Heart of the Forest (Arwn's Gift Book 1)

by Christina Quinn

  Islwyn and Grwn tried to pull them apart several times but kept failing. Each of them knew exactly how to twist his body to get out of every hold. When they finally pulled the brothers apart, they kicked at each other until they went limp and unconscious. Grwn picked Yorwrath up and set him across his saddle.

  “I have a family,” Grwn said, in a moment of odd frankness, as he took Yorwrath’s red bandanna off and set it beside the unconscious elf on the saddle. “A little boy who is eleven this winter and a girl six this spring… They’re both half-elven. You wouldn’t know my girl had any human blood in her, though. She looks like my mother. But my boy…” he shook his head. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way…but it’s not worth it.”

  “Is this what you’d tell your wife?”

  “I did, and I’m not a Swynwr. I don’t have people watching me as close as Aneurin does. Claiming you was stupid, claiming you in the way he did…was confusing. Aneurin’s smart. I think he might be the smartest elf I’ve ever known—he’s certainly smarter than his shit-for-brains brother. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “He loves me.”

  “Then he should have had the good sense to put you up on the coast instead of claiming you as property. Unless you…” He tilted his head to the side.

  “We took vows where the Swynwrs are laid to rest.”

  “Plow me sideways.” He lowered to sit on the ground with a little grunt.

  “Is that a bad thing?” I tilted my head to the side. His gaze settled on Islwyn, who was nearby checking Aneurin over. The elves who’d been freed had already fled, and, after watching Aneurin and Yorwrath fight, I couldn’t blame them.

  “It’s a thing.” We shared a laugh. “You should go look through their bags and stuff. They probably had a bunch of coin on them. Good work with the bombs. How did you make them?”

  “C’mon, Grwn. You’ve a wife. You know a girl must keep her secrets,” I called over my shoulder as I started searching the camp for anything useful. When I neared the fire, a hard wind blew, and I shivered in spite of the heat and felt something’s attention settle on me. I looked around, expecting to see Islwyn or Grwn watching me, but neither were. Squinting in the dark, I swore I could see shapes moving in the shadows—things that, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear were staring back at me.

  Chapter Ten

  We didn’t get that feather bed. Instead, we were in the saddle for two more hours at a hard gallop until we reached an old abandoned farmhouse. That sensation of being watched never let up, even when I practically fell from the saddle and staggered into the musty, rotting shack. Outside the broken windows, I could have sworn I saw something moving in the darkness. Islwyn and Grwn moved the unconscious Yorwrath and Aneurin from their horses, and I collapsed onto the dusty remnants of a bed, choking on the dust my small form kicked up as the support beams under the rotted straw dug into my back.

  Islwyn laid Aneurin next to me on the straw, and Grwn dropped Yorwrath on a pallet with a thud. Islwyn didn’t sit. He paced the small shack. That crystalline gaze of his darted around as his pale brows furrowed, the moonlight glinting silver off them. His small lips parted and he moved his hand to his sword. I shivered a bit and sat up, shrugging. Islwyn’s head twitched to the side as if he were listening to something.

  “What do you feel, Druid?” Grwn inquired as he looked over the pacing blond.

  “I—” Islwyn started, but his words were cut short.

  Aneurin sat up with a gasp and wildly looked around. His irises were so bright in the dim light that they almost glowed. His chest heaved and it was like he couldn’t catch his breath. With his hand on his chest, he looked about, almost in a panic.

  “We’re… We have to go.” Aneurin slipped from the bed and took my hand, pulling me to standing.

  “We just got here.” Grwn sighed. “And your brother’s a fuck of a lot heavier than he looks.”

  “You’re more than welcome to stay, but I’d recommend getting the fuck out of here.” Aneurin dragged me toward the door as Islwyn continued to look around the shack. He walked to a corner and brushed some dust off something on a shelf that I couldn’t see in the dark. Whatever that dust hid made him backpedal so fast he fell on his ass and then scrambled to stand.

  “Gachu,” Islwyn cursed in half panic.

