Page 57 of The Witch and His Crow
‘Well, it’s been a few days since The Enduring started,’ Arwyn explained, refusing to take his eyes off me. It was as if he wassearching for something to be worried about, his concern almost too genuine. Of course, I already knew this piece of information, because it was Caym’s comment about three days that woke me. But I decided not to interrupt Arwyn, so I could work out everything I had missed.
‘We’re currently in a small village somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Scotland,’ Arwyn added, although there was clearly more he had to say about that. ‘It would seem that fog dropped us…backhere, for a reason.’
‘And the birds?’ I asked, wincing at the memory of my back. I had yet to ask about it, but the feeling alone proved it had healed.
‘The village is protected by a stone circle of sorts. Old magic’
‘Not so old now, though.’ Caym squawked in my mind, only for me to hear.
‘The village is protected by a witch. She has been allowing us to stay in her stable, whilst bringing a salve twice a day to help with removing the poison in your back. Without her, you’d be…’
‘Dead,’ I answered for him. ‘And that would’ve saved you a job, right?’
‘Here we go again,’ Arwyn huffed. ‘I would’ve thought your near-death experience would’ve made you drop this hunch. I’ve hardly slept for three days, watching over you. Isn’t that enough proof that I’m not the Witch Hunter?’
‘Everyone has a motive,’ I said, waiting for the rebuke to come, which it didn’t. ‘And where is this witch?’
‘Eleanor will return at sundown to check on your progress.’ Arwyn stood above me, eyes falling to my bare chest. I found my subtle muscles tensing as his gaze traced my skin. There was no point being shy now, not when he had been watching me for so long.
‘Have you ever heard of a trial involving people outside of the Witch Trials?’ I asked, voicing aloud the one question that I couldn’t shake since he mentioned this mysterious witch.
I couldn’t fathom what The Enduring entailed. It was not one that had ever happened before—the fact I didn’t recognise the name proved as much. Never had there been talk of demonic monster-birds, or anything happening outside the physical boundary of the chosen stadium. Yet here we were, in some village instead of the hallowed grounds of our castle.
‘No, I haven’t.’ Arwyn began pacing, whilst Caym copied, flapping and hoping, as though he was also incapable of standing still. ‘But we are certainly in a trial. One that is going to test us in ways we couldn’t prepare for.’
‘Our endurance, no doubt. Clue’s in the name.’
‘Little kitty, sharp claws and mind. How have I survived without you all my life?’ Arwyn settled his eyes back on me again. He really looked exhausted. The wide, blood-shot eyes and the grey tinge to his skin showed a man who was an inch from breaking.
‘Call me little kitty again and I promise you’ll find out.’
Arwyn raised his arms in surrender, whilst smirking at me. ‘Not endurance in the sense of the word you are thinking.’
I sat up straighter, although the newly healed skin on my back pulled tight. It felt as though it would rip if I wasn’t careful. ‘Care to explain, or do you enjoy being ominous and foreboding?’
‘Two issues.’ Arwyn ignored my comment, although I saw it annoyed him in the wince of his mouth. ‘Firstly, we’re currently stuck somewhere we have no purpose being.’
‘A stable?’ I asked, hyper aware that my skin likely stank. And Arwyn had touched me, poor man must’ve thought I was gross. Not that it mattered, I tried to convince myself. ‘Because it really stinks in here. Wasn’t there room in this Eleanor’s house?’
‘No, not that Hector.’ Arwyn’s pause only added to the dramatic reveal that was to follow. ‘Not the place, but the time.Autumn of 1563 to be exact. That is where we are currently residing.’
I waited for the laugh. For Arwyn to tell me it was some big joke. But as the seconds stretched on and neither Arwyn nor Caym said anything, I knew he was telling the truth. Even if the concept of being shoved back in time was impossible to understand.
There was only one word I felt had the power to relay how I felt at the revelation. And I spoke it with intention.
‘Fuck.’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ipeered outside the stable door. I had a perfect view of the cluster of homes surrounding an open space. They were constructed from black wooden beams and white painted walls, certainly proving Arwyn’s accusation about time travel. Every roof was made of straw, some coated in a thick layer of moss, whereas others almost looked new. It was like looking into a history book, except I was a part of it.
Mud streets connected the handful of homes. A horse trotted by, pulling a cart laden with woven baskets of winter vegetables. A queue had formed behind it, as people dressed in strange clothes waited to barter for food. Women wore dresses with the hems coated in dirt and grime, whereas the men’s outfits were mostly faded, baggy trousers and shirts. Children looked more like feral creatures as they played with one another, skipping between stones and chasing chickens that’d escaped from a pen nearby One bird scattered in our direction, but before the child could see me, Arwyn pulled me backwards.
‘It’s important they don’t see us.’ Panic pervaded his tone, even though he snapped in a hoarse whisper. ‘I haven’t waited out in this stable for you to ruin it the second you wake up.’
I snatched my arm back, although the warmth of his touch lingered far after. ‘You’ve just told me that we are stuck in the fifteen-hundreds. What did you expect, for me to just take your word and believe you?’
‘Well, yes, actually I did.’
