White Stag (PERMAFROST #1)

Chapter Seven: Birth

"Yes," Elvira said. "She should be more careful. Soren wouldn't want to lose his protégé."

Soren shot a warning glance at Elvira. "Well, considering we found another body with it's guts smeared across the forest floor and the scent trail and power trail died after that, I'd say she's fine."

You don't need to cover for me. Both of you know where I was. I don't care if Rekke knows. I don't care if that brings shame upon you. I kept my mouth shut, though. This wasn't my place to speak.

Panic pawed at the ground when he saw me, his eagerness spilling through my limbs. I grabbed his bridle roughly, pulling his head down. "Not long ago you thought of escaping," I muttered.

If he understood me, he didn't show it, only jerking his head back. I mounted him and waited for Soren to take the lead. Surprisingly, he stayed back, allowing Elvira and Rekke to go forward. Shock was plain on Rekke's face; I figured this was the first time she had the honor of riding before a goblin such as Soren. Elvira hid her thoughts better, but I could still see through to the surprise underneath her icy mask. Obviously she hadn't expected Soren to give up the lead any time soon.

I kicked Panic into a canter and started after them, not bothering to let Soren catch up with me. I didn't want to hear whatever he had to say. His eyes burned on the back of my neck; never leaving my body as our horses ran the twisted route the silver prey line took. The silver line turned sharply away from the border of the Permafrost, plunging deep into the west of the territory.

I'd never been to the lands west of the Erlking's domain so when warm air hit my skin, at first I thought it was my imagination. The hot air hung heavy with humidity like a hazy summer day. The grasses and trees surrounding our path were burnt black by lightning strikes and charred with ash. The scent of burning lingered in the air.

Soon the breath weighed heavy in my lungs as the smothering heat covered me like a wet blanket. Panic's laboring breath grew heavier with each stride but the horse continued at his fast pace. Just like the rest of the Permafrost, this was a bastardized version of the human world. Angrily, I spat on the ground.

"We're in the Fire Bog." I jumped as Soren spoke from beside me.

I grunted something unintelligible, unwilling to start an actual conversation.

As usual, Soren's abysmal social skills didn't manage to pick up the message. "You came back. I knew you would."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I need to tell you something," he said, nudging his steed closer to me.

I recoiled like he was an open flame. "I don't want to talk to you, or hear you gloat about being right, or listen to you try to explain how this is all for my benefit, or anything. If you try I swear I'll take my axe to you, you lilac-eyed bastard." I spat the words out venomously, the anger and hate instead me festering and begging for release. "I don't care that you saved my life! It doesn't make you any better. You're a monster, you all are."

Soren growled low in his throat. "What exactly is a monster to you, Janneke? You hunt down a doe and she believes you're a monster with her dying breath. A dog kills a rabbit and a mountain lion kills the dog. Which is the monster there? Is she a monster because she's on the Hunt, or is Elvira, because she's trying to kill her?" He jerked his head to where Rekke road. "Or are the ones who tried to slay you for attempting to save your life? What exactly is a monster?"

A shadow of doubt flickered across my face, but I said nothing.

"My point is we're all monsters to someone or something by some definition. It's the context of the situation that matters." His eyes rested on mine as the gnawing feeling from before grew in the pit of my stomach.