Read Online Snow White and the Huntsman by Lily Blake - Free Book Online
Authors: Lily Blake
Ads: Link
White wiped the sweat from her forehead, realizing how she must look. Her velvet bodice was worn and threadbare in spots, the shift underneath stained and torn.
“Who are you?” he asked again, much louder this time.
She glanced around. They were in the middle of the Dark Forest. She had no idea which trail led back to the village, or whether she could even find it. High above, the trees moved, their branches bending unnaturally low, as if they were reaching for her. This man—this
Huntsman
—was her only chance. “I’m the daughter of King Magnus,” she finally said.
The Huntsman shook his head. He looked unconvinced. “The king’s daughter is dead. She died the same night as her father.”
She stared at him, defiant, daring him to question her again. He pressed his fingers to his chin and circled her. “I don’t believe it,” he muttered under his breath. He peered closer at her jet-black hair, the milk-white skin that hadn’t seen sun since she was a child. Snow White stood up straight, letting him notice the big brown eyes she had shared with her father and the soft red lips.
He stopped in front of her, his head down. He gently took her hand and lifted it, turning her arm over to look atthe scrapes and bruises marring her skin. She held her breath, unsure how to react. He must have been holding his breath, too, for he suddenly exhaled.
Then he firmly gripped her arm and started off, dragging her along as he trudged beside the muddy stream.
“Where are we going?” she yelled, dismayed by his abrupt violence.
“It’s not safe here anymore,” he said. “Especially for the king’s daughter. They’re not going to let you go easily. They might just be stupid enough to follow us deeper into the forest.”
She couldn’t argue with that. But she shook her arm out of his grasp and trudged along without his help.
They walked for what seemed like ages. Snow White listened to his steady footsteps as the light in the forest dimmed. The darkness between the trees seemed even more menacing now. Shadows darted through the bushes beside them. Snow White tried to ignore them, instead moving faster over rocks and fallen trees, but she could hear the wild animals breathing in the dark.
While they moved, the Huntsman spoke briefly. He told her his name. He’d been summoned by the Queen to lead the small group into the Dark Forest—a place he’d gone into before while tracking animals.
When Snow White asked about his reward, he’d said only that she had lied. He didn’t mention his wife, or what the Queen had promised him. She’d wanted to ask more,but his eyes had welled up at the mention of it. Then he’d turned away, trudging up ahead, out of earshot.
They followed the stream for another hour and then started up the incline, where the forest opened up to a small clearing. The dirt was mostly free of vines and plants, making it seem like one of the safer places to rest. Snow White sat on a rotted log. Eric lowered himself down beside her. He unbuckled his belt and peeled his vest and shirt off, exposing the wound in his side. She winced just looking at it.
He moved slowly, trying to get to the flagon of grog.
“Here,” she finally said. “Let me help you.” She unscrewed the heavy canteen, holding it out to him.
“Can you pour it on?” he asked. He nodded down at the two-inch gash where the sword had gone in. “I don’t think it hit anything vital. I wouldn’t have gotten this far otherwise.”
Snow White doused the wound, cringing as he twisted, obviously in pain. Then she ripped at the hem of her linen dress, working until she got a square piece—the cleanest she could find. She pressed it against his side. “You’re welcome,” she finally whispered when Eric was silent for a long while.
“We’ll stay here for the night,” he said.
Snow White cleared a space on the ground and sat down. She looked at him. He was still clutching the tattered rag to his wound. He scanned the trees
“Who are you?” he asked again, much louder this time.
She glanced around. They were in the middle of the Dark Forest. She had no idea which trail led back to the village, or whether she could even find it. High above, the trees moved, their branches bending unnaturally low, as if they were reaching for her. This man—this
Huntsman
—was her only chance. “I’m the daughter of King Magnus,” she finally said.
The Huntsman shook his head. He looked unconvinced. “The king’s daughter is dead. She died the same night as her father.”
She stared at him, defiant, daring him to question her again. He pressed his fingers to his chin and circled her. “I don’t believe it,” he muttered under his breath. He peered closer at her jet-black hair, the milk-white skin that hadn’t seen sun since she was a child. Snow White stood up straight, letting him notice the big brown eyes she had shared with her father and the soft red lips.
He stopped in front of her, his head down. He gently took her hand and lifted it, turning her arm over to look atthe scrapes and bruises marring her skin. She held her breath, unsure how to react. He must have been holding his breath, too, for he suddenly exhaled.
Then he firmly gripped her arm and started off, dragging her along as he trudged beside the muddy stream.
“Where are we going?” she yelled, dismayed by his abrupt violence.
“It’s not safe here anymore,” he said. “Especially for the king’s daughter. They’re not going to let you go easily. They might just be stupid enough to follow us deeper into the forest.”
She couldn’t argue with that. But she shook her arm out of his grasp and trudged along without his help.
They walked for what seemed like ages. Snow White listened to his steady footsteps as the light in the forest dimmed. The darkness between the trees seemed even more menacing now. Shadows darted through the bushes beside them. Snow White tried to ignore them, instead moving faster over rocks and fallen trees, but she could hear the wild animals breathing in the dark.
While they moved, the Huntsman spoke briefly. He told her his name. He’d been summoned by the Queen to lead the small group into the Dark Forest—a place he’d gone into before while tracking animals.
When Snow White asked about his reward, he’d said only that she had lied. He didn’t mention his wife, or what the Queen had promised him. She’d wanted to ask more,but his eyes had welled up at the mention of it. Then he’d turned away, trudging up ahead, out of earshot.
They followed the stream for another hour and then started up the incline, where the forest opened up to a small clearing. The dirt was mostly free of vines and plants, making it seem like one of the safer places to rest. Snow White sat on a rotted log. Eric lowered himself down beside her. He unbuckled his belt and peeled his vest and shirt off, exposing the wound in his side. She winced just looking at it.
He moved slowly, trying to get to the flagon of grog.
“Here,” she finally said. “Let me help you.” She unscrewed the heavy canteen, holding it out to him.
“Can you pour it on?” he asked. He nodded down at the two-inch gash where the sword had gone in. “I don’t think it hit anything vital. I wouldn’t have gotten this far otherwise.”
Snow White doused the wound, cringing as he twisted, obviously in pain. Then she ripped at the hem of her linen dress, working until she got a square piece—the cleanest she could find. She pressed it against his side. “You’re welcome,” she finally whispered when Eric was silent for a long while.
“We’ll stay here for the night,” he said.
Snow White cleared a space on the ground and sat down. She looked at him. He was still clutching the tattered rag to his wound. He scanned the trees
Similar Books
