One thing my mother and father had taught me was that some men were just plain evil. They wished nothing more than to hurt others, and this one here was a perfect example of that. “You should learn to keep your hands to yourself.” Reaching into the ancestral magic deep within the sacred forest, I heard one tree root break free, and then another, until the old oak tree leaned its branches forward and plucked him away.
There, bound tightly in the treetops in chrysalis-like wrapping, rested the remains of those who’d trespassed this sacred space.
All things truly did have a cost, and touching the rightful high priestess, that cost was death.
He yelped as the tree raised him up higher and higher by the neck of his tunic, his kicking and screaming would be of no use to him.
“You will pay for this, witch.”
“It’s treason to touch the high priestess, and even the guardians of this grand grove know it. I’m confident when they’re finished teaching you the lesson of the eunuch, you will learn that women exist not for your meager pleasure.”
With that, I smiled and raised my hand, the anthropomorphic tree nodded, and a vine unraveled from the oak's trunk, creeping higher and higher toward the guard’s neck. Tonight, the grand oak would have another ornament to add to those already wrapped tightly within its vines.
That was the thing about the grove, it was always listening, always watching. So, why then didn’t it stop whoever had taken Sadie?
The clapping behind me caught me off guard. Breaking through to the clearing, I saw the man from the lake. No longer dripping wet, he had a weak smile on his handsome face, but it was his kind green eyes that made me relax.
Then I noticed the sword in his hand pointed downward. He was holding his side and leaning against a tree.
“Sorry, I arrived too late to assist you, dear madam.” His voice was rich, like a nice mead brewed by Sister Marlo. “But it appears you no longer need it.”
I nodded with a small smile. “The forest gives me all that I need.”
“Then I’m hoping it may be of some assistance to me, as well.” With that, I saw him sway on his feet.
Whatever had injured him, his wound wasn’t healing. Was it from weapons of gray magic?
His knees buckled and he crashed to the forest floor.
Then the most astonishing thing happened. Out from the trees, the forest floor foliage and flowers, wisps of white and blue glowing lights appeared to surround him. They lifted him up, carrying him along the forest’s path.
I gasped.
He’d awakened the land wights.
Chapter 9
Shaking off the shock of what I was seeing, I followed the land wights as they encased and carried the unconscious man down the foot-laden path. Their lights were brilliant, blinking in a strange rhythm, seeming to carry a song along the branches of the trees overhead.
I glanced around in wonder, but the daunting situation removed my joy. This stranger, supported by the land wights, had yet to awaken, and the coppery scent of blood wafted in the air. I could feel the icy claws of death beckoning.
The man had mere minutes, at most, if my calculations were correct.
I knew this path well, as it led to my parents’ cottage near Bogberry Stream, but I’d never seen it radiating with such magnificence. Brushing my hands along the dark-and-gnarled bark of the trees in greeting as I continued onward, wisps of blue light broke away from the land wights to crown my head. I smiled, feeling comfort and warmth wash over me. These were the creatures my mother had always spoken of. And it felt as though they knew me through her.
We reached the clearing after several minutes, and I saw my parents’ stone cottage. It was small, but it held everything we’d ever needed. And so many precious memories. Father had built it with his own hands, receiving a blessing from this sacred grove. I lifted my eyes toward the heavens and said a prayer of thanks to the goddess.
The land wights hovered near the covered entryway, and I hurried to the door, turning the old brass knob and stepping inside. The smell of my mother—lavender and mint—smacked me in the face as soon as my feet crossed the threshold. I reached for her fox-shaped totem and wrapped my hand around it. I could almost feel her presence in this space.
With a flick of my wrist, the candles lit within the cabin. There was no time for a trip down memory lane.
I rushed to the left side of the home where Mother’s potions were stored along the shelving. First, though, I needed to clear the long, wooden table in the center. The land wights then lifted his body gracefully and placed him on its surface where his sword clanged with a loud thud.
