Blood Red (79 page)

Vivi Anna

crazy rider.

She opened her eyes and stared up at the brilliant blue sky. The sky suddenly turned to ash as a vision viciously slammed into her, tearing at her mind.

She was back in the castle.

She had just surprised her Granny, and was given the
red apple to bite. She bit into it, and fell back into her
Granny’s arms, eyes closed, feeling very sleepy. But she
was not quite all the way asleep. She could still hear the
voices in the room and see their blurry forms between the
thin slit of her eyes. Their forms, their voices.

“How will you dispose of the mother?”

“You mean my other daughter? She will befall an
accident just like her stupid meddlesome husband did.”

“No one will suspect?”

She laughed. “Of course not. I’m a respected member of
the village community. Just a poor lonely old woman.”

“What about the girl. Will she not suspect?”

“Never. I’m her Granny, remember. She loves me
dearly.”

The Brothers laughed. It was a cold and brittle sound.

“You are more ruthless than we ever hoped.”

“For what you are giving me, all of the kingdom to rule
and immortality, I would sacrifice it all, even my beautiful
baby girl.”

Her Granny laughed then, and hugged Red’s body
closer. Red slipped into the darkness and spiraled down a
black endless tunnel.

Red opened her eyes. The sky was still the brilliant blue of summer. Fluffy white clouds floated by, while birds swooped through the air. She took in a ragged breath.

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Blood Red

Her horse stood over her. He looked down at her and nudged her with his nose. She looked up at him.

She reached up and patted him on his nose.

“You are right. There is no more time.”

She stood and grabbed onto the horse’s mane, stepping into the stirrup, and hefted herself on top of the roan stallion. She dug her heels in and galloped back into the trees.

* * *

Wolf sharpened the blade of his chosen sword. The Bears had a large supply of weapons. Blades of all shapes and sizes, crossbows, axes, and long valiant swords littered the top of the table. He chose the one with the green handle. He was unsure why the metal had turned such a color, but it reminded him of Red.

He knew she would return. She would never walk away from an opportunity to punish those who hurt her. She would return reluctantly, and with vengeance in her heart. Somehow, that had to be enough. He doubted she would accept her fate, and maybe they did not need her to. She would slay the enemy or die trying. She did not need more than revenge to put her in danger’s way. For hadn’t it been revenge that had met her survival all these years?

Hadn’t it been revenge that brought her to him?

Wolf lifted the sword and turned it, admiring its craft. He looked around the room at the others. Each prepared, picking weapons, practicing with them.

Rapunzel was in the corner, twirling a knife on her palm. He wondered if it was magic she was 157