“That would make sense,” Ulrich said. “Let’s hope that others assume that, also.”
“I did my best to spread the word,” Tjard grinned between mouthfuls.
“We’ll need to move from here as soon as it is light, in case this search party decides to check along the stream banks. This is worse than I thought. With that money hanging over our heads, even when I kill my father, they will never stop hunting us.”
My heart sank as I understood what he was saying. Even after Ulrich killed his father, we couldn’t go back to the life we’d once had. The village would never let us return, and all through the land we would be the objects of hunters. Our cabin in the woods was no more, and we were forever branded as the most vile and dangerous sort of witches.
We were truly on our own.
Ulrich
I knew the moment we crossed over into Maerwynn’s territory. There were no markers, no guards or sentries on duty, but as I took a step forward over a fallen tree, a sudden coldness shot through my body, turning my fingers to ice. My chest burned.
I’d felt the coldness before, of course. But the memory of it did no justice to the bitter ice that wrapped around my heart. Maerwynn. Memories came flooding back to me, dark nights wrapped in the cold, a cold that I embraced at the time. Soft breath, leather restraints, naked skin glowing in the dungeon lamps. Flames leaping higher, devouring an innocent life...
I hoped I hadn’t made a mistake bringing Ada and her aunts here. It was the only thing I could think to do, the only place where they’d be safe from the hunters. But would they be safe from Maerwynn? That, I could not guess.
I had to remain strong for Ada, so I set my mouth into a straight line, and strode forward with confident steps, but inside I was wracked with an intense foreboding. Each step deeper into Maerwynn’s wood felt more and more unnatural, as if I were playing hopscotch along the edge of a precipice.
It was Tjard’s turn at the horses. I should have been resting, but I couldn’t keep my eyes closed. I was on edge. I looked back at the others in the cart, crouched between the crates and sacks we’d managed to acquire along the way. I hated robbing supplies from people who could probably ill afford to replace them, but we had little choice. We couldn’t take too much, or the farmers would discover the theft and realize outlaws were nearby. But at least now we had enough oats and beer and dried meats and root vegetables to keep our stomachs full, and we could make a fine gift to Maerwynn, as well. Perhaps that would go some way to sating her temper.
Bernadine had her chin to her chest, loud snores emitting from her cruel mouth. Ada slumped against the barrels in the back, an adorable string of saliva running from the edge of her mouth. Aubrey was the only one who was also awake. She sat upright, back straight, hands folded primly in her lap. She gave me a slight smile and a wave. I nodded back, and focused on the path ahead again.
Please let Maerwynn be reasonable. Please let her—
A twig snapped to my left. I held up my hand to Tjard to stop the horses. I scanned the trees, but here the forest was so dense and thick that I couldn’t see through the foliage. My stomach sank with the overwhelming sensation I was being watched. Behind me, Ada stirred and started to say something, but Tjard shushed her. My hand clasped the hilt of my sward, dragging it out of its scabbard. I felt much safer with it in my hands.
This was a bad idea. A very bad idea.
Behind me, I heard the faintest exhalation of air. Someone clearing their lungs of breath as they drew back their bow—
I threw myself from the wagon just as the arrow soared over me, aimed right where my head had been. I landed hard on my hands and knees, sending shooting pain along my bad leg. Heart pounding, I rolled over on to my back, and grabbed for my sword that had fallen in the dirt beside me. My hands clasped over the hilt, just as a heavy leather boot came down on my wrist.
I looked up, and caught a brief glimpse of a strikingly beautiful female face, surrounded by a halo of pitch-black hair, before another boot connected with my jaw, sending my sprawling. My ears rang. Bright stars danced in front of my eyes.
Ada screamed.
I reached out blindly, and grabbed hold of a slim leg. I yanked it forward, and heard a woman yelp as she hit the ground.
The next few moments passed by in a blur. The red spots cleared enough that I could just make out two women sprinting from the forest in front of me and leaping on the cart. Ada screamed again, the sound tearing through my chest. The woman on the ground leapt at me, her hands reaching for my throat. I rolled away and kicked her below the ribcage. She clutched her stomach and gasped for air.