  Aneurin threw open the door. On the other side stood what looked to be a three-headed old woman. It was cloaked in ragged, moldy, moth-eaten black cloth. The heads twitched at every sound, like a bird observing everything around itself. Long white hair spilled over their shoulders and their sickly gray skin looked rotted and pockmarked. Each was missing a sense organ. One had her eyes covered in a pus-soaked bandage, another’s jaw hung down limp and useless, and the last one…wore her ears around her neck on a string. The stench that accompanied them was incredible. Looking at them made my heart beat so fast with fear I thought it would explode.

  “Oh look, they’re all here…” A voice sounded from nowhere and everywhere. Hearing their speech made me feel sick to my stomach.

  “The king, his queen…”

  “…the druid, the knight…”

  “…and the rook,” the three-headed creature continued.

  “What a pity it looks as…”

  “…though the king has already…”

  “…sacrificed the pawn to save his queen.” Deep dark laughter sounded, and I looked around.

  “Queen?” Islwyn spoke the word slowly.

  “They spoke the vows in…”

  “…that sacred place of life…”

  “…and death. Before you almost…”

  “…slipped your fingers inside of…”

  “…her, you naughty boy!”

  “We were the only…”

  “…guests, Druid. Before you…”

  “…tasted of her nectar…”

  “…they honored us with…”

  “…their vows. Long prior to your…”

  “…lust quickening at the thought…”

  “…of her sopping womanhood.” Oh, I would give anything for some salt, or rosemary, or sage—anything to protect me from them. My jaw set in a hard line.

  “Oh, she trembles like…”

  “…a leaf, poor child! Do we frighten…”

  “…you? How about now?”

  In the space of a breath, their form shifted from the hideous, old, rotting woman to three young beautiful maidens with soft skin and long flowing hair. The one who had been sightless was a redhead, the one who had no mouth was a blonde, and the one with no ears was a brunette. Their eyes were black as night, whites and all. They stood before us with their new shapely forms void of covering.

  “We are going to give you a…” The redhead spoke in a soft, sultry voice.

  “Wedding gift! You should rejoice!” The blonde beamed, continuing.

  “We bring you your crown.” The brunette beamed at me as she stepped forward. In her hands was a garland of holly that hadn’t been there before. Aneurin stepped forward, placing himself between me and the three.

  “So strong and handsome!” the redhead purred. “But you’re not ready for our gift yet. Your queen is, but you aren’t quite there.”

  The brunette stepped in and took a long slow breath and held it for a moment, savoring his scent before exhaling. She then stepped back.

  “Soon, not now, but soon,” the blonde spoke. “We will keep our gifts for now, out of respect.”

  “But you will ask for them soon, Swynwr. And we may or may not deliver when asked.” The brunette stroked her hand down Aneurin’s chest. Behind me, I heard Yorwrath groan.

  “Fuck me,” he growled, and then he gasped when he noticed the figures before us.

  “Good morning, Yorwrath. We’ve missed you.” The blonde spoke, drawing out his name, curling her tongue seductively over each syllable.

  “Ladies,” he grunted as he shoved Grwn from him.

  “I trust you have not forgotten your debt.”

&nb
sp; “Debt?” Aneurin snapped, whipping his head around to glare at his brother. “You stupid, arrogant piece of shit.”

  “Now, now, Swynwr. We know…”

  “… you have one request, or…”

  “…rather two, now that you…”

  “…know your brother’s plight,” The brunette finished their collective thought, she traced her over Aneurin’s bottom lip.

  “We will give you your desire, Aneurin ap Aeon. And you only have to give us one thing, for all of your comrades to go free and your brother’s debt to be forgiven,” the redhead said as she stared at me.

  “There’s potent magic to be had in the seed of kings, and we want a taste of it.” The blonde smirked out the words.

  “We are within rights to demand much more from you.” The brunette giggled.

  “No, you’re not. You have no power over me,” Aneurin spoke slowly. The three hissed and returned to their initial form.

  “Smart one you are, Swynwr. No, we have no power over you or your beloved… But we do over your brother and the druid. It is only fitting that we take Yorwrath—he is in our debt!” A twisted smile spread across Eyeless’s lips, revealing teeth rotted black.

