Who are you?

The mere height was dizzying. The whole situation was disorienting. I could feel my soul slowly drift away from my body, and I could barely feel the branch underneath my feet. These things—these creatures, they had no eyes but I could feel their complete attention on me, staring deep into my being as though they could see my secrets, along with secrets that even I did not know.

What actually sent me reeling was when these ghostlike creatures began to scream, sharp and echoing against my nearly bleeding eardrums. They did nothing but stand there and let out their shrills, which was the creepiest part of this entire experience.

"Hah, so this is what Mirages sound like," Ras said, his voice void of pleasantness. He was so close that I could practically feel his breath graze my skin.

But I had no time to linger on that thought. "Mirages? That's what these creatures are?"

"Yes," he replied, "they are the people of the forest, and you barely see these things when you're roaming around. I'm afraid something has deeply troubled them. They're so distraught, hysteric even. What the hell is happening here?"

The people of the forest. Then does that mean…

"They're the ones who took away our sense of direction, weren't they?" I said, chills skittering up my arms.

I saw how the side of his lips curled up faintly. "You're quick to catch on, Rosie. You're right, it was their doing. But no, they didn't take our sense of direction. The Mirages basically have the power to control the forest, changing the sceneries and manipulating the paths so those who seek to harm the forest will be stuck in one spot forever until they die. They are harmless unless intimidated."

I realized then that Ras knew what had been happening all along. He had long since gotten the feeling that something was utterly wrong. He acted like it was nothing for a while, and waited for the perfect timing to pretend to drop down his guard so that the Mirages would finally decide to appear.

I scrunched my brows at him, unable to process everything at once. "We didn't have any ill intents! We just wanted to leave the forest. Why are they mad at us?"

Ras winced, and despite this he still looked beautiful, his dark eyes glinting with the same confusion I was feeling. "I don't think this is the sound of angry forest creatures. They sound like they're troubled, like something is greatly bothering them."

I turned again to the Mirages, each of them like white candle flames with outlines that were hazy and ever shifting. They had not stopped with their screaming, and I was beginning to get used to it.

Ras had a point. Since that first Mirage that brought me up here had died, they made no move except to stand there and shriek. It was as if they were scared to get close, but they did not want to let us out of their sights either. They were not angry, instead they were like a colony of bats that had began panicking when they realized that a threat had entered their home.

I shook my head, looking up at Ras. "I-I don't understand. Why are they reacting like this?"

He met my gaze, and in that sucking darkness of his own gaze was a hint of doubt. "Are you sure you don't know?"

"What do you mean?" I blurted out, and unknowingly took a step back.

I almost slipped off the branch, but he caught me by wrapping an arm around my waist. He pulled me from the edge, my hands landing on his chest. My palms were hot against his shirt.

Our faces were closer now than a minute ago, and the fast beating of my heart was joining along with the shrills of the Mirages that surrounded us.

"Are you accusing me of being the reason of this problem, Captain?" I asked, my voice coming out smooth and steady.

His expression was calm, neutral. He was not letting anything show. "First it was the orc," he began, "those beasts don't hunt at night but I brushed it off despite thinking it was a little bit strange. The next day, freaking werewolves forcefully break through our headquarters' barrier—which was supposed to have been summoned by one of the most impressive mages in Cygnus—and go on a rampage. Not an hour later, the mostly harmless people of the forest decide that they want to play tricks on us and get us lost in the forest."

"Where are you getting at?"

Ras did not let go of me as he continued. "There is a pattern emerging here, Rosie, from the moment you stepped into Evernight. The monsters are displaying strange behaviors. They are being erratic, acting nothing like they've been acting before."

I inhaled deeply. "So you think I'm to be blamed for all this? I just accidentally found myself in the forest, that's all! I didn't do anything. The only thing I've been meaning to do was leave."

He must have noticed how small my voice sounded at the last part, for pity dawned upon his features. But it was brief. "Who are you really, Rosie?"

I clenched my jaw. "You cannot be serious right now. Fine, if you are that curious then find a way to get rid of the Mirages first and deliver me out of this forest in one piece. You will have your answer once it is done."

I made sure to stand my ground in spite of the look of disbelief he was throwing at me. He's the watcher of this forest, wasn't he? If there was anyone who knew exactly what to do in this type of situation and deal with these creatures, it would be him.

Against my better judgement, Ras smiled. It was a smile of surprise, of being taken aback. A smile that of a person who was not aware of what he was getting himself into but was enjoying his time nonetheless.

"Again," he muttered, "I feel like I am compelled to do whatever you want, left to do nothing but grant your biddings. You have that effect on me, Rosie."

"Well," I suppressed a chuckle, "isn't that fun?"