Huntsman's Prey

by Marie Hall

  “What’s done?” Reflection stirred at the sound of her voice, and Chrysalis whispered of her deed. Reflection laughed and laughed and laughed, but tonight the sound chilled her to the very marrow.

  Chrysalis watched as the land rumbled beneath him with a tight frown on her lips. The hunter had wounded her, might have killed her, she’d seen the decision in his eyes the moment he’d pulled the knife. And yet, all along she’d felt his restraint.

  But just as she was slogging her way through all those muddied thoughts the voice in her head grew louder, and louder, and it hurt so bad she could hardly think anymore. Grabbing her skull she turned and walked back to the place she now called home. A small little den she’d hewn out of stone hidden behind a rainbow waterfall.

  She never uttered an apology to him for what he’d find come morning, but she felt it all the same.

  Aeric awoke to the sensation of being watched. In one swift movement he’d rolled over and had his twelve inch blade poised at the body that’d been hovering atop him just seconds ago.

  An angry chatter of squirrel sounded before it’s big bushy tail scampered off, disappearing within a muddy sinkhole.

  A sinkhole?

  He frowned. How had he missed that last night? His heart thundered imagining what might have happened if he’d made camp atop or beside one. Many an unwary traveler had met their demise by those things.

  But just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief he noticed his pack was gone, and a fire he’d made certain not to set last night was blazing only a few yards away.

  The sun was creeping up over the horizon.

  There were dark spots everywhere. All his tools, his wares, everything he’d brought with him was gone. Even the skins he’d covered himself with to ward off the chill of night was vanished.

  The ghostly mirage of a smiling feline chuckled in his peripheral.

  “It seems the creature has struck while you slept,” Cheshire’s drawl was thick and amused.

  “What?” he snapped, rubbing his head as the direness of his situation struck. He’d erroneously assumed there was only one sink hole, but like a land full of hidden mines, the tell-tell dark spots peppered the forest floor.

  “What the hell?” he snarled, “I did not make camp surrounded by trees. Lissa and I set up in a field.”

  Cheshire’s tail swished back and forth. “Hum. Are you sure, hunter, for I am fairly certain as far, as I can be certain of a fair, that you’re in what I affectionately dub the home of shadows.”

  “Lissa!” He bellowed. She’d set up camp within the earth, what had happened to her last night?

  Cheshire tsked. “She is not here. In fact,” he tapped claw to furry chin, “you’re not here. Or rather, you’re not at her here. She is there and you are here.”

  “You said I wasn’t here, so which am I? Here or there?” Huntsman growled, grabbing his head. It was much too early for riddles.

  “Try to keep up, man, you’re not here and she’s not there. You’re exactly where you always were.”

  Rubbing his throbbing brow ridge, Aeric tried to work out a plan on how to safely maneuver around the countless holes.

  “She’s gone off to find the broker. I imagine,” Cheshire squinted at the bright sky, “she’ll be here in three… two…”

  “Huntsman,” Lissa’s familiar voice caused Aeric to turn.

  A shaft of sunlight dappled through leaves beside her, making her appear almost radiant in its morning glow. Her skin was nearly translucent, but instead of just bits of her, all of her was on display this morning. Her hair was a wild, silky mass tumbling across her breasts and back.

  He swallowed hard.

  “Where am I?” Aeric asked with a voice grown hoarse. She was still a good sixty yards away from him.

  Today, just as yesterday, she wore no clothing. At some point she should definitely consider putting on clothes. The nudity was becoming a mild distraction. He shifted on the balls of his feet.

  Her eyes were wide and she looked exhausted. Taking a step forward, he extended his arm to her. “Are you well?”

  “Stop!” She held up her hand. “Don’t walk, don’t move. Last night the lands betrayed us.”

  Realizing what he’d been about to do, Aeric jerked his arm back to his side. Had he really been about to walk out to her? What kind of fool was he becoming?

