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This was a horrible idea. Horrible, terrible, the worst thing she had ever done.
When she’d overheard the soldiers talking about the end of harvest fair that was held every year, she’d been curious. Wagon rides through the quarters, feasts of the harvest’s best, a community dance, games throughout the day. It had all sounded wonderful and excitement had bloomed in her the more she had heard.
Sirius had been amused but hadn’t contained her as she had babbled happily about going to it for weeks. A part of her knew that it was old hat for him, that he had probably gone to it so many times in his life. But not once had he made her feel silly about it, though, and he had agreed to go with her.
“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t take my girlfriend to her first Autumn Fair?”
She’d been looking forward to it, nothing but excited. Now, she regretted all of it.
Sirius was watching her, amusement glowing in his dark eyes. “You’re not giving up now, are you, Celeste?”
She huffed out a breath, knowing exactly what he was doing. “That isn’t funny.”
He was standing at the entrance to the main attraction of the Autumn Fair, looking far too relaxed about this entire thing.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, balling her hands in her skirts to try to hide their trembling.
“You didn’t mention that you didn’t know about it,” he said mildly.
Celeste gaped at him. “I didn’t mention it at all!” she squeaked.
His smile shifted in the low light, giving him a wicked appearance for a moment. “Are you coming or not?” he asked, pulling one hand out of his pockets to hold out to her.
There was a challenge in those words and it made her spine stiffen. He wasn’t outright calling her a chicken, he never would, but she could hear it in his voice. He knew she was brave enough to go in there and was waiting for her to figure that out. Looking away with a huff, she took a second to tell herself it wasn’t real, none of it was real…just like she thought magic hadn’t been real.
“Hey.”
His voice was warm in her ear and she melted as his arms wound around her, taking advantage of her momentary distraction.
“We don’t have to go in if you don’t want to,” he murmured. “It’s your first year coming to it. We can save it for next year when you’re more comfortable with it.”
Her eyes drifted shut and she leaned into him. She loved him on any given day, but it felt like she loved him even more as he offered her a way out despite his teasing. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the crisp autumn scents and the more comforting smell of his cologne. Shaking off his arms gently, she took his hand and started toward the entrance.
His chuckle made her skin burn, but she didn’t stop walking. She was well aware that he was very good at handling her, had probably known exactly what he was doing with that hug, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to tell Ray or Fenrir that she had ducked out of the main attraction.
Sirius lengthened his stride, easily catching up to her before moderating it so he could walk at her side. He didn’t say anything as they passed through the archway but he leaned down to her ear once they’d taken a few steps into the darkened forest. “Don’t let go of my hand, little lady,” he murmured.
He was not helping. Her fingers tightened on his and she told herself it wasn’t that scary. It was just the woods. They’d gone walking in the woods before. Never after dark. Or with the threat of something scary lurking in them. But…no, she didn’t like this. It was stupid and so was she.
They wandered along the path, the sounds of the festival fading into the distance behind them and nothing but an eerie silence claiming its place. Nothing in the woods was making a sound except for their footfalls and even those were muffled.
Pausing as they reached a fork in the path, Celeste squinted at the pair of signs pointing in different directions. “Uhm,” she mumbled, leaning closer to it to try to make out the words on it.
A strangled shriek left her when smoke billowed up from around it and she stumbled back into Sirius to watch in horror as it coalesced into a vague shape above the signs. But she could see the glowing, cat slit eyes perfectly fine as they focused on her.
“Left or right,” a hissing voice whispered. “Freedom or fright?”
“Oh my god,” Celeste said, turning into Sirius and burying her face in his chest.
He was shaking against her and it was a long moment before he said anything. “Which way are we going, Celeste?”
Was he…laughing at her? She leaned back a little and smacked his chest when she saw he wasn’t even trying to hide his mirth. “It’s not funny!” she insisted.
“Left or right, Cherry?”
Why did she have to choose? He probably knew the way out so why couldn’t he-
“They use magic every year to change the paths,” he continued. “It’s never the same.”
Well, wasn’t that wonderful. “I hate you,” she growled.
He gave her hand a small squeeze as she pulled away from him, but she chose to ignore his support.
Looking at the sign, she took a deep breath and started down the left path. She didn’t like that Sirius merely followed behind her. He could at least try to help. As far as she was concerned this entire mess was his fault because he hadn’t said anything and-
A scream lodged in her throat as hands erupted from the path in front of them, ghostly and reaching for their legs. Sirius laughed outright as she half leapt back, landing mostly on him.
“It’s not funny!” she cried.
He didn’t stop laughing and helped her right herself as the hands slowly faded back into the ground. “I guess you picked fright.”
She was going to kill him. She started to let go of his hand before his fingers tightened on hers and he gave her a tug. “Sirius!” she gasped, falling back into his chest.
His free hand stroked over her cheek. “Don’t let go,” he murmured. “I don’t want to lose you in here.”
