Read Online Snow White and the Huntsman by Lily Blake - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lily Blake
Ads: Link
over her shoulder.
“You never answered me,” Snow White said.
“I don’t recall a question.” Eric brushed the sweaty hair off his forehead.
Snow White curled into a tight ball, trying to steel herself against the cold. “Where are we going?” she repeated.
Eric leaned forward. The tree roots around them glowed with an eerie phosphorescent light, giving them just enough to see by. He grabbed a stick from the ground and drew a box, a few triangles, and a giant circle. He pointed to the box. “Here’s the Queen’s castle,” he said. Then he moved the stick, pointing to the triangles and circle beside it. “The mountains and the Dark Forest. Here, past them—there’s a village.”
Snow White shook her head. She took the stick from him, writing the words in the dirt: DUKE HAMMOND . She underlined his name twice. “I need to go to the duke’s castle.”
Eric grabbed the stick from her hand. “You’ll go where I take you.”
She studied the Huntsman’s clothes, noticing his weathered boots and the pants that were worn through with holes. If he wouldn’t do it out of sheer goodness, surely there were other reasons for him to do it. “There’s a reward that awaits you,” she offered. “There are noblemen there—an army.”
Eric pulled his shirt back on, seemingly oblivious to the dried bloodstain that spread out on the side of it. He laughed. “The duke fights? He hides behind walls. I know sheep that have more fight than him.”
“They’ll give you two hundred gold pieces,” Snow White continued, undeterred. “Do we have a deal?”
The Huntsman took a giant swig from his flagon. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and then smiled. “Fine. I’ll deliver you to safety, m’lady.”
Snow White leaned in close, searching his eyes. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. “Swear it.”
“I swear,” Eric said. “Constantly. It’s one of my better qualities.” He smirked, a dimple appearing in his cheek.
She glared at him, ignoring his attempt at charm. He would either do it or he wouldn’ t—there was no time for games. Finally, he nodded, his smile gone, as if to show he was sincere. “It’s a deal, then,” she said.
She went to the edge of the clearing and grabbed an armful of dried leaves. She laid them over the dirt, then another armful, trying to create some semblance of comfort. Then she lay down on the makeshift cushion, scattering more leaves over herself. She stared at the black forest above. Giant birds cut across the sky. A low growling sound could be heard in the distance. She pulled her tattered dress around her, trying to warm herself. Tomorrow they’d start off again, on their way to Duke Hammond’s. With a little luck, she could reach the stronghold within a week.
She turned to Eric, who had lain down beside the old log, his hand clutching the bloody gauze. “Do you think … ?” she said, the worry returning now that the night was upon them. “Will they follow us?”
Eric turned to her, his eyes lit up by the glowing tree roots. “I don’t know. They’d be foolish to—few survive.” He scratched his head, then took another swig of his drink.
“Is that good news or bad?” Snow White let out an uncomfortable laugh. Eric didn’t answer. Instead, he just shook his flagon, trying to determine how much grog therewas left. She sat up and studied the Huntsman’s face, wondering about this guide she’d just hired. “How far have you traveled into the Dark Forest?”
“We passed it a few miles back,” he mumbled. She pulled more leaves around her, searching the woods, but he didn’t seem to notice. He just kept sipping that stupid flagon. He took one sip, then another, not stopping until his movements slowed. His eyes fell shut. Within minutes, he was snoring happily, leaving Snow White all alone.
The terrible noises of the forest surrounded her. Every snapping branch or crying bird sent chills through her entire body. She closed her eyes,
“You never answered me,” Snow White said.
“I don’t recall a question.” Eric brushed the sweaty hair off his forehead.
Snow White curled into a tight ball, trying to steel herself against the cold. “Where are we going?” she repeated.
Eric leaned forward. The tree roots around them glowed with an eerie phosphorescent light, giving them just enough to see by. He grabbed a stick from the ground and drew a box, a few triangles, and a giant circle. He pointed to the box. “Here’s the Queen’s castle,” he said. Then he moved the stick, pointing to the triangles and circle beside it. “The mountains and the Dark Forest. Here, past them—there’s a village.”
Snow White shook her head. She took the stick from him, writing the words in the dirt: DUKE HAMMOND . She underlined his name twice. “I need to go to the duke’s castle.”
Eric grabbed the stick from her hand. “You’ll go where I take you.”
She studied the Huntsman’s clothes, noticing his weathered boots and the pants that were worn through with holes. If he wouldn’t do it out of sheer goodness, surely there were other reasons for him to do it. “There’s a reward that awaits you,” she offered. “There are noblemen there—an army.”
Eric pulled his shirt back on, seemingly oblivious to the dried bloodstain that spread out on the side of it. He laughed. “The duke fights? He hides behind walls. I know sheep that have more fight than him.”
“They’ll give you two hundred gold pieces,” Snow White continued, undeterred. “Do we have a deal?”
The Huntsman took a giant swig from his flagon. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and then smiled. “Fine. I’ll deliver you to safety, m’lady.”
Snow White leaned in close, searching his eyes. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. “Swear it.”
“I swear,” Eric said. “Constantly. It’s one of my better qualities.” He smirked, a dimple appearing in his cheek.
She glared at him, ignoring his attempt at charm. He would either do it or he wouldn’ t—there was no time for games. Finally, he nodded, his smile gone, as if to show he was sincere. “It’s a deal, then,” she said.
She went to the edge of the clearing and grabbed an armful of dried leaves. She laid them over the dirt, then another armful, trying to create some semblance of comfort. Then she lay down on the makeshift cushion, scattering more leaves over herself. She stared at the black forest above. Giant birds cut across the sky. A low growling sound could be heard in the distance. She pulled her tattered dress around her, trying to warm herself. Tomorrow they’d start off again, on their way to Duke Hammond’s. With a little luck, she could reach the stronghold within a week.
She turned to Eric, who had lain down beside the old log, his hand clutching the bloody gauze. “Do you think … ?” she said, the worry returning now that the night was upon them. “Will they follow us?”
Eric turned to her, his eyes lit up by the glowing tree roots. “I don’t know. They’d be foolish to—few survive.” He scratched his head, then took another swig of his drink.
“Is that good news or bad?” Snow White let out an uncomfortable laugh. Eric didn’t answer. Instead, he just shook his flagon, trying to determine how much grog therewas left. She sat up and studied the Huntsman’s face, wondering about this guide she’d just hired. “How far have you traveled into the Dark Forest?”
“We passed it a few miles back,” he mumbled. She pulled more leaves around her, searching the woods, but he didn’t seem to notice. He just kept sipping that stupid flagon. He took one sip, then another, not stopping until his movements slowed. His eyes fell shut. Within minutes, he was snoring happily, leaving Snow White all alone.
The terrible noises of the forest surrounded her. Every snapping branch or crying bird sent chills through her entire body. She closed her eyes,
Similar Books
