“Who is this master blacksmith?” she asked.
There was no answer from the mirror as the face faded from view and went dark. That was all the information she was going to get from it. With a huff, she dropped the tapestry back over it.
Just as she did, a rap sounded on her chamber door.
“Come,” she called.
Her Captain of the Guard, Erick, pushed open the door and gave a swift bow. “Apologies for the early morning intrusion, my queen, but the hunter has returned from the Wyldwood Forest. He waits for you in the great hall.”
“Ah, yes. He has returned with the item I’ve been waiting for. Lead the way.”
She followed him out of her chamber, down the winding staircase to the great hall where the man waited. She sent him to retrieve the horn of a unicorn several days ago and had been waiting not so patiently for his return. She had plans to turn the horn into a deadly magical weapon and had yet to acquire one.
“You will remain,” she said to Erick.
He gave a nod and paused inside the great hall, his stance at ease and yet ready to do her bidding should she need it. It was one of the reasons why she liked him so much.
In the great hall, the man’s haggard appearance was the first thing she noticed. A shadow of a beard graced his cheeks and chin. Dark circles were under his eyes, as if he had ridden all night to get back to the keep. His clothes were dirty and wrinkled, his boots caked with mud.
“Your majesty.” He bowed low when she entered the great hall.
“I trust you have what I sent you to retrieve,” she said, skipping the pleasantries.
He shifted from one foot to the other, his hands twisting in front of him.
“You do have it?” she asked.
His face visibly paled. “I went to the Wyldwood as you commanded. I found the unicorn.”
“Good. Where is the horn?” She held out her hand, waiting.
“There was a…girl in the forest, your majesty. She…” His voice trailed off.
“A girl?” Her brows drew together as the hairs on the back of her neck prickled with suspicion. She dropped her hand to her side. “What did this girl look like?”
“She had dark hair and red lips and skin the color of moonlight. And she had magic. She used it. She…she…”
When she heard the girl’s description, a dark punch of hot fury scalded through her. The hunter’s constant stammering infuriated her. “Shewhat?”
“Vines wrapped around me and she made me promise to leave and never return to the Wyldwood.” His voice wobbled with the last words as he stared at her, hoping for forgiveness and understanding.
He would get none of that from her. She narrowed her gaze, her voice low. “And did you?”
“It was the only way she would release me. I feared for my life. I—”
“You failed me, then,” she snapped. “You did not bring the unicorn horn, did you?”
He shook his head. “No, your majesty, I—”
“Take him to the dungeon,” she said to Erick, never taking her eyes off the hunter.
The captain stepped forward and grasped the man by the arm.
“Please!” he wailed. “I had no choice.”
“You had a choice. Your choice was to kill the girl and bring me the unicorn’s horn but you didn’t. You are nothing but a coward,” Seraphina said. “And you will live out your days in the dungeon.”
His piteous wails were heard as her captain dragged him away, leaving her to stand there alone with her rage. The weak hunter allowed the girl to capture him, to force him to give up his hunt for the unicorn.
