Page 16 of Untethering Dark

Their breath clouded between them.

Despite Altes Geweih’s steady diet of blood and flesh, there was no rank, rancid stench. Just pine and ice and earth and...was that red currant, as well? Elderberry, too, and springtime violets? Underneath it all, there was just a hint of the decay Astrid expected, but it was so subtle and faint in the flood of so many other familiar scents found across the forest’s four seasons. One exhale and a whole ecosystem followed as if the very forest lived and breathed inside him.

He was old enough to be a god.

Maybe that’s exactly what he was.

“Of course, you have a choice,” he said.

She lowered the plate to waist level.

Was it really so simple? So obvious? Say “don’t eat me,” and he’d leave her be?

“I choose to live,” she replied slowly, half expecting him to eat her anyway.

He straightened, dropping her hair. And then he took a step back, a respectful tilt to his head.

He was letting her go.

Something in her clenched, and she couldn’t parse out why the urge to run shared the same space as wishing beyond reason that he hadn’t pulled away. Had she gotten it all wrong? Maybe he didn’twantto eat her.

No, that couldn’t be. This creature only knew, only wanted one thing.

Warmth rushed to her cheeks. Unless... Could he have something else in mind?

She couldn’t help but glance down.

A little bigger, a little fuller than before.

Oh, Mutter Holle! Her cheeks blazed. Hehadbeen thinking about something else.

He reached for a cookie.

“Not that one!” she cried, hastily spinning the plate around.

The labeled jar she pulled from her cupboard had been filled with poison distilled from death cap mushrooms, its potency enhanced in her bubbling cauldron, speeding up the onset of symptoms and making it lethal 100 percent in humans, rather than thirty.

While she hadn’t dared to hope that something as simple as a magically boosted fungus would kill Altes Geweih, it was the best shot she had at survival. Barring success, she could die knowing that she at least gave him wicked gastrointestinal regret.

A low rumble like thunder emanated from him, his shoulders shaking.

Was that a mirthful twinkle in his bloodred eyes? Was Altes Geweihlaughing?

“What’s so funny?”

“Any fool to underestimate you shall perish.”

Except when I miss.Sparing a grouchy glance to the poor tree her ax was currently embedded in, she asked, “Are you a fool?”

“Perhaps.”

Taking a poison-free cookie from the plate in her hands, he bit into it with a crunch, chewed, then popped the rest into his mouth. Who could’ve guessed ancient, flesh-eating creatures enjoyed sweet treats? Not her. If this was all it took to appeasehim, maybe granola and trail mix would work for those hikers after all.

He took several more Springerle before turning away.

To leave.

“Wait!” she blurted, wanting him to stay, but not sure what for.

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