《The Glades of Embers》


 Chapter 1

    When dusk finally fell and the noise of my father¡¯s heavy breaths had lulled into a rhythmic doze, I quietly slipped the cottage latch. Winter¡¯s grip still lingered in the air as I pulled the woven fleece tight around my shoulders, the earthen, homely scent mingling with the faint taste of salt on the breeze. I braced myself against the cold, the sound of his summons still echoing in my ears, and quietly accepted there could be no turning back now.


    As the door clicked shut, I held my breath, eyes straining in the low light to scan the hillside for any sign of movement in the wilderness. The outside world was calm, the quiet broken only by the familiar chatter of the night birds flitting between the bare branches of the surrounding trees. I glanced over at the rows of bramble that mapped our overgrown garden, and onwards to the forest which concealed the only other house on the northern hill.


    Nestled into the woodland, our neighbour¡¯s ivy-draped cabin was well-hidden from prying eyes, which was probably how she liked it I¡¯d often assumed. For as long as I could recall, Dina had always been a solitary woman, tall and thin, with ashen-hair that framed her round, sun-warmed face. She¡¯d been my only neighbour for all my 20 years, and yet I¡¯d never heard her utter a single word. I¡¯d asked once, and Ari, the eldest of my brothers, had begun a story of jealousy among the fae, creatures of the night who could steal away tongues, but my father¡¯s sudden arrival had fast cut him short. ¡°Do not ask of the fae again, Selene¡± he had warned me, a stern look I¡¯d rarely seen flashing in his eyes. Though Ari was one to spin a far-fetched tale and took delight in stoking my adolescent fears, something in my father¡¯s face that night had made me uneasy and I swiftly swore to never broach the subject again.


    Still, the curiosity of youth had led me to linger beside her house when my chores took me along the path to the market. Venturing into the trees, I¡¯d pause to peer over the stone-stacked wall that lined the clearing and quietly watch her tending to the garden. I¡¯d never seen her receive a visitor, and yet she had a friendly warmth to her, offering a wordless wave or a smile whenever she would spot me. Sometimes, upon my return from the village, I¡¯d find a basket of wild fruits left out among the ferns, always filled with plump, honeyed berries that overflowed with vibrant juices in hues of violet, ruby, and deepest garnet. Though we had little to our name, my father was a distrustful man, and so I¡¯d creep into the cover of the trees to feast, returning home with the syrupy, tart taste still dancing on my tongue.


    It had been many moons since I¡¯d seen her last and, as I shivered against the cold, I wondered if the forest could have swallowed her. I bit my lip, willing the creeping thoughts of Ari¡¯s childish tales away, and hastily ducked beneath our sheltered porch to collect a few of the logs I¡¯d stashed after a cold afternoon spent chopping wood. With them safely tucked into my bag, I glanced up at the moon emerging from behind the treetops. The time was fast-approaching and I couldn¡¯t be late. Pushing a hand into my pocket, I thumbed the cold steel of my small hunting knife, its cool blade a comfort as I hastened towards the hillside path, away from my sleeping father and Dina¡¯s silent cabin in the glade.


    Lined with moss and lichen, the path was damp underfoot and I had to steady myself from slipping as I began my descent. It took nearly an hour of clambering over wet grass, rabbit holes and fallen branches before I finally saw the boat house looming in the fading light. Its tin roof was long gone, likely sold for scraps, and the wooden walls were in dire need of repair. A rusted padlock still swung on the gate but, peering through the bars, the shack remained empty and abandoned as it had always been. Tucked behind the frail, weather-beaten structure, I located the stone steps that led down to the cove and slowed my pace. My heart was still pounding from the descent and I took a deep breath, offering a silent prayer to the gods as I pleaded with my body to regain its composure. A hot sweat prickled on my brow and I dug my nails into my palms, fighting back the anticipation that coursed through me like seasickness, like nausea. Once again I steeled myself, too late to turn back, and with as effortless a stride as I could feign, I descended the steps to the beach.