Seizing my chance, I leapt to my feet and lurched toward the cart, my bad leg giving out beneath me. “Don’t you touch her,” I snarled at the women who held Ada. They ignored me, dragging Ada over the edge of the cart. She kicked and thrashed in protest, but the women were much stronger than her. Aubrey reached out and grabbed Ada’s leg in a last ditch effort to save her, but she only succeeded in pulling Ada’s boot off as she toppled over the edge of the cart. The women began to drag Ada across the ground.
I poured on speed. If they got Ada into the forest, I’d never be able to find her again.
Something bit my shoulder. Pain exploded down my left arm. I dropped my sword, then fell on top of it, landing heavily on my bad leg. Red spots appeared in front of my vision. What have they done to me? My fingers sought the source of the wound, desperate to rid my body of whatever assailed me. I winced as my fingers closed around the shaft of an arrow buried deep into my shoulder.
“You bastards,” I growled at the archer hidden in the trees as I scrambled across the ground, trying to get to the cover of the wagon. My right hand closed around the sword hilt. Even though it was a two-handed weapon, any decent soldier knew how to wield his weapon in either hand in a pinch. “We haven’t come to fight you. We’ve come to speak with Maerwynn.”
“Oh, have you now.”
I turned, my vision still dappled with red spots, and saw her emerge from the forest in front of me. The years had been kind to her, she did not appear older, but instead, his skin shone with ethereal lustre, as if she were a precious jewel polished to a high sheen. She looked as stunning as I remember her – the regal high forehead, those sharp cheekbones and pouting, blood-red lips. A true wild women clad only in leather and furs, a wreath of twisted vines encircling her white-blonde hair, which cascaded down her back in luxurious waves.
I knew, however, that she was no angel. In fact, Maerwynn was the deadliest enemy of all, if she chose to be. I had an arrow buried in my shoulder that proved that.
“Ulrich of Donnau-Ries,” Maerwynn purred, as she stood in front of me on the path. A quiver of arrows hung over her shoulder, and she clasped a yew bow in her hand. I wondered if it was her who had placed the dart in my shoulder, but decided it couldn’t be. If Maerwynn had done it, she would take great pleasure in telling me so.
“Maerwynn,” I growled, taking a step toward her, the tip of my blade aimed at her heart. The strain of lifting the sword made my head spin, but I held firm.
“Lower your sword,” Maerwynn commanded. I felt a tremendous weight on my arm, as if someone had placed a great stone upon the blade of my sword. I tried to keep my arm straight, the blade pointed toward her, but my muscles gave way and my arm swung down.
I knew it was a mistake to come here. The red spots grew larger, bleeding into each other.
“That’s better,” she said. “After all, we’re all friends here.”
“If we’re friends, then have your archers lower their bows,” I commanded. “And ask your women to release the girl. She is no danger to you. And you can call your scouts out of the trees, so that we may comprehend your full number.”
Her eyes flashed. “You are the ones trespassing in my lands, so don’t make the mistake of thinking you are giving the commands here, Ulrich. Besides, you know me well enough to know that what you ask is fair, and I don’t play fair. I’ll release the girl when I
am satisfied. Now, you said you had to speak to me. I am here, so what is your business?”
“I have with me these three witches.” I gestured behind me at the cart, wincing as the arrow dug deeper into my skin. “They are on the run from the law, and need a place to hide.”
“This is not a concern of mine,” Maerwynn said, her voice cold. “We don’t offer sanctuary to every witch that crosses our path, especially not those foolish enough to earn themselves the ire of the scharfrichters. Every person in my coven’s protection has to earn her keep. And who are these witches you are foisting on us?”
I turned and beckoned Aubrey and Bernadine to come forward. Aubrey clambered from the cart, and helped Bernadine down. They stood in front of Maerwynn in their filthy clothes, their eyes defiant, Bernadine’s face twisted into a scowl. Behind them, I could see Ada struggling uselessly against the guards that held her. Oh yes, I thought sarcastically. They look like just the kind of witches you would take in out of pity. Why did I think this was going to work?
