The Arsenic Widow #Wattys2015 (mxm)

Chapter Eight

The next day, I set out on a demon hunt with a Prince and his men.

I had to think about that for a long time before I wrapped my brain around it. A Prince. On a hunt. With me.

We rode alongside each other on horses as I kept staring out into the forest, waiting for something to attack while his men rode behind us. Prince Acorn seemed highly amused by this and kept glancing at me.

"If they're going to attack, you'll know it," he smirked.

I shook my head and kept up with my nervous glances, "Demons are quiet. We won't hear them at all."

He snorted, "They might be quiet where you come from, but over here they let out this high pitched screaming noise. It's to alert other demons of the presence of prey. Strangely, through my studies of them, it seems like they like to share with one another."

"You study them?" I wrinkled my nose and threw my dreadlocks back over my shoulders.

"Why not?" he looked over at me with those green eyes of his and I looked away in discomfort. After hearing his mother speak about him so badly, I felt a touch of compassion for him which was definitely not good.

"They're monsters," I replied quietly, playing with the horse's leather reins.

Prince Acorn shrugged and watched my hands with interest, "I don't think they all fit into the category of 'monster'. But you do, which means something must have happened to you. The only time I've heard someone refer to something with so much hate in their voice is when they've been hurt by them."

I stared at the trees around us, most of them Bowers, and then turned back to look at him, "And yet you don't. You have scars on your face and yet you would study them instead of kill them."

He flinched and tilted his head so his blonde hair fell over his scar on his face and I instantly regretted what I had said to him. He blushed slightly, most likely embarrassed by what I had said, before he straightened up, "Can you hear that?"

I shot up straight as well, my horse huffing beneath me with annoyance at my sharp movement. I listened closely and began to hear a thin, high pitched wailing noise. If I hadn't been listening for it, I would never have known it was there. But I'm sure the people of this kingdom were accustomed to hearing the noise so they were ready at all times.

"It's warning others?" I asked softly.

He nodded. He was dressed like I was; in fine leathers and a cloak to keep him warm in case the weather suddenly changed or he was caught out at night. He pushed his cloak aside and drew his sword. It was long and wicked looking, with a gleam that really caught my eye, but it would be useless in close combat scenarios. I drew my own knife which was short but sharp, and able to pierce through most skins and leathers.

Acorn glanced at my knife and smirked. I raised an eyebrow back at him and held onto my knife tightly. "I'm the professional here," I murmured, looking up into the trees.

"Not in our Kingdom you're not," one of Prince Acorn's men rode past us on his horse to take the lead.

I shot a glare at the man who said that and continued riding alongside the Prince, even though I was itching to race out and fight as many demons as possible. Par always called me reckless, and he was right.

The troop suddenly slowed the horses until we had stopped. I glanced over at Acorn and studied his face. He was watching the wildlife around us and I realised with a start that he was waiting for the demons to attack us. I started bristling with anger, but I managed to stay quiet.

Suddenly a large creature stumbled into the area that made my body prickle in fear. This demon was bigger than most, and was completely white. It didn't seem to have any eyes but, instead, seemed to have holes all over its body that disappeared under folds of skin. I recoiled in horror at the sight of such a disgusting beast, but held my ground.