Struggling through layers of dizziness, she began to awaken to her new surroundings. The sounds of birds pierced the fog in her head. Just as she turned away from the book to see where she was, something knocked her to the ground. Winded and disoriented, she stared up at a sky filled with circling vultures and a host of screeching ravens and seagulls skimming the outlying treetops.
Before she could grasp what had happened, beady eyes lost within a fleshy face crowded in on her, blocking her view. “What have we here?” the man rasped. “Not just a magical book worth a king’s ransom, but a soft young wench too.” His fetid breath made her gag as he raked a rough hand over her cheekbone and down her neck.
Suddenly, he went hurtling sideways. She sat up, seeing that someone had tackled him to the ground. It was Finn!
“Leave her be!” he growled. Leaping to his feet, he grabbed the man by the collar, punching his face with unbridled rage.
Fate stared at him in shock. Was he really here or was she imagining him? As blood sprayed from the man’s mouth, she cringed, accepting his startling presence as real. Unsure about how she felt about that, she stood and started over to him, stopping when three other men pulled him backwards, each pummeling him from all sides.
Afraid for him, she cried out. But her fear was unwarranted. Finn’s returning blow sent one of the plunderers flying into a thick tree trunk.
All of a sudden, the tree’s branches snaked down around the man, lifting him into its sprawling canopy. Fate staggered back in disbelief, unable to look away as the tree slowly and cruelly impaled him with hundreds of writhing branches.
Stifling a scream, she absorbed the full horror of her surroundings. Stretching as far as the eye could see to either side, stood a dense belt of giant oaks. The rising sun glared at their backs, casting their twisted limbs in stark contrast. But it wasn’t the trees themselves that gripped her with terror––it was the countless number of rotting corpses dangling like torn rag dolls from their branches. A veritable banquet for the droves of winged scavengers swarming over the carcasses, pulling strings of meat off bones, picking at empty eye sockets.
The wind changed, wafting the sickening stench of death over her. She dropped to her knees, retching.
Hearing muffled screams at her back, she turned to see Sithias coiled round the fat man’s head and shoulders. The snake hauled him kicking and thrashing high into the air. Holding his position for a moment, he flapped in place above the trees as if he might save the man from an awful demise. But he let go, allowing him to fall into the grappling oaks, where countless branches skewered him alive.
Shrinking from the sight, she turned the moment Finn plowed both fists into the chest of one of the attackers, sending him hurtling through the air. He slammed into another oak, back cracking and a look of paralyzed fright on his grizzled face as a branch pierced his chest, hoisting him into the ghastly graveyard in the sky.
When Finn turned to the last surviving raider with a murderous glint in his black eyes and lips stretched in disgust, the man dropped to his knees, holding his hands in surrender. “P-please sir, s-spare me!”
In a seeming blur, he was next to the marauder, hauling him to his feet, shoving him toward the oaks. “Would you have spared any of us, had the tables been turned?”
The man’s heels left trenches in the dirt. “Yes! We’re robbers, n-not killers!”
Finn’s voice lowered into a snarl. “And what of the young maiden? She would’ve been safe with her virtue intact?”
“I-I––yes, of course!”
He slammed him up against the tree. The sweaty man quaked, rolling his eyes upward. The oak’s gnarled branches twisted toward them, suddenly repelling when they came close to Finn.
Sithias landed next to Fate. “Did you sssee that?”
She nodded in astonishment. While she was grateful for being saved from those awful men, Finn’s unforgiving rage, coupled with such astounding strength and speed, was frightening. She knew he’d changed, but not to the core.
“Finn, let him go! There’s been enough killing!” she yelled, running toward him.
He held still, glancing over his shoulder at her.
She saw his face twist with fear as a branch lashed out at her. Without seeing him move, he somehow closed the space between them, grabbing her so hard by the waist the air squeezed out of her lungs. As she struggled to breathe, pain sliced across her arm. Looking down at the laceration, the branch made another grab for her as Finn carried her away.