    Emerging onto the sand, my fleece did little to protect against the salt-tinged wind that buffeted my face and I felt a redness flush my cheeks. I squinted across the cove through watering eyes, where the glow of a small, flickering fire outlined a silhouette against the darkened beach. Another deep inhale and I approached, pulling the cut wood from my bag and collapsing onto the stretch of sand beside the man. He didn¡¯t acknowledge me at first, only reached for a log and tossed it on top of the burning embers, his gaze fixed on the fire as it crackled.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± he murmured eventually, twisting his body to stretch like a cat beside the dancing flames as he reclined. He brushed a hand carelessly through his dark hair, flicking water droplets into the fire as it hissed in response, ¡°I¡¯d assumed you weren¡¯t coming.¡±


    He rolled slowly onto his back as I watched him, my senses prickling for a hint of disappointment or anxiety in his tone, but he was as calm as always, his feelings undetectable. With no effort to hide my irritation, I nodded to the wet shirt clinging tightly against his frame, ¡°you went for a swim, Klaus?¡±


    He chuckled at that, a deep, soft purr escaping his lips as he sat up and pulled the soaked garment off over his head. He¡¯d never feared the night¡¯s cold, or anything for that matter, and I was suddenly struck by a profound awareness of how much his casual, unaffected ease infuriated me. Since our last evening together in the midst of the previous winter, I¡¯d spent many nights in fear of the cold, listening to my brothers¡¯ arguments and my father¡¯s heaving cough worsen. I¡¯d trapped rabbits, watched my brothers leave for the summer hunt to earn enough to feed us, and worried away the whole season praying to the gods for their safe return. I¡¯d laboured long, exhausting days for any farmer with a little gold in their pocket to pay for father¡¯s medicine, and overheard tales of merchants who swore of war and violence not far from our shores. Then, after many weeks, months, a year this time, Klaus would swan back in to make his nonchalant return. Time didn¡¯t move for him like it did for me, I understood this now.


    He cast the shirt towards the fire¡¯s edge, his eyes half-closed as if only now waking from a dream. My gaze darted down before I could stop myself, and my annoyance at the nonchalance of a man I had barely heard from in over a year slowly dissipated against my will. In the fire light, with the shadows flickering across the pale skin of his chest, he looked more like an artist¡¯s carved sculpture of a man than a living, breathing thing beside me. He¡¯d be warmer than a statue too, I caught myself thinking, silently cursing to the gods. I forced myself to avert my gaze, staring out across the sea to look at anything but the childish glee now beaming on Klaus¡¯ face.


    ¡°You¡¯re always so serious, Selene¡± he laughed, revealing neat, pearlescent teeth and sharp canines that caught the moon¡¯s gleam. He playfully rolled his eyes, ¡°I¡¯d call it charming if it weren¡¯t quite so tragic.¡± His jest landed like a wound in my gut, but I forced a grin and kicked up a dusting of sand in his direction. I hated how well he could read me. As he tilted his head to face the moon, I studied the lines of his face. He looks beautiful in any light, my inner voice concluded with a pained wince. I¡¯d known coming here was a bad idea, of course I¡¯d known that, but the gods hadn¡¯t blessed me with such restraint. I was only mortal after all. I fixed my eyes on the blackness of the sea as he lowered himself back to the ground, nestling his head into my lap this time. His hand moved, searching for mine, and I didn¡¯t protest as he guided my fingers into the wavy softness of his hair.