  Shaking his head at his temporary insanity, he cleared his throat. “What is going on here? I wake up this morning to find a fire burning beside me, trees all around, and all my goods gone.”

  She nodded. “I was burrowed inside the earth, had I seen her, heard her, I would have warned you. By the time I came to, it was already too late.”

  He shook his head. Not understanding how he’d been moved so far. “What has she done with my things? How did she move me while asleep?”

  Lissa wrung her hands in front of her. “She did not move us, huntsman, she rearranged us. You cannot make it out of there. Not without seriously harming yourself, each hole goes down for an eternity into the ground. You’d fall with no end.”

  “How did you get out?”

  She moistened her lips. “I don’t know. But when I awoke I was not within the circle of death. Rather just outside of it, I believe she did not know I was with you.”

  He gnashed his teeth. “Then how am I to leave here? Do you have rope, or branch to toss me, to help guide me out of here should I fall?”

  “No.” She shook her head vehemently. “That would never work. I’m not strong, nor substantial enough to hold you.”

  She was probably right, he outweighed her by a good four stones, if not five. “Lissa, I cannot stay here.” Glancing around, looking for anything that might be of any help to him, and recognizing that there was absolutely nothing within reach, Aeric had to admit things were looking grim. Even though he appeared to be surrounded by a solid layer of dirt and grass, he recognized it for the illusion that it actually was. The ground around him was literally riddled with dark spots, all of which were sinkholes.

  There was a very stiff breeze out this morning, ten yards ahead the long meadow grass was waving, but the grass all around him was completely still. There wasn’t even the barest flicker of movement to it.

  Any trees he might have grabbed on to for support were well outside of reach; there was a hole in front of him, behind him, and to either side of him. Each one overlapping so that there wasn’t even a slight bit of land for him to step toe on.

  Heart hammering, only just realizing that one wrong roll during the night would have sent him spiraling down to his doom, he forked his fingers through his hair. Turning to sand wouldn’t work either. Because to lose even one grain of himself down a hole could lead to catastrophe.

  “If you’ve got any ideas, Lissa, now would be the time to share them.” He looked up at her.

  She was standing off to the corner, whispering furiously with Cheshire.

  The purple and black-stripped cat shrugged before flicking a glance his way. “You’re screwed, hunter. Farewell both, and Lissa, do not be such a stranger. I positively cherish our tete a tetes.”

  The cat vanished in a silvery plume of smoke.

  Lissa sighed.

  “What were you whispering about just now?” Aeric asked with an edge of distrust.

  She shoved a thick curl out of her eyes. “I think I may know of a way to get you out of there.”

  “How?”

  “The broker.” She nibbled on the bottom corner of her lip, looking positively nervous.

  His eyes narrowed. “The cat mentioned that name. And just what is the broker?”

  And that’s when he noticed a small golden ball held in the palms of her hands. There was nothing particularly special looking about the bauble, just a small bit of gold. “This is the way out. I toss it and it creates a bridge for you to safely walk across.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?”

  Her lips pinched. “I wasn’t sure whether you’d want me to. The Cheshir
e told me I should just do it, but I wanted to ask your permission first. After all you are a man and men are generally wont to save themselves in moments such as these.”

  Her candor was refreshing and he couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. He also couldn’t fail to note the slight widening of her cat shaped eyes, or the pretty blush that rose high upon her cheeks.

  “I can assure you, I’m not fool enough to not seek out help when I need it.”

  Blinking, as if she’d been momentarily thinking of something else, she nodded. “All…all right then.” She cleared her throat, definitely sounding nervous.

  He wondered why.

  The ball sailed through the air and as it did a fiery trail of flame coalesced into a burning bridge of orange and blue. The crackling snap and pop made him grimace as he waited for the heat to swamp him. He shielded his eyes.

  “It will not burn you,” she said.

