Read Online Winterwood by JG Faherty - Free Book Online

hand on his belly. Anna’s eyes went wide and she turned away. The horrified look on Paul’s face showed that he, too, understood the ghastly implications of Ulaf’s story.
    â€œAye, they’re a part of me forever now. When I found out the truth, I vowed I’d have my vengeance someday. But never did I have an opportunity. Not until now.” He held out his hands to Anders. “Alone, neither of us stands a chance. But together…we can make the witch pay for what she’s done. To all of us.”
    Anders took a moment before speaking. Every word the elf spoke made sense. And were they any worse off casting their lot with a possible traitor than bumbling their way through the castle on their own?
    â€œAll right. We’ll follow you.”
    â€œNo.” Anna shook her head, her eyes pleading with him. Her look cut Anders to the bone. First, he’d let her down by trusting the elf to keep them safe. Now, he was doing it again by siding with Ulaf against her. She might never put her faith in him again, but it didn’t matter. Not as long as they got the boys home safe.
    â€œI don’t see any other way. We only have until sunup. This is our last chance.”
    Anna’s face hardened but she stayed silent while Ulaf waited for Anders and Paul to exit the cell. He went to shut the door again and Anders put a hand out.
    â€œWait. What about them?”
    Ulaf looked at the children huddled against the back wall.
    â€œâ€™Tis too dangerous. We can’t save them and your lads too.”
    Anders stared at Ulaf until the elf turned away. “Ah, fine then. I hope no one sounds the alarm before our task is done. Hurry yourselves now.” Ulaf motioned to the children to come forward. At first none of them moved; then two of them stood up and exited the cage. A few more followed, and finally the rest grew braver and rushed through the door.
    â€œThat way lies freedom.” Ulaf pointed down the passage in the direction the ogres had taken. “Through the woods to the widest road ye can find, and then look for the Veil. It’s the best I can do.”
    He turned to Anders. “Their escape is in their own hands now.”
    â€œHow will they get home?”
    â€œThe Veil always returns you to where you belong. Come, we’ve a ways to go.”
    Anders fell in step behind the elf, who turned in the opposite direction he’d sent the children. The same direction the witch had come from. As he passed Anna, she turned her head, refusing to meet his eyes.
    Please, God, let us find them before it’s too late. All I want is for my family to be safe and whole.
    If he couldn’t have that, then life wouldn’t matter.
    Only a few minutes into their trek through the castle, Anders was already wondering if he’d made the wrong decision. Ulaf had almost immediately led them out of the main tunnel and down a side branch, explaining he knew a way to the witch’s kitchen far less traveled than the main route.
    â€œCan’t be seen wandering the castle,” he whispered. “Either the cat or the King’s guards will have our guts for sure.”
    It made sense at the time, but now Anders wasn’t so sure. Ulaf’s back way turned out to be a narrow, tortuous passage through the very roots of the gigantic tree that formed the castle. The only light came from patches of phosphorescent slime whose glow enabled Anders to make out the shadowy form of Ulaf a few steps ahead, but nothing beyond that. The uneven floor threatened to trip a careless foot with every step, and the tiny rootlets sprouting from the walls and ceiling snagged at hair and clothes with evil delight, each unseen touch more frightening than the last while delivering visions of cannibal trolls reaching through the soil to grab unwary intruders.
    Hunched over and with his arms stretched out to guide him, walking quickly became an exercise in torture for Anders. At the same