    In the far distance, ship lanterns danced across the ocean¡¯s vast expanse. I tilted my head, turning further away, and followed the lines of constellations my father had taught me. The North Star hung low over the horizon and the Hunter dipped her bow in the ocean¡¯s swell, a sign that the winter would soon dissipate if you listened to the shepherds. I recalled being told about her as a child, the 12 points of starlight that framed a woman with a bow as she pursued her quarry across the sky. She only comes close to land when the animals are soon to emerge from hibernation, the shepherd had told me all those moons ago.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    I felt Klaus tug on my wrist, his warmth emanating into my cold hands, and finally conceded to his gentle demands, silently combing my fingers through his wet locks while he let out a blissful breath. For a moment, as I stared out to sea beside the fire¡¯s comforting hum, this felt like the most natural thing in the world. Keeping my eyes locked on the Hunter above the ocean, I let my left hand absent-mindedly join the right, gliding my nails through the cool, slick strands. My anger ebbed away as it always did, dissolving slowly into the unrelenting pull of his presence. Blindly, I traced the curves of his face, brushed my fingers against the warmth of his cheeks and felt the damp weight of his dark, wet hair clinging to his brow. I traced the tender skin of his eyelids, grazed his silken lashes, and lingered on the sharp line of his jaw while he sighed with contentment beneath my touch. My finger dipped towards the perfect arch of his cupid¡¯s bow and his lips parted, allowing me access to the heat of his breath and the slick, yielding wetness of his tongue ¨C and in that moment, it felt as if my entire body had melted into the swirling pitch black of the sea.


    When I eventually glanced down, his deep amber eyes were gleaming in the fire¡¯s orange glow, bright and alert as he studied my face intently. I felt my breath catch in my throat and saw the corner of his mouth twitch as it curled into a wry smile. He¡¯d noticed, of course he¡¯d noticed. I felt the panic rising then, a sickening nausea clawing its way out my stomach. His brow tensed and he pulled himself up into a seated position, gently tucking me against the pale skin of his bare chest.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s OK,¡± he reassured, pulling me closer. The smell of him filled my lungs, an intricate weave of enchanting intoxication I didn¡¯t have the language for. Breathing in, he was equal parts the earthy comfort of home and the tranquil delight of fresh flowers blooming for the very first time. Wrapping his arms around me, like a protective cloak against the night¡¯s chill, he whispered gently in my ear, ¡°are you cold? You¡¯ve gone so pale.¡±


    There was the smallest hint of worry, concern now tinging his words. That alteration to his tone I¡¯d spent each of our nights desperately fixated on drawing out from him had finally arrived and it was all wrong. In a light-headed daze, my panic swelled at the loss I knew was to come, the blood pounding in my ears reminding me that I should have turned back, should have never left the cottage, should never have answered his summons. I squeezed my eyes shut and let the flashing white light take over, gave up trying to suppress my thudding heart rate and breathed out, long and slow. My body went limp, Klaus¡¯ gentle, calming whispers drifting out of earshot.


    When I opened my eyes, I found myself at home as I had been only hours before. I squinted for a moment, watching an auburn-haired girl curl up on a pile of old, shaggy pelts as she lifted a cup to her mouth. A candle flickered in the corner of the room, and she tilted her head in search of the crack in the wall, or hole in the floorboard allowing in a draught. It took me a second to recognise myself, and another to realise I was watching the moments before a summons would unfold. I glanced around apprehensively, my room so small there was barely room to stand beside the bed, but the girl, the other me, hadn¡¯t noticed my presence. I held still and waited, knowing full well what was to come. The candle flickered again, more intensely this time, and then the flame died. Her arms, my arms, began to shake, a vibration spreading through limbs like a fever or deadly cold as her eyes filled with blinding tears. Although Klaus had summoned me numerous times since we had first met, there was no earthly peace to be made with his call. The gleaming white light, like a heavenly radiance filling every cell of my body, ignited an exquisite, otherworldly fire in every nerve-ending. It left me dazed and breathless, drawing my consciousness to one simple, nonchalant message. Each time I saw the place, the time, and the lackadaisical nature of his offer. It was up to me if I came, he didn¡¯t truly care. Like an outsider haunting my own home, I watched my body embrace the summons, saw a flickering of images, times, names, sweat, as our thoughts merged and split once more, regaining composure as quickly as it had begun. Staring intently at my own face mere steps away, the tear-filled mist lifted from my pale blue eyes and I watched as I rose from the bed, eyes bright with excitement, with longing, and reached for my woven fleece to withstand the chill of the wilderness.