  And for a split second he could have sworn he felt the sizzling flame beat against his flesh, but he soon realized it was just his imagination. Dropping his hand he stared at the bridge of flame. “I’m feeling like there is a but in all of this. What haven’t you told me, Lissa?”

  “You’re right,” she nodded, “the broker does nothing for free. Should you use the bridge, then you’ve automatically agreed to his terms of payment.”

  “And that is?”

  She shook her head. “He did not tell me.”

  “And how will he even know I used this?”

  “He’ll know. The broker knows all.”

  That sounded ominous. But as he looked around Aeric knew he was out of options. He was literally stranded on a small island of land with no food, no warmth, and no shelter.

  So either it was take the devil’s bargain, or stay and slowly wither away. “This is why I never come to Wonderland,” he muttered, regretting his decision all over again. Damn Danika and her tears.

  Rolling his eyes, he stepped foot on the bridge, muscles tense and expectant. Still expecting the fire to burn, or singe, or that perhaps the bridge wouldn’t hold his weight. So many terrible possibilities of what could go wrong confronted him, but even though the fire did curl around his pant leg, it did not harm him.

  Taking a deep breath, he committed himself fully, trying to imagine that he walked across a standard drawbridge and not one that currently crackled with flame.

  The breeze carried her scent of spring rain deep into his lungs. Lissa stood on the other side of the bridge, which had now widened to accommodate her. It had also shifted, no longer leading in a straight line to the other side where she’d stood just seconds ago. It was now turned toward the right and was zigzagging around, on top, below, and through the trees themselves.

  And the second she stepped foot on the bridge, it sealed her opening. There was no way to get off the bridge now that they were on it either, not unless they jumped down to their deaths. This bridge obviously meant to take them somewhere.

  He glanced at Lissa who now walked beside him. “Any idea where this means to go?”

  “No.” She gave him an apologetic twist of her lips.

  “I figured as much,” he said without any heat behind it. It wasn’t like he had many choices available to him.

  She turned. “Are you mad at me then?”

  “No.” He scrubbed the back of his mouth, wishing for his pack, if only so that he could brush his teeth. It was his one luxury he allowed while camping. Many hunters cared very little for personal hygiene; he was not one of them. “Frustrated, confused, curious, yes. But not at you. How did that creature do this to us?”

  He assumed she must be shrugging since her head bobbed strangely, she’d once again grown transparent around her chest and shoulders. “I honestly have no idea. I woke up only to realize what’d happened to you.”

  “I do not understand how I slept through all this. I’m a very light sleeper. It’s an occupational hazard to not be.”

  More than anything Aeric was aggravated with himself. Ever since stepping into Wonderland, nothing made sense anymore. All his skills had seemingly disappeared. Being the queen’s huntsman meant something. He was the best at what he did.

  But it was as if the very land itself toyed with him. He’d failed at all he’d tried thus far.

  His molars ached from clenching them.

  “You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself, Aeric…”

  He turned at the sound of his name on her tongue, hating to admit that he enjoyed the way she said it. Not with a hard ‘e’ sound, but a lilting ‘ah’ sound. She made it sound exotic. He grunted.

  “…this world is not for the faint of heart. The mere fact that you’re still alive, hale, and relatively sane still speaks highly of you. You can never trust what you see or hear here, it is utter madness to do it.”

  “So you do admit it,” he laughed, wondering if she knew she’d just confirmed his argument of before.

  She shrugged with a secretive smile.

  “Can I trust you?” he asked softly, fluttering his fingers along her cheeks, not knowing why he did it, only that she was so close and her scent so strong and she was very, very naked.

  But again, as with so many other things here, what appeared to be firm flesh, was nothing but smoke and mirrors. His fingers slipped right through her.

  Even so, she paused as if she had felt the touch, and her breathing hitched just a little.

  For a moment their gazes locked and what’d seemed nothing but black when he’d first seen her eyes were now twin pools of indigo ink, bottomless and viscous and indescribably lovely.

