Underneath it all, came the sound of a flute playing, mournful and deep.
When the Veil thinned, I could make my way into Faery. When the Veil thinned, others could find their way out.
Nastythings.Hungrythings. Creatures I was ignorant of, due to my human rearing, creatures I must conjure out of dim shadows and vague recollections, the wee slithering beasties who cowered in the corners when the lights were low.
Or the wolf who howled out fae whispers, and the trickster’s fatal song.
Whatever it was, the shepherd must be its quarry.
I burst forth from the tree, away from Faery, and took to my heels again.
Thomas.
What brought him to Carterhaugh? He should have been helping the Douglases lead their cattle between the bonfires, perhaps stopping by the brewmaster’s for a tankard of ale before bed. Or mayhap he should be maying with one of his light women, though I did not like to think of that.
Whatever his reason, the man should not be away from the village, certainly not out here in the forest. He courted disaster to wander thus.
I paused to get my bearings, to determine which direction the cries had come from. Crickets chirped. Night birds called. My skin prickled and my heartbeat raced, my spirit singing like a lark on the wing.
Far in the distance, the wolf howled again, its unearthly and mournful cry.
Oh, Shepherd King.
What do you mean to do?I asked myself.You are but a weaponless girl, and it will help the shepherd not at all to see you killed.
Yet I did not feel like a weaponless girl. Beltane waked my fae blood, thrummed through my veins. I was a huntress, no mere wood nymph but a forest goddess who wouldnotallow one under her protection to be harmed.
This was no ordinary wolf. I could hear it in his song, would swear it on my soul, if I had one, on Mairi Grieve’s tomb, and the unknown mother who gave me birth. And if the creature was fae, perhaps fae would listen to fae, and leave the mortal man alone. I could only hope.
As I made my way towards the outskirts of the forest, I kept my ears perked.
“Easy,” I heard a man’s voice say. The creature responded with rough barking and growling. The sounds of a scuffle followed, and a loud thump as Thomas screamed.
Fallen.My breath caught, and every inch of my flesh snapped to attention.Did the beast knock him down, does it now seek to feast upon his flesh?
Not if I could help it.
The sounds came from the direction of the well, the haunt of Amadan Dubh.
I’m coming, Thomas,I said silently, tucked up my skirts, and began to run, branches lapping against me as I pushed past. I arrived at the well and looked around for Thomas, taking several moments to catch my breath.
“Bess!” A harsh whisper came from behind a fallen tree. Thomas lay there, prostrate. “Stay put. He doesn’t see...” He trailed off, and I found myself face-to-face with the largest wolf I could imagine.
It stood as large as a bull, snarling and slavering as its jaws dripped with watery blood. Its eyes were green and shone bright as a torch in the dim forest; its thick black fur had the iridescence of a raven’s wing.
Ye are no mortal creature, that is certain.
I stared, unblinking, as I slowly reached for a fallen tree branch I might use as a weapon.
Then I screamed and dropped it again.
“Bess!” Thomas cried out, his voice wracked with pain.
My hand burned. I stared at the branch, with fernlike leaves and creamy white blossoms. Rountree. It can be dangerous to my folk, as it is said to ward off enchantments and evil spirits.
“I am not a malevolent being,” I said to the rountree branch, and wrapped my hand with the fabric of my skirt. “You will hurt me not.”
The wolf stared at me, head tilted slightly, like a curious hound.