“I only see two witches,” Maerwynn smirked.
“The third witch is Ada, whom your guards are treating with such respect.”
Maerwynn nodded at the guards holding Ada, and they dropped her arms. Ada raced to my side, pressing up against me and staring at Maerwynn in a possessive way that made me want to kiss her right then and there. Here, in front of this powerful witch, Ada was trying to claim me as her own. That took guts, although it was also foolish. Maerwynn wasn’t after me, not anymore, unless it was to slit my throat.
“A maiden, a mother, and a crone,” Maerwynn smirked, her eyes falling on Bernadine with a smirk. “How quaint.”
Aubrey stepped forward, her mouth open to address Maerwynn, but Bernadine held out her hand to block her. “I can handle this.” Aubrey gazed at her sister in surprise. I wondered what Bernadine was up to. Please don’t mess this up for us. But then, I grimaced as the arrow bit into my shoulder, how could things get any worse?
Bernadine hobbled toward Maerwynn, leaning against her stick for support. She glared at Maerwynn in silence for a few minutes. I opened my mouth to tell her to back off, that this wasn’t the way to deal with Maerwynn, but she held up her hand to silence me, too.
Maerwynn and Bernadine stared at each other. A cold wind blew through the forest, rustling the leaves in the trees and blowing Bernadine’s silver hair about her face. No one spoke. The coldness returned to my body, spreading down my arms like a disease, wrapping around my chest, and squeezing.
But against that ice, an intense heat started in my fingers, and moved up my arms, the two fighting each other for possession of my body. The result was a strange energy pulsing in my limbs, so I felt both too hot and freezing cold at the same time. I glanced at Ada, who was staring down at her arms with a concerned look on her face. So she felt it too. But what did it mean?
Suddenly, the sensation vanished completely. Maerwynn stepped back, lowering her gaze. She inclined her head slightly toward Bernadine, then lifted her chin again. “They may stay,” she said.
“Mistress?” The woman to her left yelped in surprise. “But they are outsiders. How can we just invite them into our coven? They haven’t been initiated …”
Maerwynn held up her hand. “I have spoken. Are you questioning me?”
“No, Mistress. I only—”
“Then you have nothing further to say.” Maerwynn turned away from the woman and addressed Bernadine. “Follow us to the Haven, and we will find accommodations for you. And Ulrich, that arrow really suits you.”
I growled in reply.
She snapped her fingers, and two young woman scrambled down from the branches above us, bows and quivers strapped across their backs. I hadn’t even heard them up there. Maerwynn whispered in their ears and they ran off ahead of us, their long blonde ponytails trailing behind them.
Bernadine stepped forward to follow Maerwynn. I grabbed her shoulder. “What did you do?” I growled. “You were working some kind of magic. It’s not safe to cross Maerwynn—”
“Maerwynn and I are old friends.” Bernadine said, although her face looked anything but friendly. “I know how to handle a crafty witch, scharfrichter.” Aubrey gave me a look that said now wasn’t the time to argue, and followed Maerwynn’s women into the woods. She turned and gestured for Ada and I to come along also.
Ada looked at me with wide eyes. “Ulrich, I don’t want to stay with these people. I have a bad feeling about the witch with the white hair. Just now when she and Bernadine were staring at each other, a strange chill run through my body, as though I had fallen into an icy lake. But there was heat, too, pushing against the ice. It was as if the elements were doing battle inside my body.”
So Ada had felt it too. That was good. It meant Maerwynn wouldn’t be able to hide her magical workings from her. “It’s going to be fine,” I said. “Maerwynn is dangerous, but she is loyal to those of her kin. She will protect you. Just don’t get on her bad side.”
“I don’t want her to protect me. I want you to protect me. You’ve been doing a fine job so far. Can you not stay with us here? I don’t see how anyone could possibly hunt us down in such a faraway corner of the land.”
I swept Ada into my arms, marvelling how tiny and delicate she felt against me, like a small fawn hiding from a fox. How I longed to stay by her side, to protect her from anything that threatened her. I kissed the top of her head.
