More bodies adorned the trees along the lengthy driveway that was more like a private road.They’d all been killed in the same manner.He saw a tall log fence with sharpened points in the distance.Barbwire was strung on the top to keep intruders out.Whoever lived here obviously valued their privacy.They were also stark-raving mad going by the grisly bodies they’d left as a deterrent.
“If the burglar is here, they aren’t living here alone,” Arkas figured.The thief wouldn’t have been able to tie the corpses to the trees without help.Their footprints were a dead giveaway about how small the culprit was.
He moved into the trees to use the foliage as cover as he loped closer to the property.No one seemed to be moving around and he couldn’t sense anyone, but he was still several hundred yards away from the house.
“I need to move close enough to try to hear if someone’s inside,” he muttered.Circling around the large property, he could only see one wide gate.The house was in the middle of the extensive yard.It was too distant for him to reach with his senses.
Arkas raced over to the fence before he could be spotted by anyone who might be on the upper floor.He tried the gate, but it didn’t budge.Putting his shoulder to it did nothing.Not even a hard kick could move the barrier.
“What the hell is this thing made out of?”he asked in exasperation.It looked, smelled and felt like wood, but it appeared to be as solid as thick metal.
Giving up on the gate, he stayed close to the fence as he circled around the property again.This time, he saw faint footprints in the melting snow halfway along the back fence.There didn’t appear to be an opening and the logs didn’t move when he pushed and pulled on them.
With little choice, the knight decided to see where the tracks led.He kept his senses stretched out as far as he could, but he couldn’t pick up on anything.The trail led him through the trees to a clearing.Arkas darted behind a trunk when he glimpsed someone standing there.Peering around the tree, he saw a tall, muscular and very naked guy with pale white skin.His view was from the side, but he could tell there was something very wrong with the person.
“He’s not breathing,” he realized.The being wasn’t moving at all, in fact.“Wait a minute,” Arkas said in realization and stepped back on to the trail.“Is that a statue?”he asked.
Moving closer, he couldn’t see any woodchips littering the ground.Lights surrounded the statue, but had been switched off.He examined the sculpture, working his way from the side, to the back and eventually around to the front.The detail was exquisite, right down to individual strands of hair.
“He’s the same size as me,” the warrior mused.Starting his examination from the statue’s bare feet, he ran his gaze up the muscular legs, past the well-endowed manhood to the chest.
Instant shock coursed through him when he saw the carving of a sword and wings on the figure’s chest.Putting his hand on his own chest, he didn’t need to see his tattoo to know it was an exact match for the markings on the wooden figure.His eyes flew to the statue’s head to see his own face staring back at him.
“What the hell?”he asked in awe.Clearly the artist who’d carved the stag had also crafted this statue.Oaklie Woods was a true master, who also apparently had the sight.“It’s my exact double,” Arkas marveled, reaching up to touch the statue’s flawless cheek.He half expected to feel the touch of his fingers on his own skin.
Fascinated by the carving, Arkas circled around it again, tracing his fingers over the exquisite craftmanship.He’d never seen anything as incredible as this before.He wished he could claim it as his own, but it was far too large to take with him when Amaros finally turned up.
“My brothers would either die from envy or laugh themselves stupid if they saw this,” Arkas said in amusement.Jacquin didn’t like to be outdone by anyone.He would probably demand the artist carve his likeness next.
Something appeared on his radar and he turned towards it.“Humans,” he said grimly, then moved to the edge of the clearing.A group of people were coming this way.
He flitted through the trees until he could hear them.They were filing along an animal trail.Trying to move quietly, they sounded like they were stepping on every twig in the woods to him.He could sense five to begin with, then five more appeared on his radar, coming from another direction.
“They’re going to attack the artist’s house,” he murmured when he saw two of the men were carrying a long ladder.Two others were carrying thick blankets, presumably to toss over the barbwire.
Arkas looked over his shoulder at the statue.The humans would be passing straight through the clearing if they remained on their current trajectory.There was no way he was going to let them damage it.He might not be able to take it with him, but he couldn’t stand the thought of it being destroyed.The mob knew the artist and the thief who lived with him had killed over a dozen intruders.They were hellbent on eradicating them both.
“Not on my watch,” Arkas decided.He would take them all down and reclaim the stag as his reward.That seemed like a fair deal to him.
The second band of five men converged onto the same trail that their friends were using.They were also carrying a long ladder and several thick blankets.All ten men halted and moved into a huddle to whisper together.Arkas heard every word.
“Oaklie Woods hasn’t noticed us yet,” the oldest human with scraggly white hair and a scruffy white beard said.
“We need to move quickly,” another man said, glancing around fearfully.“The pagan witch is to blame for the blight that killed our crops and the plague that killed our farmstock.”
“Once she’s dead, everything will return to normal,” a third man said, eyes darting from side to side in search of their prey.
“We’ll use the ladders to enter the property from two sides,” the old man with white hair said as if he was repeating their plan again.“Shoot to kill as soon as you spot her.She won’t be able to use the trees to kill us once we’re in her yard.”
“The witch might have set traps,” someone said in a shaky voice.“There could be pits filled with spears.”
“Feel free to run away if you’re too scared to face her, son,” the old timer said sarcastically.“I’m an old man and I’m not long for this world.I’ll sacrifice myself and take that monster down with me if I have to.”
His attempt to shame the younger guy worked.Flushing, the man nodded and tightened his grip on his rifle.“I’ll be with you,” he said firmly, then gulped in terror.
“Let’s do this,” another guy said, urging them to get moving again.
Arkas moved into a defensive crouch and conjured up his sword.