    The scene went dark and Klaus¡¯ voice drifted back into my ear, a gentle crooning of comforting words. I felt his enticing heat surround me and blinked, realising he¡¯d wrapped his fire-warmed shirt around us as another insulating layer. It was a sweet gesture, though completely unnecessary with the burning touch of his skin now flooding through me. I tilted my head to look up at him, to say something about what I¡¯d just witnessed, but the moment I met his eyes his mouth was crashing into mine. I parted my lips, allowing him to push his tongue inside and explore the softest, most vulnerable parts of my body. He sucked my bottom lip, biting down with those sharp, moonlit canines. Then his teeth were gone and I felt a flush of heat as his tongue traced its path down the side of my neck, his hands exploring further as he desperately kissed a trail of desire along my collarbones. He paused for a moment, glancing up at me with his glistening amber eyes that seared into my soul with intense, otherworldly hunger. ¡°I can stop if you¡¯d like,¡± he offered, a smile curling at the edge of his perfectly arched mouth. ¡°The colour¡¯s back in your cheeks, you¡¯re welcome to go home if you wish, Selene.¡±


    I grimaced at him and he let out a gleeful laugh. The sound of his voice, joyful and crystalline, filled the air with a brightness like spring had at last arrived. The animals would now emerge from slumber and the hunter could continue to pursue her quarry across the starlit night sky. This I knew. The time was now or risk never again. I shook my head at him, meeting his gaze firmly. We both knew why I¡¯d come. This is what his summons had been for, this is why I always answered, always snuck away while my family slept. The rest of my life could be meaningless, plain and empty, but a night spent with him was like tasting the heavens. He was ambrosia to my mortal mind, a nectar sent from the gods that would ignite my dreams and haunt my waking hours. I also knew all too well that I had no guarantee he¡¯d ever come back. Steeling myself like I always did, I pushed the fear of his abandonment to the back of my throat and swallowed hard. Reaching up to touch his beautiful, angelic face, I entwined my fingers in his dark, silken hair, and let desire take over our bodies; breathing in the deep aroma of a sun-kissed earth.


    The rising dawn woke me, the last of the fire¡¯s embers fading with the night. My fleece had been cast over me, but the morning chill had numbed my fingertips as I fumbled to pull it tighter around my neck. I glanced around the cove for his shirt, cursing aloud when I realised that Klaus had already whisked it away. He was careful, never leaving anything in his wake. I pawed at my neck for bruise marks, feeling a gentle, comforting ache, but that too was already fading fast. I scanned the cove which remained thankfully empty and hurried to my feet. I¡¯d need to be home before my father woke or my brothers returned from the town. As I trudged up the beach, the familiar weight of loss pooling in my stomach, I wondered as I did every time he left whether he¡¯d ever call for me again. The resentment was already settling in, an emotion I¡¯d only learnt I was capable of following my first encounter with Klaus. Tinges of anger, hope and frustration. It was all a familiar part of the come down but it never seemed to get easier.


    Without warning, I felt a wave of ice wash through me. I froze on the spot, suddenly unable to move a step further as my breath caught in my throat. The heaving self-pity lining my stomach had been replaced by something thicker, more viscous. Last night, as I embraced Klaus¡¯ all-too-willing indulgences in earthly delights, I¡¯d been a witness to my own summons. My mind raced to recall the scene once more, piecing together the most realistic rendering of the vision in my mind¡¯s eye. It had felt so real, but matched no memory I recognised. I paused on the details, conjuring up as close an image to what I¡¯d seen the night before. The time? Sunset tomorrow. The place? The woods on the northern hill, a short detour from the village path. The feeling? Deep, lustful, something that felt more animal than Klaus¡¯ human composure. But, most importantly, the man or¡­ thing who had sent the call for me?


    For the first time in my life, I¡¯d received a summons from a stranger.