The limb twisted inward, catching the surprised thief who was too slow making his escape, it raised him into the canopy to join his fellow conspirators.
His tormented cries echoed out over the forest.
Shaking as he set her down, Fate covered her ears.
After what seemed like endless screaming, Finn forced her trembling hands down from her head. She resisted, wanting to hide from it all.
Nudging her chin to look at him, he stared at her, his eyes now a peaceful green, but questioning. “I sense you’re angry with me, even scared.”
Fate turned her gaze to the ground. “You’ve changed so much. I’m not used to it.” She glanced up. “And the way you went after those men.”
His brow creased into a scowl. “They were going to throw me to the oaks––Sithias too, had they been able to catch either of us.” The green of his eyes vanished to black. “And they would’ve done despicable things to you.”
Sithias slithered up next to them. “He’sss right, misss. We had to defend ourselvesss.”
Fate glared at the snake. “Defend, yes, but you dropped that man into the trees like chum to sharks. He didn’t stand a chance.”
Sithias sagged. “I know. I wasss cold-blooded…well, I am cold-blooded, but––”
“And you,” Fate said, turning her heated gaze on Finn. “You were so…vicious. You were out to kill.”
He looked surprised. “I don’t know what I was like when we were together before, but I clearly understand the relationship between predator and prey, and those men were killers. I swore never to be a victim again after Tove taught me to fight, hunt and kill if necessary.”
“So, you’re saying she taught you to be a brutal predator?”
“Listen, when we’ve got a moment, I’ll tell you the miraculous things that happened while we were apart. Maybe that’ll help you come to terms with it all.”
“Yah, that’s it, I want to hear all about you and Tove.” She stormed off in the opposite direction, still ranting, “I’d rather have all the hair on my head tweezed out one at a time, thank you very much.”
Sithias caught up with her, his expression uncomfortable. “I suggessst we get ourssselvesss to Asssgar––”
“By the way, how’d he get here?” she fumed under her breath. “You did this, didn’t you?”
Dropping his head low, he glanced at her guiltily. “I lassoed him secondsss before you ssstarted reading.”
“Why?”
“Becaussse you would’ve been missserable without him.”
She eyed Finn, where she’d left him standing several yards away, his expression bewildered. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m miserable with him,” she whispered.
His wings flopped in a shrug. “Sssuch is the curssse of love.”
Pulling her notepad from the pocket of her parka, she muttered, “You are so in trouble.”
•
In the blink of an eye, they arrived on a grassy hill overlooking a rolling lush valley that swept to the edge of the sea, where a pale castle gleamed in the summer sun’s early morning light. The regal citadel was heavily fortified on three sides by a wide moat and sheer cliffs protecting its back. Colorful pennants fluttered along the turrets and garlands of flowers lined the gates, denoting the Beltane festival. As did the numbers of happy, brightly dressed people flowing through the castle gates on wagons filled with food and wares.
Sithias stared at the splendor with a puzzled expression. “It doesn’t appear asss though the
citizenry hasss been pauperized. All those wagonsss are carrying rather generousss suppliesss.”
Finn closed his eyes. “There’s powerful magic at work here. Moria’s illusion extends to the borders of Asgar.” His expression turned grim, his eyes darkening as he stared at the castle. “I can’t see through her veil, but if I probe deep enough I can feel the undercurrent of hatred and even smell a tinge of rot and decay.”
Uncomfortable knots of uncertainty pulled tight in Fate’s stomach. He’d been sensitive before, but not this strongly. He was so different now. She could handle the new spidey senses and super powers easily enough. It was the ruthlessness that scared her the most. The Finn she’d created had valued life above all else. What had Tove done to him?
She glanced back, catching him looking at her, his gaze probing. Kicking at the grass with the tip of her boot, she glanced downward, hiding her face behind her hair.
“At the moment, I could care lesss,” Sithias said. “I’m sssimply grateful for warmer weather. And what perfect timing––we’re here for the Beltane fessstival. If we presssent ourssselves asss traveling performersss, we’ll fit right in.”
