River Black
Inana insisted on River having a bath and fresh clothes before anything else was discussed. The witch dressed her wounds and braided her hair for her, to keep it out of her face. She felt better than she had in days. This time, Inana dressed her in loose trousers and a loose blouse with a wide sash. River may have liked the dresses better, but she had to admit she was more comfortable.
After she was dressed and she finished off another bowl of stew, which was venison, according to Inana, River was ready to hear just what her ‘choices’ were. They all sat around the table and Tamsin seemed to have calmed down, though his expression was still sour.
“I’m going to speak first,” he said the very moment River sat.
River Black River Black stared at her phone’s screen through tear filled eyes, the last text she’d received a watery haze. It wasn’t a surprise, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. And it couldn’t have come at a worse time. She fought the urge to hurl her phone into the ravine, and tucked it into the back pocket of her jeans and wiped her face. At least the view was nice. She could see so many stars, so many more than when she was sitting on her roof at night at home in the city. River hadn’t wanted to go on the camping trip with her parents, but they’d begged and pleaded and she just didn’t have the heart to tell them no. Now, she wasn’t sure if she was glad or not that she came. It was nice to get away from everything. She didn’t even have cell signal. But as they had pulled into the campground, the sun setting, she received one last text before all her bars dropped to one, then to no signal. All she wanted to do was respo
Tamsin Eventide Tamsin waited, his carriage hidden by a copse of trees, for the tithe to show itself in the clearing. He was just out of sight. He didn’t need them to see him. It only added to the poor sacrifice’s confusion. He only hoped it would be over quickly and wouldn’t awaken the terrible hunger in his own curse. One day, he hoped to control it, himself. Control his own ability to transform from man to wolf. But now, it came with the rise of the full moon. He’d been told by the Witch Queen that taking a mate would help him control his abilities, but he didn’t want to endanger anyone, especially not a future wife. A queen. He watched as the Fae Cinder, peered through the doorway between the human world and their own forest. He seemed particularly delighted. “A pretty one this time,” he said over his shoulder, clearly talking to Tamsin. It didn’t entice Tamsin as he was sure that’s what Cinder wanted. The Fae had a
River Black River collapsed to her knees in front of where the doorway had just been moments before. She prided herself on being strong, being brave, but this was so far out of reality that it rendered her weak. Just for a moment. Tears streaked down her lightly freckled cheeks. “I’ve gotta wake up,” she whispered to herself, pinching her arm. All it did was sting a little. There was no way this was actually happening, she knew that. It wasn’t possible. You just didn’t get yanked into other...what? Dimensions? Worlds? After following a strange light. She knew it was stupid now. The music, the light. She’d heard fairy tales before. She’d listened to YouTube videos about going missing in the woods under bizarre circumstances. It was just she hadn’t believed in any of that stuff. She never really thought very deeply about it. After crying and pinching her arm until it was red, River got to her feet. She only had one shoe on. It would mak
River BlackRiver scrambled to look, but the man with red hair was gone. Like he’d never even been there at all. If he’d simply run off, she’d have seen him. There was no way he could leave so quickly without a trace.“Where did you go?” she hollered out. No one answered.Every second that passed, the sun began to sink lower and lower. The shadows grew longer and the air grew more chill. She only wore a short sleeved, thin t shirt over some skinny jeans. She wasn’t equipped for a cold night. That and her socks were soaking wet from accidentally stepping in the creek.River didn’t know how to start a campfire, and she didn’t know where to go or where to run. The man had said something was going to happen to her. That it would be ‘nasty’. She didn’t know what that meant, of course, but she was utterly terrified, her hands shaking.Before the sun sunk utterly below the
Tamsin Eventide:He moved without telling his body to do so. The illusion of control he had over his curse broke. The safety of the new moon was a lie. He moved stealthily through the trees, his sea green eyes slashed with silver crescents. He could feel himself change, not wholly, but enough.Enough for what? He didn’t know.His lips peeled back from his teeth, now sharper, elongated, and his nostrils flared. He tracked the Dain through the trees, intent on killing the monstrous son of Carmun if he must. Nothing could touch his woman. His mate.His curse demanded he have her. Possess her. No treaty made in heaven or hell could stop him or stay his hand. Tamsin had never wanted anything so badly in all his life. Just this woman. River. Though he couldn’t see her now as he moved, silent and deadly, through the trees, his mind supplied him with the picture of her beautiful, tear-stained face. Her sweet cries for help.The
Chapter SixRiver BlackHer mysterious savior led her by the hand through the dense woods. Sometimes, he would look over his shoulder at her, his gaze intense. His expression remained neutral and friendly so she tried not to read too much into it. She was still shaky, still unable to process not only what she’d seen, but what had happened.Tamsin, didn’t speak as he helped her along. It seemed the whole forest held its breath as that -thing-, the Dain, hunted the woods. It had been hunting for her. She was chosen, Tamsin had said. She was a tithe. River didn’t know what all that meant, but it filled her with fear and dread. Still, this all felt like some unreal nightmare. She was half sure she’d wake up any minute, safe in her tent with her parents.It seemed like they walked forever. She wanted to fire out a thousand questions in quick succession, but didn’t know where to start. She’d open her mouth to ask one and it w
River BlackHouse Eventide was a sprawling manor surrounded by a wrought iron fence dripping with crimson roses. Four stories and made of marble, it was the most beautiful building she’d ever seen in person. It did look like a prince would live there. Something about it was sad too, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Most of the windows were dark, heavy curtains drawn. The gardens in the courtyard were a little overgrown. It looked to be a grand place forgotten. She supposed that’s what made it sad.Tamsin helped her from the carriage and took her into the manor, sneaking her in almost. He said that though he hadn’t seen his brother in a long time, he wasn’t keen on visitors and had a fiery temper. Plus, he’d broken the treaty, and he was sure his older brother would be angry with him. He promised her he would deal with it and told her not to worry.River was too confused and dazzled to worry. Opu
River BlackRiver held the candelabra in her hand, holding it aloft, looking around the huge room. It was so big, it dwarfed her living room back at her parents’ house. Everything was draped in white cloth and for a moment, she felt lost in that room too. It had no windwos and seemed to be below ground, in a basement level, though she wasn’t entirely sure. It had been a disorientating walk in the dark mansion. River hoped it was nicer during the day. Less confusing. In truth, she hoped that when she woke up, she’d be inside her tent, safe and sound and all this would be a strange dream.Finally, she found the bed. It too, like the room, was a huge, down stuffed four-poster monstrosity. It looked like the bed a queen would sleep in. It smelled regrettably musty, but it was soft and dry and better than any other option she had.She set the candles on a shrouded dresser and tugged off her dirty, wet socks. Her jeans were torn and