  “He killed our Darkest Midnight!” Mouthless twitched.

  “A fine replacement he’d make,” Earless finished as their faces pressed closer together.

  “And the little pale druid…”

  “…why, we’d drain him dry. Remove all…”

  “…of that pesky blood that ruins his…”

  “…complexion, and we’d make…”

  “…him our Brightest Dawn!” The eyeless one raised a finger and leveled it at Islwyn.

  “Fine.” Aneurin sighed.

  “We knew you were a smart…”

  “…one. Now let us suck it from…”

  “…your root, and you’ll be…”

  “…on your way.” That voice traveled from form to form as they knelt before Aneurin, who unlaced his trousers, but not before glaring in Yorwrath’s direction. He was as flaccid as could be as the hags set on him. Their long blackened tongues snaked out from between their lips to slather his length in their thick cloudy saliva. Aneurin shut his lids tight and clenched his jaw with his arms crossed over his chest.

  “I can’t watch this,” Grwn confessed as he walked away. Islwyn went to join him, but Yorwrath stayed there smirking like the sheepfucker he was. The jawless one focused on licking Aneurin’s shaft while the others drew his heavy sack into their mouths. His lips tightened into a small hard line, but his body reacted. Slowly and almost grudgingly amidst the slurping, sucking sounds his shaft slowly started to rise.

  “He’s doing this to save you, you ungrateful sheepfucking shit,” I growled at Yorwrath, who started snickering at his brother’s humiliation.

  “So? I fail to see how that has any bearing on my amusement at the present, Dy’ne.”

  The jawless one pulled back from Aneurin. His thick erection was covered in what looked to be some sort of slimy yellow-green goo. It hung from him in thick ropes that stretched until they finally broke. That viscous fluid then slowly dribbled from the tip of his phallus like egg yolk slipping from a fork. I lost it. I took three steps forward and collapsed in the dry grass, vomiting up water and then finally dry heaving. I wanted to be there for him, but I couldn’t be. Every time I thought about turning back around to see what Baba Yaga was doing my stomach churned more.

  Lying in the grass, I could still hear Aneurin’s grunts and the nauseating noises coming from behind me. There was no other way to put it: it sounded wet and nasty, and the smell was next to unbearable.

  “Mmm, we can taste your…”

  “…power; so potent…”

  “…so virile…” That voice filled the darkness as I closed my lids and rested my forehead against the rough ground. Yorwrath cackled wickedly.

  “That’s it, Swynwr, pour your…

  “…seed down our eager throats…”

  “There’s so much of…”

  “… it. Are you thinking…”

  “…of your sweet queen?” The noises stopped, and I turned around, raising my eyelids. Aneurin’s eyes were still shut tight. Yorwrath still cackled madly as Baba Yaga stood. The three heads had Aneurin’s seed smeared around their mouths. They made no motion to wipe it away as they twitched, birdlike, together toward Yorwrath.

  “We don’t know why…”

  “…you’re laughing, impotent…”

  “…knight. You couldn’t even finish for us.” Their words made me giggle as I rolled on my back and stared up at the starry sky. Yorwrath’s laughter died in his throat.

  “You left our poor mouths dry without offering!” Jawless pointed at Yorwrath with one boney gnarled finger.

  “Aneurin ap Aeon, you will receive all you desire…” Eyeless twitched back toward Aneurin.

  “But you will know sadness, before the end…” Ears nodded slowly.

  “…And pain and loss too…”

  “…But you are who you are Swynwr…

  “…Everything promised…”

  “…and spoken of, and more.” The wind picked up again and sent a shiver down my spine. And as immediately as they appeared they were gone.

  Islwyn was the first to walk up to Aneurin. He held out a length of linen, and Aneurin wiped himself off. That green and almost red gaze seemed wide with terror as he cleaned the pus and bile from his once again flaccid length. When he had cleaned himself as best as he could, he dropped the linen to the ground. It hit the dirt with a sticky, wet, dull squelch.

