Hi everyone! Sorry that part two is late, but don't worry, part three is coming! For new readers, welcome to Holinite Village! The story begins with All Hallows' Eve Masquerade and continues here to Yuletide Hearths, so catch up and enjoy!
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Smoking, the mixture Rubina had been working on for the better part of an hour hissed angrily when she dropped in the shimmering silver scale. Although Pryanna was busily chopping the marnie berries for a tart, she was paying more attention to the spell the witch was weaving. Earlier, she had taken some of Pryanna's own blood and dropped it in the cauldron. It had hissed angrily then, too.
A day had passed since Slyvern had told Rubina to make a ward. Last night, he'd dumped piles of book in the lair and left them alone again. Rubina had spent all night reading while Pryanna tried to take a , but she couldn't understand a single word on any of the pages.
This morning, Rubina was exhausted but clearly ready to get to work. Pryanna, on the other hand, struggled to keep busy so she didn't bother the witch with the hundreds of questions rushing through her head.
"I can see that you're planning on making enough pies for the whole town, but I don't think I can carry that many," Rubina said dryly.
Looking up in confusion, Pryanna cringed when she saw the amount of berries she'd chopped. Normally the size of her fists, they were a blue pulp now, oozing all over her cutting board.
None of it was usable. "When Cecily and Athena come by for Yule , I always make a marnie berry pie, but I never know how sweet my harvest is, so I make a trial one first. Seems silly now since there will be no Yule feast this year."
Sighing, she wiped her hand on the kitchen cloth and surveyed the damage. "I don't suppose you have a spell to clean this up?"
"I'm afraid magic is rarely so easy or useful."
"Just as well. It's not like I have anything better to do." She started for the bucket when Rubina joined her.
"A god scale takes time to break down, so I can help." The witch snagged another cloth. "I get the feeling that missing Yule isn't the only thing bothering you."
Guilt washed over her. "Two months is a long time to be without company. You're company, of course, and I'm grateful..."
"You're lonely." Rubina cracked a smile. "And starting to look forward to Slyvern's company. I know what that's like."
Red with embarrassment, Pryanna scrubbed until her cloth was blue before she dipped it in the bucket. "It's more than that. I ache for him, even before this mark, but since feeling the pleasure when he branded me, I crave him. It's getting harder and harder to resist."
"So don't, and don't feel any shame. He's a god, and I mean that both literally and metaphorically. The sex is good, believe me."
"And yet you found someone else." Three someone else's.
"That is because Slyvern may be good at the mechanics, but his heart is never there. I, like many of Slyvern's women, confused good sex with love early on. With the brothers, I learned the difference. None of the others were that lucky which is why I told you to guard your heart, but not your loins! You're here for six cold months. No need to pass up good sex."
When they had no useable water to finish cleaning, they walked out to the nearby stream to refill the buckets. Although snow covered the ground and bushes, the stream still flowed freely. "It feels strange to talk with you about this, but I guess you didn't have anyone."
"True. There is no advice book on being a god's lover."
"Did you have a choice in the matter?"
The witch shook her head. "No. At the time I went with him, Slyvern accepted sacrifices. I was an orphan from an early age, so there was no one to stand up for me when it came time to choose. I honestly thought I was going to die. That's what we all thought. No one knew what Slyvern really wanted, and I suppose that was intentional. When he's done with us, he doesn't send up back to the same town. I didn't grow up in Holinite Village."
"I don't understand. Why wouldn't he return you to your families?"
With arched eyebrows, she just stared at Pryanna until Pryanna understood.
"Because he didn't want them to know what he was doing with you. Or what he wasn't doing...that you survived. But why did it matter?"
"This was during a time when the gods still walked among us and ruled with fear. For all I know, other gods did make good on their sacrificial demands."
Pryanna shuddered. That was horrible. Rubina may not have had a family, but Pryanna couldn't imagine what it was like for those that did. If Althena or Cecily had disappeared, Pryanna would do whatever it took to try and get them back.
"I suppose I should be happy that he gave me a choice," she said miserably.
"Although it didn't seem like much of one at the time."
"He's trying to change, but not hard enough," Rubina chuckled before her head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. "We need to head back."
Shivering, Pryanna froze, but it was not the cold. The cloaks, gloves, boots, and hats that Slyvern had for her were lined with the thicket of wool and feathers to keep her warm. It was fear that had immobilized her. "What is it?"
"We're being watched. Slyvern should have strengthened his barriers by now, but I don't like that someone can see you. Come on, but try not to look alarmed."
Try not to look alarmed? Pryanna swallowed hard but tried to follow Rubina's lead. It wasn't easy to remain calm, but they walked casually to the lair with their water sloshing around in the buckets. Rubina chattered on about something, but
Pryanna couldn't pay attention. As soon as they were inside, a dark figure appeared at the mouth with a rush of air.
Slyvern.
The dragon quickly melted back into the man. "What is it? I could feel your fear."
"You can feel my fear," Pryanna echoed. Was that supposed to make her feel better?
"Among other things."
The heated look he gave her nearly stopped her heart. Of course he already knew of her desire. It was the mark. He could sense everything.
"We went out to the stream, and I could feel eyes on us," Rubina explained, interrupting their staring contest.
Wings sprouted from his back, and Slyvern was gone with a whoosh. Rubina went to check on her concoction. "Do you think it was Lucinda?"
"Doubtful. I'm sure she's busy reporting what she's already learned. But like I've said, there are plenty of gods circling."
A minute later, Slyvern returned." A golem. It started disintegrating before I could question it. Krahn frequently sends them out to stay informed when he is sleeping."
