Page 65 of Sharpen Your Claws

“I should stay with her,” William argued.

“Nonsense. We can manage.” Henry moved toward Evera, where they carefully situated Charmaine behind her. Henry kept his arms on either side of Charmaine while clutching Evera’s waist. He nodded behind him. “You sit with Nicholas.”

There was enough room for another with them. The steeds were larger than any he had seen, but Nicholas waited. He wanted to ride with Nicholas, but he felt odd to do so with Henry around. He already knew where William’s interests lied, however, Nicholas was an entirely other matter.

“Go on,” said Henry, waving behind him.

Nicholas smiled when he slid behind him and took his waist.

“Hold on,” said Nicholas. “They won’t move too quickly, but the ride can get rough.”

Evera shouted, and the horses sped off. Nicholas laughed as the wind whipped through their hair. William clung to him, feeling he could slip at any moment. The horse was wet, and the water rushed against the tip of his boots, but they didn’t tumble into the rapids below.

The world around them bled together in brilliant colors, making him wonder how fast they were going. As Nicholas described, the ride was rough with a lot of bumping and the horses bucking their heads, nearly hitting Nicholas in the face, but the fae found it enjoyable based on his wide smile. He admired the expression, how the little fuchsia in Nicholas’ eyes flared. He looked more like himself, felt like himself.

The horses came to an abrupt stop. They survived the ride. The horses meandered to the edge of the water, where they departed. Nicholas and Evera made the weird spitting sounds before the horses vanished beneath the black water that swirled into a brilliant blue.

“That was incredible!” Henry shouted.

Evera had Charmaine on her back. She looked better, her eyes open and taking things in, but she kept silent and eventually rested her chin on Evera’s shoulder.

“The red caps are near. Maybe an hour’s walk,” said Evera.

“Let’s get this over with.” Nicholas took the lead.

They arrived in another forest, though one of a slightly perturbed nature, with trees a deep red and their leaves orange as flames. In fact, from a distance, the tree tops resembled a fire swaying in the afternoon breeze. The soil had an orange tint to it, the grass more yellow like wheat fields, and the limbs caught among one another, creating an interconnected web above their heads.

In the trees, voices carried a chattering noise, then louder. Nicholas held up a hand, signaling the group to keep behind him. Through the trees, the red caps danced together, singing or cursing. He couldn’t determine if they sounded angry or joyous, or perhaps the two intermingled for them. But there were many, over a hundred of creatures with off green leathered skin and eyes a variety of shades of gold and bronze. They wore long red hats crusted around their scalps and over their long ears. Fingers sharper than blades clutched spears, shields, and maces, as they danced around a fire where a familiar face hung on a spit.

Arden hummed and knocked his feet together from the spit where the red caps looped chains around him from ankle to neck. He was nonchalant about the ordeal, passing by the flames daring to lick his abdomen. If he felt pain, he didn’t show it, continuing to spin and nod along to the red caps songs.

William would never understand fae.

Nicholas faced the group and said in a low whisper, “Charmaine will stand between William and Henry, in case Evera and I need to get our hands dirty. Do not comment on their attire, especially their hats, or the smell. We know they smell awful, so do they, but they hate it if it’s brought up. Don’t touch them. Don’t touch anything. Let Evera and I do the talking.”

Without further explanation, Nicholas waltzed toward the camp. Evera let Charmaine stumble off her back to be held up between Henry and William. A series of shouts erupted from the red caps, followed by their undivided attention. They nearly all turned in unison, gazing upon the group appearing from the tree line.

He gripped Charmaine’s arm harder. The poor girl winced, and he apologized under his breath. He wasn’t comfortable walking up to the creatures. There were too many of them, more than he originally thought, hiding among the bushes or sitting in tree branches. Those once hidden meandered to the group, so they stood as one, a crowd of blood stained teeth and wild eyes.

“Good afternoon,” Nicholas declared with a curt bow of his head. “We do not mean to interrupt your supper, but have an inquiry that only you may help us with.”

He wasn’t sure how admitting only the red caps could help them was a good idea, but Nicholas said not to speak, so he kept his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted was to anger the hundreds of volatile, bloody creatures wielding weapons.

The red caps muttered amongst one another, swerving inward to chatter, clicking teeth and tongue. They wandered around the fire toward the group, leaving Arden alone. The fae’s fingers slipped between the chains and wiggled. Below, roots slithered from the soil to cover the fire, successfully smothering it without the red caps ever being the wiser.

“Why should we help one such as you? The lot of you look down on us, think you’re better,” one of the red caps said from the group. The creatures dispersed, creating a path for one to saunter out. This red cap had more scars than the others, an eye white as milk with a long gash ripping across his face and peeling some skin from his lip. He missed a claw on his right hand but wore the longest hat in the deepest crimson. Their leader.

“Because you know the lands of Faerie, you travel them frequently, and this particular question needs an answer from those with the correct knowledge,” Nicholas replied. “Let me introduce myself. I am Nicholas, and you are?”

“Rorbek,” said the red cap. He clicked his teeth, fangs pointed as dagger tips threatening to slice his own gums. “You need our help?”

The roots below Arden rose to catch along the chains. One wiggled toward the lock and snuck into the keyhole. The other roots caught the chains, preventing them from dropping. Silently, Arden slid free without the red caps noticing, all too busy staring at the group requesting assistance rather than the meal they believed to have captured.

Nicholas smiled, showing all his teeth. “If you are incapable of answering our inquiry, we may go elsewhere.”

“We are capable,” growled Rorbek.

He realized Nicholas was goading the creatures, making it seem like he would look down on them if they didn’t answer

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