The bird skull is such a fragile little thing, so delicate that merely closing your fist around it would be enough to reduce it to dust. You could destroy it here and now, and put all Heather’s talk of curses and ill omens behind you. But, of course, you don’t. Rummaging in your modest luggage for a moment, you take out a spare boot lace and loop it through the skull. With the tiny totem dangling from around your neck, you get up and start to leave.

“Isambard?” Alex ask, hurriedly glancing up as you brush past him, “Are you-”

“I’m going out for a bit,” you answer curtly, “Don’t worry. I’ll be back in time for the train home.”

“...Alone?”

“Alone,” you nod, “I’ll travel faster on my own.”

You leave before he can muster up a counterargument.

-

You don’t dwell too long on the task of finding Magdalene, simply setting off into the forest in full confidence that she’ll find you. If she doesn’t want to be found here, in her home territory, you won’t find her, and no amount of searching will change that. So you walk on, following the partial trail until it leads you to Barbeau’s cabin. There, of course, Magdalene sits waiting for you on the front step.

“I thought you’d be getting ready to leave,” she remarks, although there’s little surprise on her face or in her voice.

“Soon. I’ve got time to tie up one last loose end,” you reply, lifting the bird skull from around your neck and tossing it across to Magdalene. She catches it deftly, studying it with a solemn eye. “Miss Heather found that somewhere in the forest. Some secret place, she said,” you explain, “It might be a curse or an ill omen, but she wanted me to have it regardless.”

“Did you do something to offend her?” Magdalene glances up, one corner of her mouth twisted by a faint smirk.

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Not that you’d really care if you did.

“These forests are full of secret places, places that have never been touched by man. Some, perhaps, that have never even seen the sun,” Magdalene thinks for a moment, “Come on then, follow me. Let’s see if we can find this secret place of yours. One thing, though – do you know what you’ll do when you find it?”

Not “if” you find it, but “when”.

“I’ll decide that at the time,” you shrug, “If I was to do something especially malicious, would you try to stop me?”

“Hm,” Magdalene tilts her head to the side, “I’d decide that at the time.”

You’d expect nothing less. Without another word, she gets to her feet and starts off into the forest. There’s no attempt at searching for a trail, for any sign of disturbed ground or human activity. She simply picks a direction and starts walking. Without a second thought, you follow after her. Soon, as the trees close behind you, you lose all sight of the cabin. Your sense of direction fades soon after, but there’s no fear.

If the forest swallows you up, then so be it.

[1]