His breathing was shallow in my ears. Time was running out. I turned, grabbing what I needed from my mother’s potions, and tossed them into the black cast-iron cauldron hanging from a fortified hook inside the large creak-rock fireplace. Lifting my palms outward, I recited the spell for fire, “Ignis.” Large orange-and-blue flames burst from my fingertips, lighting the firestones beneath.
Heat filled the room as I began to prepare. If I didn’t hurry, this poor man would die. I pulled the ladle from the cauldron, blowing on its contents, praying to the goddess I could save him, when I was suddenly stopped by an unknown voice. I peered around the cottage in search of an intruder, but what I saw nearly caused my breath to catch.
“Dearest.” A land wight zipped before my eyes. Her skin appeared rough, course even, like the gray-and-brown bark of the trees in the sacred forest. A vine twisted around the crown of her head, accented by green oak leaves. Her rose-petal-colored eyes carried concern. “You must hurry if you are to save our honorable guest. He has proven himself to be a friend of the grove, and the goddess.”
“What happened to him?”
“The air reeks of poison, and for one of his kind, it is dragonwort.”
“Dragonwort?” That would mean he wasn’t a simple man, but a dangerous dragon shifter. I gasped. The mark of the dragon on his side at the lake? Was he connected to the dragon I’d tried to save? Dear goddess…
“Dearest, you must save him if you are to save the other,” she admonished. A warmth spread in my belly, and again, I recalled my mother’s wisdom, kindness, and grace. If the guardians of the forest offered him assistance, I, too needed to be honorable.
“Of course.” Honor didn’t end once duty and obligation had been met. I’d made vows to help those within the forest, and as High Priestess, I would stay the course.
Removing the stoppers from the oak sap and fir essences, I sprinkled them in the black pepper powder, and a sprig of rosemary, adding them to the cauldron. Stirring once more, the land wight came to rest upon my shoulder.
“Nova, repeat after me, as our magic together shall seal the poultice.”
What else could I possibly do but agree? And she knew my name. She knew me as I’d thought through her connection to my mother.
Instead of the language of the coven, her words floated midair and formed before my eyes: “Haemantin helminth aal animates.” I spoke as if urged to comply. As we said them, the words dropped down into the potion, congealing it. I stirred the mixture again. It sizzled, popped, and sparked, turning an emerald green.
“Dearest Nova, place some of the potion on your palm, and then onto his wound. It will leech the poison from his system. You will need a strong ally for the battle ahead.”
“Battle?” I didn’t plan on fighting anyone. All I wanted was to find Sadie and bring her home.
My gaze shifted to the sword on the table, and back to the land wight. “Concentrate, dearest. You cannot make a mistake. The price for salvation is to save the hero before you.”
He didn’t appear to be that of a hero. Beneath all the dirt on his soiled body, I couldn’t discern much about him.
I placed my hand to his wound, feeling his heat rising along my arm.
“You must stay just so until the poultice seals,” the land wight chastised.
I remained still, and as if time had slowed to a snail’s pace, I s
tared at him, truly taking a long unabashed gaze. He was striking. There were no scales evident, no evil wings, no fangs. Instead, if I had to admit to anyone, I’d say he was appealing to look upon. His naked torso appeared sculpted as if made of fine sandstone; his muscles formed and lean. There wasn’t an ounce of extra bulk above the waist. I refused to peer lower. And instead, batted my eyelashes. It was never good to act like a mare in heat. I’d seen the horses; they could be related.
The land wight cleared her throat. “When you are in need, only speak my name, Marigold, and I shall appear.” In a twig’s snap, she fluttered away to where the others rested, and the big man I’d been holding a hand to, flashed open his eyes, leaving me at a loss for words.
A slow smile spread across his face. “Again, fair maiden, it would seem I was the one in need of saving.”