“I like it,” Fate said, stepping over to where Sithias smiled up at the sun. His grin was infectious and the heat of the sun and lush meadowland was definitely uplifting after enduring the freezer box they’d spent the last month in. “Only I don’t think you’d fit in even if this was a festival for snakes.” She pointed at his wings.
Sithias slumped. “You could be right. Oh, why did Elsssina have to get ssso wing-happy?”
Jotting down a few words in her notepad, she whispered them aloud. Within seconds a glamour necklace appeared in her hand. She dangled it in front of him proudly. “Try this. If my writing skills are worth the money they pay me, it should work. But if it doesn’t, we’ll have to stick you in a cage and charge tickets to gawkers who want to see the freaky bird snake.”
He looked revolted. “If I’m going to be put on disssplay, I prefer sssnake bird. The wingsss are more of a decorative feature, though gratifyingly utilitarian.”
“Agreed,” she said as Sithias dipped his head through the necklace.
Just when she thought the glamour might be a dud, Sithias transformed into a freakishly tall, skinny young man with bone-pale skin, long flaxen hair and a goatee that curled into a point. He wore a linen toga over a white body suit with a golden circlet of leaves crowning his head and a harp hanging at his side. Though his eyes remained amber and he’d kept his wings.
She cupped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. He couldn’t control his new body and moved like a marionette puppet, tilting to and fro with long limbs flipping off in all directions. “Sithias! You’re human! And you look…interesting.”
He puffed out his chest. “A ssstoryteller mussst look the part.” He looked almost dignified until he twisted his ankle, nearly toppling over.
“Any reason you kept the wings?”
“All part of the ensssemble.” His proud expression went blank, like he’d forgotten something. Putting his back to her, he peeked under his toga. “Oh my…” he said, “I have gentleman vegetablesss!”
Finn stepped up next to him. “Having the twig and berries doesn’t make you any more human. You’re still a snake under it all.” He shoved his shoulder into Sithias, nearly knocking him off his wobbly legs. “But you’re timing’s good, mate. It appears we have company.”
Some of the people traveling to the castle were veering off their path to get a closer look at the giant book and winged man. With no time to address Finn’s rudeness toward Sithias, Fate wrote hastily. By the time the curious onlookers climbed the hill, she had the Book of Fables tucked inside a mule-drawn caravan with carved giant storybooks on each side.
Sithias became the center of attention, waxing poetic and reciting a short story.
Finn drew up behind her, saying, “We should also change our clothes to suit the occasion.”
The heat of his breath against her ear sent a tingling ripple up her spine. Resenting the ease in which he hijacked her feelings, she hurried round to the other side of the caravan to clear her head and conjure something suitably medieval.
Having shed his furry, arctic weather wear, Finn was down to his boxers when she looked up from her notepad. A plume of heat swept up her neck, burning her face. Embarrassed she’d been caught staring at his muscled chest, she shifted her gaze to the sky, remembering the agony of watching Tove salve his burn. The rune she’d branded him with was now a smooth scar over four disturbing welts. She longed to ask why he looked like a tiger had used him as a scratching post but felt far too estranged to do so.
Shrugging, he bent to pick up the clothes she tossed at his feet. “Sorry, I was positively sweltering, and modesty wasn’t an issue with Tove and Grysla.”
Anger flared in her chest. “Like I care.” Putting her back to him, she climbed into the caravan to change.
Ten minutes later and a little less edgy, she emerged from the caravan dressed in a simple blue tunic dress over a cream-colored linen chemise.
He was waiting for her just outside the steps, grinning and holding out his arms to show he was dressed. “Does this please m’lady?”
She hovered within the door, her eyes sweeping over him with restraint. She’d supplied him with a linen Jacobite shirt under a brown leather tunic and tweed woolen breeches, tucked into tall leather boots. Everything fit him perfectly and, yes, he looked more than pleasing. Next time, she’d give him a jester’s costume.
“It’ll do,” she said coolly, and stepped down.
He gathered up his arctic wear. “I’ll just put these inside. Wouldn’t want to lose them.”
