Autumn Burn

Chapter 11

Eris had winnowed us somewhere dark. It took a few minutes until my eyes had grown used to it, but it didn't even make much of a difference anyways, since all I could see, after what felt like 10 minutes, were outlines. I felt like we were walking through a tunnel of sorts, even though it was quite warm inside. Eris and I were walking all the time and all the time, I was holding Eris' hand, keeping me from falling into panic. I didn't like places with no way out. His hand was my security at the moment.

After a few more minutes just walking, the darkness became clearer in the distance. A few more steps forward and I recognised fire. A torch hung up at a stone wall. We were indeed in a tunnel, stretching on long and endless in front of us. Taking a look over my shoulder, all I saw was endless darkness.

„Where exactly are you taking me?" None of us had spoken in quite some time and hearing my voice echo off the walls made me cringe. It sounded wrong and creepy.

„To something that is very dear to me." I furrowed my brows but kept walking. I knew he hadn't forgotten what I had said earlier. About surprises. Yet, he chose to stay mysteriously.

We passed torch after torch, until a weird sound emerged from the tunnel before us. Scratching, howling, growls and barking. It took me a second to figure out where Eris had brought me.

„You are showing me your hounds." I said and couldn't help but smile. I knew how important they were to him, even though he would never admit that. Bringing me to them ...

„They are my personal protectors. They need to know my mate and to protect her as well." I knew better than to scoff.

„Aren't you worried they will kill me?" I always thought they were bred that way — to kill.

„They follow my commands. And soon, they will follow yours." I raised a brow, a mocking smirk on my face.

„Maybe I'll command them to kill you." Eris laughed softly and he squeezed my hand gently.

„If it pleases you, be my guest."

„You don't think I would do it!" A chuckle followed and I glared at the prince.

„I know you won't." Rolling my eyes, I let the subject drop. The truth was, he was right. But not because I particularly cared for him that much, but because the thought of killing someone scared me. I knew the Fae didn't care much about taking a life, but for obvious reasons, that didn't apply to me.

We continued walking in silence for a few minutes, the scratching and barking growing louder and louder, until stairs appeared before us.

„After you." Eris said and with rolling my eyes, I descended the few steps. Then I stood before a giant cellar. Fae lights lightened the room and Eris stepped next to me.

„Welcome to my hounds." Even though we stood in a cellar, all the cell doors were open and the hounds were roaming freely. I had expected dogs, bred for hunting and killing. And viewing them from a certain angle, one could identify the dog in them. But for me, they looked more like hellhounds. Pitch black skin covered them, I couldn't detect any fur and they were huge, as tall as a pony, their heads reaching my chest without a problem. Their tails were short but the size of their teeth made up for that. And they were basically all muscle.

When we entered, their heads turned to us at once. My heart pace picked up and I prayed to whoever would listen, that they wouldn't attack me.

„Relax." Eris said and stepped toward them while I continued to stand there frozen.

„They can smell your fear."

„Great. So relaxing." I mumbled and tried to take a deep and calming breath. It did little work, since their rotten smell crept up my nose. They smelled as if they were dying from the inside, yet they just stood here, moving around. Moving closer to me and I hoped with every step they took, that they were just curious.