“Please, Ada. You’re making this more difficult than it has to be. I will come with you to Maerwynn’s camp, and then I really do have to leave.”
“But not without saying goodbye?”
“I promise.” I brushed her lips lightly with mine. My body surged with heat. I longed to do so much more to her, but I couldn’t risk hurting her again. Curse you, Clarissa.
Reluctantly, Ada let me go, and began to walk after the women, pushing her way through the dense forest. We could not take the cart into the forest, so I rushed to help Tjard unhitch the horses so we could lead them down on foot. When Tjard saw the arrow poking out of my shoulder, his dug out his knife. “Should I get that out for you?” he asked.
“I would love nothing more,” I growled, gritting my teeth against the pain. “But I think Maerwynn would like me to wear it a little longer.”
Two more of Maerwynn’s women clambered down from the trees and picked through the contents of the cart, selecting some of our supplies to bring back to the camp. With Willow’s tether firmly in my hand, I had to hurry to catch up with her, for within moments the women ahead were lost amongst the trees. I could hear them up ahead, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. I caught up to Ada and she gripped my hand like a vice, pulling me forward. With every step, my leg twinged and the arrow dug into my flesh.
Willow followed obediently behind me, raising her nostrils to take in the strange smells of this primordial corner of the woods. We walked for over the crest of a hill, and down a slope into a wide, lush valley. A stream ran down from the mountains, curling its way through the centre of the valley like a snake. It had not yet began to freeze over, but I could tell from the chill in the air it wasn’t far away. The water would be so cold it would burn the skin.
Clustered around the water’s edge were a series of tiny huts and structures – I counted twenty-two in all, quite a substantial settlement. Maerwynn had increased her numbers since I’d seen her last. Between the huts much of the undergrowth had been cleared, and stones brought from the riverbank to create terraced gardens and winding paths. Winter crops overflowed from the fertile beds, and wildflowers peeked between the gaps in the rocks. On a large, flat area beside the river, there were three fire pits, surrounded by wooden benches. Lanterns hung from the lower branches of the trees, to illuminate the paths when darkness fell. It was exactly as I remembered it, and yet, to see it again in all its splendour took my breath away.
“What is this place?” Ada whispered, as Maerwynn led us down a winding path toward the village.
“We call this
the Haven,” replied Maerwynn. “It is the seat of our coven. The whole area is shrouded in protective spells, and I have sentries on duty to warn of any trespassers. That is how we discovered you so quickly. Here we are protected from the witch hunters, and we can work our magic in private. At least,” she glared at me. “We could.”
“I’m not stopping you.” I growled.
“Go with Brunhild, she has prepared some cabins for you.” Maerwynn commanded Ada and her aunts. She gestured to a girl around Ada’s age with pale skin and blonde hair hanging in waves over her large, rounded breasts. Her body was clad in scaled leather armour, and a cloak of doe skins wrapped around her thin shoulders. She nodded at Bernadine, but said nothing. “Not you, Witch Hunter.” Maerwynn’s hand pressed against my chest. “You remain with me. We need to talk.”
Ada gripped my arm hard, staring between Maerwynn and I with wide eyes. “Whatever you have to say to Ulrich, you can say to me.”
“This is not the time for hysterics, child,” Maerwynn said, her voice hard. “Leave us.”
Ada looked from Maerwynn to me, obviously worried. As well she should be, I thought to myself. I am putting Ada in grave danger by trusting Maerwynn. But she’s in even worse danger if you do not. “I’ll come to you in a moment,” I said to Ada. “Go with your aunts. It is safe, I promise.”
“You’ll be right behind me?” she asked.
“I promise,” I said. The second promise I’d made to her today, and I wasn’t entirely certain I’d be able to keep either of them.
Maerwynn waited until Ada’s back had disappeared down the winding path. She led me back into the shade of the trees, away from the main path down into the Haven. Shrouded by the twisted branches of an old oak, we were hidden from view. She instructed me to kneel on the ground.
Coven: a dark medieval paranormal romance (Witches of the Woods Book 2) Page 4