Was that actually a possibility? She took a deep breath, still annoyed and a little scared but trying to take strength from him. She made a noise when he dropped a kiss on her lips and gently pushed her away from him.
Tentatively reaching out her foot, she tapped the ground where the hands had been and, when nothing happened, she darted across the space, dragging him with her. His amusement hung heavily around her as she hurried toward the newest fork in their road.
Celeste didn’t bother getting closer to the sign, looking along both paths. The entire thing had flickering lanterns spaced out at odd intervals that only lightly outlined the ways they were supposed to go. Both were deceptively passive and gave no hints of what lay down them.
She kept glancing between the two, nibbling on her lip. Was right the proper way to go? Or was left safer because they might not have tricks down two in a row? Or were they both a trap?
Sirius was patient beside her, his thumb rubbing slow circles on the back of her hand. She was sure it was meant to be soothing, but she was past being soothed now.
One huge breath and she started down the left path again. She jumped a little as she heard an ominous chuckle come from behind them and whipped around to see another shape forming around the signs. Much larger than the last one. Her eyes widened as a huge paw like shape smacked into the ground. “No!” she said, her voice strangled.
She didn’t even care what was on the path in front of them, as soon as the red eyes opened in the shape, she turned around and ran down the path without thought. Sirius kept pace with her, his hold on her hand never wavering as she led him deeper into the forest.
“Easy,” he said, pulling her up short as they reached another split and she nearly ran into the newest sign.
“No!” she wailed, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. “This is horrible!”
His hand ran over her back in slow strokes and she felt him kiss the top of her head. “You’ve made it further than most,” he admitted. “Fenrir never makes it past the first ghost before he’s running through the rest of it. He doesn’t usually stay on the path either.”
Celeste snorted but didn’t move away from him. “Aren’t you scared at all?” she complained. “It’s not like you can punch ghosts!”
Sirius laughed again. “I have four younger siblings, Cherry,” he murmured. “I’ve been dragged through this forest so many times over the years, I think I’ve seen everything they have to offer.”
Her nose wrinkled. She finally pulled back and looked up at him. “You choose this time,” she said softly.
The corner of his mouth quirked. “Alright,” he agreed.
He held her hand as he considered the paths, his thumb still making lazy swipes. “We’ve gone left twice and gotten frights both times,” Sirius mused. “You’d think left wouldn’t be a fright three times in a row, but most logic isn’t really applicable in here.”
Her logic had certainly failed.
Dark eyes glanced down at her. “Want to risk left one more time?” he asked gently.
She’d risk anything right now to get them out of this damned forest.
He waited until she’d nodded but he only took a few steps before looking at her again. “You can close your eyes, Celeste,” Sirius said softly. “I won’t tell anyone.”
Her heart had started to pound out of fright but it slowed as his words wrapped around her. “Sirius….”
He smiled. “I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.
“I don’t really hate you,” she blurted, holding his hands with both of hers.
“I know,” he said, his smile growing.
She took a shaky breath before closing her eyes and trusting him to lead her. His steps were slow as he pulled on her hand, being careful with her. She followed as best she could, wanting nothing more than to bury her face back into him.
Her muscles began to stiffen as she felt something cool creep up her legs and a low chuckle wrapped around her.
“Do you really think keeping your eyes shut will keep you safe?”
A breathless squeak left her at the voice that growled around them and she heard Sirius inhale sharply, could almost hear his anger at his own words being used against her, but it was too late. She felt the prickle run over her skin as she tensed before there was a sharp crack nearby.
The silence of the night was suddenly broken by the usual sounds of the forest and they both stood there for a long moment.
Celeste finally peeked out from between her lashes and looked around in confusion. Before the only thing she could see was the path lined in fog that blocked out the rest of the forest and the sparse lanterns lighting their way. Now she could see into the trees and moonlight was filtering down on them. “What….”
Sirius snorted loudly. “You broke it.”
Her wide-eyed gaze swung to him. “What?”
He tipped her chin toward where a magic crystal was hanging from a nearby tree, dull and dead.
Realisation hit her and she flushed. “O-Oh.” Of course it was all magic and the sources would be nearby. She hadn’t even thought about that as they had walked the paths, completely forgetting that none of it was real.
Sirius turned her back to him, his thumb sweeping over her chin. “You are something else,” he marvelled.
She flushed before purring softly as he leaned down to kiss her. “Am I allowed to break the rest of them?”
He smiled against her but before he could say anything they both heard the screech behind them.
Celeste started to turn but squeaked breathlessly as Sirius’ arm banded around her waist and he hefted her off her feet. He moved them to the side of the path as someone came barrelling toward them. She clung to him, watching in fright for a moment before the shape passed them. “Was that…Fenrir?” she asked in confusion.
“I told you,” Sirius said, shaking his head. “He doesn’t do well with the first ghost.”
She could hear laughter coming toward them and watched as Ray darted past them, laughing as he went. He gave them a two fingered salute before calling out for Fenrir to slow down and enjoy the maze.
“But he isn’t going to back down from a dare,” Sirius sighed.