Red Spell

Chapter Seven

Hey guys!  Two chapters in one day!!  Sorry chapter six was late, but I only just found it didn't post :P Anyway, enjoy these two chapters!! :D 

I pushed the door open a little more and nocked an arrow. If the wolf was in there, I would be as ready as I could be, but it was too dark to see anything. The dim moonlight barely helped, already darkened by the thick trees.

"Is there anyone here?" I called as loudly as I dared. I heard a yelp and then I saw a flicker of fire from a windowless corner.

"Who's that then?" a croaking voice demanded. "You think you can just dance right into someone's house?"

I stumbled back as a hunched figure came out of the shadows with a candle in her hand.

"I'm so sorry, I thought there was a wolf and I didn't know if he'd gotten inside. The door wasn't locked and I thought something awful had happened," I stammered, suddenly surrounded by furniture to trip over as I tried to get back out the door. The candle blazed up a little brighter as the old woman set it on a table.

"Why, you're nothing but a child," she cried. "What are you doing all alone in the woods? Do close that door to keep the draft out. Gracious, you must be freezing. I'll put on a cup of tea for you," she said all in a rush. I barely made it to the door before she had a kettle over the fire which she'd coaxed alive in a remarkably short amount of time.

"Go ahead and bolt it, dear, you said there was a wolf. We wouldn't want the nasty thing to get in here, now would we?" she babbled, barely looking up at me. I dropped the wooden bar into place and looked around. Bouquets of herbs hung thickly from the rafters as well as dyed cloth and homemade candles with uncut wicks. The place seemed small because it was so crowded with tables and desks covered with mortars and pestles and plants I didn't know the names of. Books were scattered everywhere and the smell of cinnamon mingled with old parchment and tea lingered over everything.

"Come over here, dear and have your tea," the old woman said, holding out a cup to me. I'd never seen porcelain before and I cupped both hands around it carefully. The warmth felt good on my cold skin and I sank into the deep cushioned chair she pointed to near the hearth.

"Thank you," I said.

"Now tell me, what are you doing out here on a night like this all alone?" she asked, sitting in a blanketed chair opposite me.

"I'm out hunting," I said, as I sipped my tea. "There's a wolf and it's been attacking the sheep in my village."

"So you were sent out to catch it all by yourself?"

"Well...no." I began to feel a little foolish. She would probably think I was young and stupid for pulling such a stunt.

"Don't be afraid, dear, I'm not your mother so I don't have to scold you," she said, patting my hand.

"I wanted to kill it for my village," I said. It was a half truth at least. Killing it for myself was the other half, but I didn't think that wouldn't get me much sympathy.

"Well, that's very noble of you." she said, taking a swig of her tea. Then she looked up at me. "What's your name?"

"I'm Selene," I said. It didn't even occur to me to be as cautious as I was with the boy. She dressed like someone from my village, but she mercifully didn't know me. Otherwise she would never be so kind and understanding.

"That's a very pretty name," she said. "My name is Iresia and you may call me by it. I don't like going by that village grandmother nonsense. Not to be rude of course, but I've long grown tired of the silliness in the villages," she said. "That's why I moved out here. No one bothers me here. At least, not until now."