Chapter 10
The room suddenly felt smaller. I couldn’t tell if the heat in the room was coming from Sir Handsome or the blazing fire that seemed to grow ever larger. I pulled at the collar of my cloak.
“See here, fine sir, it’s good that you’re back on your feet again.” He wasn’t, though, as he still sat on the table that surprisingly held his weight. The more I looked at him, the more my stomach tied itself in knots, my knees wobbled, and my heart thundered like the summer storms. I rubbed my hands together where his warmth lingered and took a step back. “I’m in a rush, but you were also in need of help.”
“Aye.” His voice was rich and smooth. His aura radiated violet, displaying his compassion. Villains weren’t compassionate, as I’d seen earlier during the night. “This night has been quite distressing.”
The owl’s alarming hooting in the distance caught my attention. “It’s about to grow even more so.”
“You can tell all of that from an owl?”
“I can tell all of that from the owl and the fox screaming like a phantasma. The guard who’d attacked earlier surely had comrades. We must hurry. Can you walk?” The last thing I wanted was to be found by the king’s men. They would only delay me further. The hunt for Sadie had to continue.
He kicked his feet over the side of the table and stood to his full height, towering over me. Yep, in his presence everything felt smaller, except me. I didn’t feel smaller at all. Truth be told, his standing near sent a surge of warrior spirit through me. I didn’t know why, to be honest. When we’d first met, he could barely hold his sword, now he could barely unsheathe the thing.
“The king’s men will be arriving from the west,” he said. “We could tuck back into the forest and head around the lake.”
That plan would dam us in, and damn us, too. “No, it is best to follow the stream toward Niverwe Bay, as I must make my way to town.”
“Town? Should they learn that you’ve helped me, a price will be placed on your head.”
And treason, I thought to myself. If my coven were to know. “Well, a price I shall pay, but not for that. Come.” We didn’t have time to quarrel over whose plan would be the correct one. He could either follow me or not, but I had to find Sadie before it was too late.
Easing toward the door, I heard the neighing of horses in front of the cabin. “Bullocks in a bag,” I muttered. “This will take some finagling to make right.”
I pushed him under the table, quickly glided my hands over its edge, sealing it off with an invisibility spell. “Whatever you do, you are to remain quiet.” I didn’t give him an opportunity to respond. I only had but a moment to think on my feet.
Thudding on the stone steps signaled their arrival. Grabbing my mother’s skunk potion, I doused myself in it. Then taking the green goo from the cauldron, I rubbed it over my face, neck, and hands, pulling my cloak over me. “Cronus apparatus,” I quickly whispered, right before the door creaked open.
“Who is it, child?” I whispered and turned, only to see the knight in his shiny armor pinch his nose and grimace.
“I come on orders of the king.” His voice boomed throughout the small space.
“What say you?” I shook my hand by my ear for added emphasis. “You’re hungry and in need of a lead.” Playing the part of an old witch in the woods usually worked wonders, especially with the added skunk.
He wrinkled his nose. “Old woman, you smell foul.”
“No, no fowls here, but there once was a pigeon that lived in the tree over by Puck Lake. I spent quite a few summer moons trying to catch the rascal, until one day, it shat on my head and gave me this here luck.”
“Luck is for idiots and madmen.”
“Ah, but I don’t need luck when the goddess graces me with her kindness.”
“The only kindness needed is that of your King. One day he will stomp all of this sorcery down and be praised for the great man he is.”
“Yes, men think great things of themselves. But the forest lives.”
A soldier peeked into the cottage only to cover his nose. “Excuse me, sir. We’ve taken a look. Just a lot of humbug and inanimate objects here.”
“I make the best gruel in all of the forest. Are you sure you won’t have any skunk testes? They provide enormous vitality.” I leered at them just to push it over the top, and then waggled my eyebrows. “It’s been a long time since this forest had a nice randy visitor.”
The soldiers took three large steps back. “Thank you, ma’am, for your kindness.”
