Frozen 3

Chapter 55

Erik

They advanced towards me when they were assured that the others were busy and distracted by what they had brought. I had not moved from my place and had been discreet since the beginning of this strange meeting in the center of the village. Even when Honeymaren intervened, I remained unmoved and didn't look up. I just smiled, without a word.

"So? What do you think?"

I looked up. The three of them stood in front of me, arms crossed, looking proud. I turned to what was left of the wolf and said:

"Nice catch. But a little thin."

They laughed.

"Like all of us. He hasn't had any food in a while either!"

I smiled and glanced at the bandaged arm of the one who spoke to me.

"What is this?" I asked, pointing to his chin forearm.

His eyes are darkened.

"It's because of this girl. What's her name again?" he says, turning to the other two.

"The witch!" said they at the same time.

"Yeah! The witch..."

I rose suddenly, with a dark face, and shut them up.

"Not here..." I whispered, checking that no one was listening.

The three men looked at each other, taken aback, then cast a suspicious glance at me.

"Follow me."

I followed them and looked around me, making sure no one paid attention to us. After a few meters, I realized that I was alone. I turned around. They stayed there and stared silently at me. I gave them a black look before adding:

"And don't forget what you owe me."

Two joined me after some hesitation while the third obviously went to seek my due.

***

"What about now?"

I watched them without saying anything. I felt it made them uncomfortable. Their voice was not assured, their looks were fleeing and they did not know where to stand, stuck against the front door of my hut.

"Remind me of your names already."

The three men gave each other worried looks. I took advantage of this moment of hesitation to take a chair and sit there. The one with the wounded arm spoke:

"I'm Markus, he's Sander and he's Tobias, but everybody calls him Toby. »

"Yeah, I don't care," I exasperated.

Another moment of embarrassed silence. I liked to feel myself in a position of strength, perfectly relaxed in front of them who seemed all trembling. To make them even more uncomfortable, I began to swing back and forth in my chair. They watched me for a moment, mute.

"And so you said? The witch?" I said.

At this evocation, they seemed to regain confidence gradually. Markus slowly removed the piece of clothing that covered his forearm.

"Look...", he told me, hoping I was impressed.

Apart from the dried blood that still covered his skin, we could clearly see the bite marks, still deep.

"Wait, I'm confused...The witch did this to you or...? »

"Of course not! But it was because of her that this wild beast could have jumped on me!"