  “I’ll meet you at the river.” Aneurin spoke flatly without looking at any of us as he walked away. He mounted Ys and rode off almost in a trance. He was actually handling it better than I thought he would.

  “I’d need my alone time too,” Grwn rumbled with a bit of a shiver. “I’m not ashamed to say I was throwing up in the bushes the entire time, and they didn’t even touch me.”

  “They’re still watching us. I can feel them souring the pit of my stomach,” Islwyn snarled, shaking his head.

  “Impotent, huh?” I beamed at Yorwrath, who adjusted his red bandanna and walked over to his horse without his normal threatening attitude.

  “You can ride with me. The river isn’t too far from here,” Islwyn offered, before he whistled to his dapple.

  * * * *

  Riding with Islwyn wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it’d be. He kept a bit of space between us and rode at a slow canter. Grwn and Yorwrath were specks on the horizon. He kept shifting behind me like he couldn’t get comfortable and I could feel his tension.

  “So we’re not going to talk about how Baba fuckin’ Yaga just held us hostage so it could drink Aneurin’s seed?” I asked with a bit of nervous laughter.

  “It could have been worse. Baba Yaga Bony Legs does as it pleases. It’s as old as the earth beneath the horse’s hooves or the wind that blows through the trees. I’m curious about Yorwrath killing one of its servants. I know Brightest Dawn died before we diminished, but Darkest Midnight was supposed to be the strongest.”

  “I know the stories. I even know how to call to Baba Yaga. I’d never do it because it’s worse than a djinn and gives a whole new and creepy meaning to ‘be careful what you wish for.’”

  “Shh, it’s still watching us. For some reason, you fascinate it…and I doubt that’s a good thing.” Islwyn swallowed and reached a hand around my waist to steady me. His touch was whisper-light as always. “I’m sorry about my behavior toward you.”

  “Are you saying this because now you know I’m your queen? Or because they just let it slip that you want me?”

  “You’ll never be my queen. You’re not even his wife,” Islwyn grumbled, and I rolled my eyes at him.

  “So it’s because you want me?”

  “That is the motivation for my apology. And at the same time, I still want to snap that slender, swanlike neck of yours.” His words made me swallow nervously as he heeled the
great dapple on, and I suddenly wished I had ridden with Grwn. “It’s a given that Yorwrath will fuck you. He likes to rub Aneurin’s mistakes in his face. I’ll watch him take you, and I’ll see the horror in your eyes when you realize you like it.”

  “And you’ll rub your cock the whole time, wishing you were me. Tell me, Islwyn, are you going to sit up at night listening in the dark for the sounds of Aneurin having me? Are you going to close your eyes and stick your fingers up your arse pretending his soft sighs are coming from being deep inside of yo—” I regretted my words the moment he shoved me from the horse. Clearly I had touched a nerve.

  “You can walk the rest of the way to the river, Dy’ne,” he called over his shoulder, as he heeled his mare into a fast gallop.

  I lay in the grass for a while staring up at the stars. Oh, I wasn’t stupid enough to whine about not deserving it. Admittedly, I knew I had that coming. Insulting him was fine, but taking it to the level I did was stupid. Offering me a ride was a kindness he didn’t have to extend. Yes, he was a shit, but he didn’t deserve me twisting the knife in his heart.

  When I finally stood and dusted myself off, Islwyn returned. He rode up beside me and offered me a hand, before pulling me on the back of his saddle without a word. I wrapped my hands around his waist, and I leaned my cheek against his strong back as he continued that easy canter through the overgrown fields.

  “I don’t think you want the truth,” Islwyn said after a while. “It’s often a bitter tonic that cures nothing and causes further malady.”

  “What did you see in the shack that frightened you?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “Eyes, and bones that had yet to be picked clean. Baba Yaga isn’t usually as kind as it was to us. We elves know better than humans. Usually, those who escape have to limbs, organs, or children yet to be born in order to continue living. Always something for the cook pot… it’s more voracious than any horde of trolls. It’s one of my nightmares to be eaten by them. Sometimes they take their victims bit by bit while still alive.”

  “They said they were going to turn you into Brightest Dawn—the white knight.”