I treated them to an old crone’s smile. “Oh, miss is just fine.”
I headed to the door and watched them scurry away with their tales tucked between their legs. We’d escaped a close call.
I raised my hands, the spell lifted, and riotous laughter came from beneath the table. It practically shook.
“Give me just a moment.” I moved back toward my parents’ sleeping chamber. Locating the vial of lavender, I rubbed it in my palm and performed a cleansing spell, erasing the skunk residue that had made its way onto my tongue. Yuck!
In all my years of playing pretend with Mother, I’d never thought it would have real-world implications, but it had been a good lesson.
With the skunk and goo now gone, I found the man standing on his feet again, waiting for me.
“Aye, Miss, we should get going before they discover your ploy.”
“No, it will take weeks for that. There has been a rumored woman of the woods for decades,” I said softly. “My mother loved to have her moments of freedom from within the walls of the coven’s keep.”
I didn’t know why I mentioned my mother any more than I knew why I truly wished to help him.
“I owe you a great debt. I am Edrick of Dragon Mountain.” He stretched forth his hand as if to shake my own.
What an odd custom.
I frowned. “Is that how you greet one another there?” Admittedly, I knew little of the customs within Dragon Mountain, and it seemed that only my mother’s teachings had been correct. Dragons bled like I did, and this one, well, he was kind. He even laughed like I did.
“I’m Nova.”
I stretched out my hand to take his, and he bowed his head according to witch’s custom and kissed the back of mine. His lips on my hand sent a tingle directly up my arm and straight to my cheeks. I could feel the heat. Uh-oh.
“Nova is a lovely name.” He said my name as if it were sweet juices dripping from his tongue.
I pulled my hand away. “Regardless of how lovely it is, I must now be on my way.”
“And I shall join you.”
“No.” I shook my head. “You can barely walk.”
He chuckled. “I am a great many things, and capable is only one of them.” Again, that damn tingle.
If we continued this sort of exchange, I was certainly going to need a way to resist whatever this growing attraction was. He was like a dog I wanted to pet.
And I was allergic.
Chapter 11
The next hour was filled with ducking and dodging, as the king’s men seemed to be on the hunt for Edrick. We followed the stream away from the forest and toward Tunlem River, and Krukis
River juncture. We’d need to detour to avoid the men and the guard’s traffic. Thankfully, I’d thought to magically clothe him in the uniform of the king’s guardsmen, but it was only a precaution.
The disguise wasn’t perfect upon close inspection. I’d overused my magic, and when I peered down at my right hand near the crook of my thumb, I could see the four full moons fading into half-moons. Which meant, my magic would have to recharge. I was no longer within the covens’ sacred walls. I should have controlled my magic earlier on, but now it was too late.
Passing by single homesteads, I saw the lights in the distance even as the king’s men patrolled the roads. They wanted to capture Edrick at all costs, it appeared.
For me to enter town alongside him, a disguise would be needed, and I could feel my magic waning even further. I stumbled only to have Edrick reach out and catch me.
“You can’t keep on like this, Nova. You must rest.” Unlike other men, outside of my father, it wasn’t a command, but a request.
I shoved my hands inside my cloak, hiding away the now-visible four half-moons. Until they were again full, I’d be powerless. What was a witch without magic?
Perhaps I could use one of the emergency potion vials in my satchel, but then it needed to be urgent. Crossing a night patrol didn’t qualify.
“I take it you have a plan, then?” I whispered.
“Okay, thank you for asking, as I am good at leading.”
This was not the time to have him talk about his talents, and surely, he had many. The blind could see he wasn’t talentless. But would his brawn be good enough, and did he have a brain?
“Just go with it, and be mine,” he said, and pulled me into his warmth.
“Go with what?” I raised a brow in question. This didn’t sound promising. Mine?
“You shall see. You’ve played the crone, now play the drunkard.”
I stared at him. “I don’t have any magic left.”
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