“She’s pretty.” Another voice from my left, and immediately my eyes snap in that direction.
There are two of them.
The man standing on the weathered log leaps down, effortlessly landing before me without making a sound. Reflexively, I retreat a few paces, my eyes frantically darting back and forth between the two figures. The darkness obscures their features, yet their dangerous aura is unmistakable. Taking two more cautious steps backward, my body tenses as I unexpectedly collide with another person.
With a sharp intake of breath, I swiftly pivot my body to confront the unexpected intruder, feeling the rush of adrenaline through my veins.
Violet eyes stare down at me, sparkling mischievously. “Where are you going?” he asks, reaching for my face.
I back away, my heart pounding in my chest and a sick feeling twisting my stomach. The odds are definitely not in my favor. While I have some knowledge of self-defense, I doubt it would be enough to overcome three men. But that doesn’t mean I won’t fight back.
One of them lights a flame, illuminating the area, casting light all around. I turn to face all three men, my eyes darting between them. With the torch now lit, I can finally see their faces. Eachis strikingly handsome, their features chiseled and defined, and their eyes varying shades of purple. The one nearest to me flashes a smile, but it’s far from friendly. It is cruel and wicked.
My stomach knots, my fingers trembling with my fight or flight response pushing me to react.
The one closest to me turns his head to peer back at the other two, and I catch sight of his ears, their pointed tips standing out.
What are they?
I force down my fear, which is swirling inside of me like a tornado.
“What a treat to come across,” snickers the one I bumped into.
Again, that odd language.
“How did you get here, and all alone?”
“Lonely women are so much fun.”
The one closest to me lunges forward, his hand stretching out to reach for my arm. The moment his cool fingers make contact with my skin, a surge of heat engulfs me, and I can feel the heat of his desire like a knife slicing through my skull. Instinctively, I scramble backward, desperately trying to put some distance between us. In my rush, I lose track of the others, and accidentally bump into someone. Swiftly, a sets of arms wrap around me, their tight hold causing a surge of fear.
A primal scream escapes my lips as I forcefully throw my head back, connecting with his nose. The nauseating crunch echoes in my ears, followed by his pained grunt. I feel a sickening sense of satisfaction as he releases his grip, allowing my feet to touch solid ground. Without hesitation, I break into a sprint, my heart pounding in my chest.
Fingertips graze my back, sending shivers down my spine. I clamp my throat shut, fighting to suppress the scream threatening to escape.
I hear one of them angrily cursing, accompanied by the two others cackling with amusement, as if I have somehow made this a game for them. Their hollers echo through the air as they run after me. Adrenaline pushes me harder and faster than ever before. I’m in the middle of the clearing when one of the men cries out in pain. I glance back and feel a wave of relief as I realize they have stopped chasing me. My eyes have adjusted well enough that I can make out their forms in the distance. I stop running and drop into a crouch, hiding in the long grass. The gentle breeze dances around me, caressing my skin with its soft touch, almost reassuringly, as if wanting to soothe away any worries or troubles that may be weighing on my shoulders.
Taking slow, deliberate breaths, I carefully watch from my crouched position, feeling the dampness of the grass beneath my fingertips.
What are they doing? What happened to the third one?
Both men are alert, their attention on the treeline, their eyes scanning for any movement. A piercing, high-pitched whizzing sound shatters the silence, causing my hands to instinctively fly to my mouth. My heart slams against my chest, and I gasp, witnessing one of the men crumple to the ground. My eyes lock onto something protruding from his neck, a chilling sight that sends shivers down my spine. Meanwhile, the remaining man swiftly crouches down in the grass, disappearing from my view. My heart pounds relentlessly as my eyes frantically scan the dense treeline, desperately searching for the unseen assailant responsible.
Seemingly materializing out of thin air, a colossal and obscured shadow emerges from the dense foliage. The very ground trembles beneath me as I witness the figure hurtling toward the exact spot where the previous man was crouched. My jaw drops in utter disbelief as the figure deftly retrieves a gleaming sword from their back, while the thunderous hooves of their massive stallion pound against the earth with an unimaginable speed. The last man attempts to rise, raising his hands in surrender, but the figure shows no mercy, swiftly beheading him with a single fluid motion of the sword.
Falling backward, I gasp and scramble to my feet, my stomach left somewhere on the ground. In a state of shock and panic, I run. I don’t know if he realizes I’m here, but I need to get to the trees NOW.
The sound of hooves pound in my ear as I sprint for the trees. I don’t stop running or risk a chance to look behind me. I can feel the vibrations of the ground reverberating up through my feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpse a shape next to me as a figure leans down, an arm reaching out. A loud shriek of surprise escapes me right before I feel myself being lifted off the ground. For a moment, I'm suspended in the air, then I find myself seated on a massive black horse. I’m held tight as two powerful arms encircle me, taking the reins. I take several breaths, my chest tight as fear sets in. My mind scrambles, but before I can pull a single coherent thought into my head, a voice whispers in my ear, in a deep gruff voice.
“Are you alright?”
A tremor runs through me at the words and the way my heart flutters when he speaks. When I don’t answer, one of his arms wraps around my waist, pulling me tight against his warm, hardbody. I swallow in surprise as my hands grab a handful of thick, black mane.
“Are you hurt, Stóirín?” he asks again.
I don’t know what that means, what he called me, but my chest warms instantly. I feel my throat tighten as I nervously whisper, “No.”
“Hold on,” he says, covering my body with his as he rubs the horse’s neck and whispers something I don’t quite catch.