  He opened his mouth, ready to say… something. But then she blinked and reality crashed in on him. What the hell was he doing?

  Taking a giant side step away from her, he glanced to his right. Pretending to study the forested landscape.

  “I can only warn you that things will get harder,” she continued on, this time sounding a little breathless. “I will help you find her, if I can. But now you owe the broker a boon, I fear I may have gotten you into a worse mess than ever.”

  “But can I trust you?”

  “You shouldn’t.” She shook her head, a long blue curl slipped from the knot at her head, laying enticingly upon one rose tipped breast that’d reappeared.

  She was so translucent now she was very nearly invisible. But it was easy enough to imagine her whole, to recognize that she was a beautiful woman if she could ever maintain her form long enough.

  “I told you where to make camp, look what happened to you.” Her look was defeated, almost humiliated and Aeric scoffed.

  “I was an ass yesterday, I think we can both admit it.”

  She neither denied it nor agreed.

  He chuckled. “It’s okay, it won’t hurt my feelings. Look, Lissa, twice now you’ve bailed me out of perilous situations. I was arrogant to believe I could stroll into Wonderland and do here as I’ve done everywhere else. I would die before I admit this out loud to anyone else, but I’m pleased to have you around.”

  Her smile was radiant and he clenched his fingers.

  As beautiful and alluring as she was, he did still have questions. Who was the broker? How had she managed to escape the obvious trap? Was she really being honest about this with him? That was perhaps the one that bugged him most.

  But she was practically skipping along beside him and he just wasn’t in the mood to spar today. He’d ask his questions soon enough.

  The path they walked seemed to stretch on into infinity, they were still within the shadowy forest, and every so often when Aeric looked down there were holes. At some point they should exit the trees, and yet, it almost seemed to him as if they walked a giant circle. Rather than going out, the bridge was subtly looping in on itself.

  So what initially appeared to be a straight shot out was actually not.

  Stopping, Aeric grabbed the pocketknife out of the sheath in his boot he always carried and cut a notch into the thick branch of the tree nearest him.

  “What are y
ou doing?”

  Flipping the blade down, he shoved it into his pocket. “Does any of this feel familiar to you?”

  She looked around them. “How so?”

  Jerking his chin for her to keep walking with him, he licked his canine. “Like we’re moving in circles.”

  “I’m not sure actually.”

  “Maybe not.” He shrugged. “So tell me, Lissa, how is it that I was able to touch you that first day? I felt your kiss?” Her face turned a bright sheet of scarlet. “Now you’re as solid as shadow.”

  She sighed. “It is like that with me sometimes. I cannot control this body and I’m not sure why. It is why I switch to feline, that one stays fully corporeal. Does this bother you?” She glanced down at herself.

  “Not as much as it did. I just find it different,” he admitted truthfully.

  A puff of smoke enveloped her, until she was once again the powder blue ball of fur. Her tail swished sensuously back and forth. “Better?”

  Not really. He actually preferred the woman to the cat, regardless that parts of her were sometimes missing. But he shrugged instead, not wishing to put those thoughts into words.

  “Look.” She pointed with her paw, when he turned to look, he immediately noticed the notch in the wood.

  He traced the roughened edge of it. “We’re lower.”

  “What?” She jumped onto the railing of the bridge, shoving her black little nose closer.

  “See.” He tapped his finger to it. “When I cut into it, I did it at eye level.”

  “It’s at your jaw line now.”

  He nodded. “We’re not actually walking in circles. We’re going down.”

  “Like a spiral staircase.”

  “Similar. Come on,” he started forward, “let’s see where this leads.”

  She trotted alongside him for a while before he asked again, “Who’s the broker?”

  “A man.” Her eyes looked shuttered.

  “Just a man? No, I don’t believe that. Not here. He’s called the broker, he’s important. So who is he?”

  She sighed and hung her head, her whiskers twitched as she said, “legends call him many names. Trickster. Coyote. Loki—”