The Wildness Within

With Words 3

The next day Augus went to the surface of the lake and foraged for fungi, seeds, roots, leaves. He had a wide basket that was watertight and could be taken back into the lake and down to his underwater home. He never strayed past the shimmering energy of the ward the Mage had set on his land.

A thundering of hooves and Augus looked up, his ears pricked. If he'd been in waterhorse form, he knew his tail would have swished, his teeth sharpening in readiness in case it was an incursion on his territory.

Once more, a creamy-white horse appeared. It was immaculately groomed but uncomfortable beneath its rider, its ears constantly twitching back, its eyes rolling. Efnisien – Gwyn's cousin – held the reins in one hand, a weighted riding crop in the other.

The horse was encouraged to trot towards Augus, when Efnisien was brought up short by the magical barrier the Mage had placed around Augus' territory. The horse shied away from it, and Augus found himself putting down the basket and walking slowly to the edge of the boundary. Efnisien turned the horse so that it paced sideways along the length of barrier, then laughed. The sound was melodious. He turned the horse back until he was alongside Augus, above him on the horse, his deep blue eyes glittering happily.

'Greetings, Each Uisge. A fine day it is! I cannot wait to tell my dear aunt and uncle that you are keeping their son safe for them.' Efnisien said, grinning. 'Shall I take the loathsome creature off your hands now? Or should I come back with the weight of the Seelie Court behind me?'

Efnisien stirred an old dread in his chest. As a man, he didn't seem truly frightening. He wore the frippery of the Seelie Court in the colours of gold and blue and cream – the An Fnwy estate colours. He looked like a dandy, with coiffed curled hair and a very pretty, unmarked face. Even the horse's coat was gleaming, rubbed down with chamois, braids in its mane.

But Efnisien had hunted through the Ethallas forest with Gwyn's father. They were as happy to take down fae as they were animal quarry. Every time he'd heard hooves pounding from the direction of the An Fnwy estate as a child, he'd been quick to shepherd Ash back into the lake where they would hide until it was all over.

Augus could see it – Efnisien setting the bear traps in the forest for Gwyn. Torturing him with knives. Covered in blood. Could see how those joyful eyes would drink it all in. He knew another sadist when he saw one. Could tell that Efnisien would yield genuine happiness from all of it.

It was tempting to tell him that Augus had the protection of the Unseelie King on his side, but it would reveal too much, and he had little idea of what the Raven Prince had planned.

'Have you fucked him yet?' Efnisien said, leaning towards Augus on the horse. A brief moment where he flinched away from the barrier, then laughed. 'You should, he is tight.'

'Is he?' Augus said, staring up at him. 'Gwyn has said that you're impotent. Utterly.'

An ugliness passed over Efnisien's face, a muscle clenching in his jaw that reminded Augus of Gwyn when he was frustrated. But the expression smoothed into a generous smile.

'He's talking to you then?' Efnisien said. 'You can't believe a word he says, you know. He weaves such stories, that one. You know how it is, how fae can get lost within fairy tales. He's never been very anchored to reality, the poor thing.'

'And you just want to help him stay anchored?'

'Only that,' Efnisien said sweetly. 'Nothing more.'

Efnisien watched him speculatively, trying to parse something. A minute passed and Efnisien's lips quirked up and he leaned forward once more, his eyes narrowing.