Her gaze darted to the fur bundle. “Souvenirs from the Twisted Bone Forest? A fridge magnet might’ve sufficed.”
“A precious gift is what it is,” he said, his voice tight as he traced a finger over the artful stitching.
Unable to bear the painful look of regret on his face, she hurried to join Sithias.
“We have an audience already,” Sithias said as the crowd dispersed. “And I’ve been told we should get down there possst hassste before all the good spotsss are gone. Asss I’m sure you know, location isss everything.”
They climbed into the driver’s seat. Fate made sure Sithias sat in the middle between them. Finn didn’t seem bothered; he simply directed the mules past the palisades enclosing the jousting fields and archery stations, over the drawbridge and through the castle gates.
The outer bailey overflowed with people milling about, pitching food and shop pavilions, and theatre platforms. The crowds parted as they moved deeper into the bustling enclosure, while a host of court jesters and minstrels on stilts paraded past––some juggling balls, others playing flutes or singing. Everywhere, young women adorned with flowers weaved through the crowds, casting flirtatious glances at their handsome young pursuers. The very air seemed to buzz with excitement and merriment, building with anticipation of the day’s special events.
They passed by a group of men raising a tall tree stripped of its branches, except for the very top foliage. Garlands of flowers wrapped its slender trunk and long silken ribbons dangled from the top ring of greenery.
Sithias flung his long skinny arm out and pointed. “Ah, look, the Maytree.”
Grinning, Finn elbowed him with a roguish wink. “Where the lusty passions of the day begin and build to a fever’s pitch, only to cool when the bonfire’s embers die in the wee hours of the morn.”
“Yesss indeed, ssspring fever, when wantonnesss runsss amuck,” Sithias said in a conspiratorial tone.
Fate watched this unexpected display of male comradery with total confusion. “What are you two going on about?”
They both looked at her and laughed.
“What?” she said, feeling like the butt of a joke.
Finn pulled the reins and leaned forward to see past Sithias. “Beltane’s a celebration of the fertility of all living things, not just what is
green and growing from the earth. Nine months from now, there’ll be a baby boom in the kingdom.” He raised an eyebrow, watching to see if she understood.
As she realized his meaning, she blushed. “Oh.”
Sithias smiled at her. “No need to be embarrasssed.” He turned, whispering to Finn. “Her mind doesssn’t run in sssuch directionsss. After all, she’sss never even been kisssed.”
“Sithias…” she said, feeling her face flare with even greater warmth.
Finn’s expression softened into thoughtful surprise.
“Oh, I’m sssorry, misss,” Sithias said, though she doubted his sincerity. He stood up, perusing where they’d stopped the caravan. “Ah yesss, I think thisss will do rather nicely.” He clamored past Fate with elbows and knees coming close to knocking her from the seat, stumbled down the steps and landed in a tangled heap.
She jumped down beside him and helped him up. His humble smile and quivering wings effectively cooled her ire. Smiling, she shook her head. “I hate to say it, but you suck at being human.”
He straightened as best he could, though he still teetered like a drunken sailor. “I sssimply need a little practice,” he said, and plucked a string of discordant notes on his harp as if this made him more appealing.
She grimaced. “Being human isn’t the only thing you need to practice.”
He pulled a pout––easy to do now that he had lips. “I assure you, I have alwaysss been musssically inclined. But what I’d really like isss to sssee what I look like. I’m positively bursssting. Would you be ssso kind asss to conjure up a mirror for me?”
Fate did as he asked.
He stood riveted in front of the full-length mirror, striking one ungainly pose after another. Pushing his lips down, he drew his brows up into a pitiful crease. Then he clapped. “That’sss sadnesss! Did you sssee it?” He then continued to make faces for other emotions.
Finn walked over to her. “There’s no telling how long he’ll be admiring himself, so how about we take a look around and get a lay of the land?”
Fate's Fables Boxed Set (Fables 1 - 8): One Girl's Journey Through 8 Unfortunate Fairy Tales Page 19