling a deer, sometimes a goat or a pony. A horn of light grew from its head, as it regarded the,m with ancient golden eyes.

"Hello."

She sighs faintly and simply lays there. Shes not sure how shes even staying on Ares.

She huffs quietly and continues walking.

That's a very good question.

The moonlight creature laughed softly, shaking its mane. "It is not your sister's destiny to die here," the animal said to Lise

" Are you the one im supposed to talk to? " She asked him.

,, What, is it to die two feet from here? ,, She mumbles sarcastically.