-1“Long ago, the gods shunned many of the beasts for being creatures of the night

They were friends with the demons and with the shadows,

So the gods turned the wolf, bat, dragon, and snake away

Then they granted their people, the Leti, permission to kill these beasts

And that was how the Nights of the Hunts began

During the autumn, there were four Nights on which the Hunters killed

The Night of the Bat

The Night of the Snake

The Night of the Wolf

And the Night of the Dragon”

The priest’s words ran out across the crowd. Everyone was alert and attentive. Though we’d all heard the story since we were old enough to understand it, we could still be completely and totally mesmerized. Who couldn’t be? It was a tail of darkness and of evil…and how we were helping the gods fight against their horrible ways.

Me.

I was too busy worrying about how hot it was. We were all outside, sitting at separate wooden tables. Banners were strung up everywhere along with lanterns and wolf pelts. Tonight was the Night of the Wolf…not that I cared. Like I said, I was worrying about why it was so hot in autumn and what the humidity would do to my hair.

“Jace,” Mother hissed at me. “pay attention!”

“I am.” I said, rolling my eyes. I let my eyes wander to one of the youngest Hunters. He was a handsome boy of seventeen, named Daren. Just my age. He had chiseled features and dark, brown eyes. His hair was an ashy black and a bit long.

Our eyes met and I smiled sweetly at him. He grinned back.

“Jace.” Father hissed. “Pay attention.”

I rolled my eyes again and looked back at the priest.

“So, my friends, we should all wish our comrades the Hunters good luck on their perilous journey. While the wolf does not have venom or flame, it has its cunning. Wolves are as intelligent as humans and strong as sorcerers. Be careful, my friends.” the priest’s eyes fell on my father.

Father was a burly man. He had dark, curly brown hair and a thick beard. He wore a necklace of wolf, dragon, snake, and bat fangs around his neck. Once when I was younger I’d cut my hand on one of the dragon fangs when I’d barely touched its edge. Now I detested the thing and wished he wasn’t the Head Hunter. If he wasn’t, then he wouldn’t be expected to wear that horrid necklace every day.

“Are your Hunters ready, Kemen?” the priest asked my father.

My father grinned. “Of course.”

The boys ran to go get the mounts. Soon they returned, holding the reigns of fifteen unicorns. Normally we traveled by horse. But unicorns were faster, stronger, and healed faster than horses. So naturally Hunters only took them on Hunts. My father mounted his, a mare who we called Molly.

My mother ran to him and he bent down and kissed her cheek. She took his hand and told him something. He responded quietly, then drew his hand away. My mother stepped back as he kicked Molly harshly. Molly reared and took off out of the village. The others followed my father’s example, and soon their cries of challenge to the wolves died.

That’s when the real fun started.

The tables were moved and the music started. I loved to dance. I leaped around, twirling in the air and moving my body to the rhythm. I knew the other maidens were jealous. I was beautiful. My mother had made me a wonderful purple dress with wide sleeves and golden trimmings. My dark brown hair was pulled back into a single thing braid, with gold and purple ribbons lacing through it.

A song ended and I stood there, my chest heaving. I had barely noticed that everyone had gathered in a circle around me and were all watching me. The boys with awe and admiration, the girls with envy.

“Jace, you need to stop.”

Daren walked up and my heart fluttered. By the gods he was beautiful!

He smiled his smooth, crooked smile at me. “Your making the goddesses jealous.”

I blushed. I smiled easily and responded, “And your making the gods jealous. I saw you the other day practicing your archery with your father. You would give the gods and a hundred dragons a hard time.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty great.” Daren said, smirking. He pulled me close to him so that I could smell him. He smelled like sweat and grain. “My father is going to arrange a meeting with your father. They’re going to be discussing the possibility…of us.”

My heart began to quicken its pace. Marry Daren? Oh yes! Please yes! I kept my voice calm when I spoke, “If your lucky, you’ll be my betrothed.”

I didn’t even notice that the others had gone and had gone back to their celebrating. I smiled and pulled away. “I shall see you soon, Daren.”

With that I danced off to my mother, leaping and twirling. A servant had already gotten me some food from one of the long tables that had been set out. I only nibbled on the food. I was the pickiest eater, I only ate the finest of foods. And I could tell this wasn’t exactly ‘my’ type of food. The bread was going stale, the cheese tasted strange, and the milk was slightly sour.

“Jace, stop acting so spoiled.” Mother hissed at me.

I tossed my head defiantly. She couldn’t order me about like I was a child any longer. I was seventeen. Technically, I was a woman now. I’d crossed the threshold from girl to woman when I’d turned sixteen.

Mother didn’t say anything else, only continued to eat.

“Jace!”

My friends, Juliet and Adrian, ran up. They were pretty girls, almost as wealthy as I was, too. Juliet had wavy auburn hair and delicate, doll-like features. Adrian was a strong beauty with dark curly hair and dark skin.

“Jace, we heard that you and Daren were making eyes at one another!” Juliet squealed. “Tell us, right now!”

Adrian nodded vigorously.

I explained to them what had happened and they squealed with delight. But suddenly we all heard a chilling sound…a sound that made the music stop and everyone freeze where they were. The smiles slid off of our faces as we heard a wolf, somewhere to the west, howling.

It was a blood-chilling sound. And even more wolves joined in. The elves, who didn’t care if the creatures were condemned or not, called it singing. We said that they were serenading the demons.

The sounds soon died, but the mood was shattered. Now everyone was tense and music seemed jerkier and strange. My mother and I left early, not expecting my father back until the next morning. They would hunt all night. It didn’t bother me at all. I was far too used to it.

I joined my mother and our servants in evening prayers. It was such a tedious thing to me. I was in my white nightgown and I wanted nothing more than to go and lay down in my comfortable bed. But no. I had to be here in this dusty old worshipping room, on my knees on the cold floor reciting boring prayers.

Finally I was allowed to go to my room. My room was huge with many colorfully decorated rugs and epic paintings. My bed was big enough for five and covered in pink cushions and blankets. I had a vanity where I sat while my the servants fixed my hair in the morning. By that time I’d already gotten a servant to unbraid my hair and take out the ribbons. I ran my fingers through my hair, made wavy by the braid.

I danced across the floor and plopped down on my bed. I wiggled under the blankets and hugged one of the pillows to me. I inhaled its familiar scent and let out a contented sigh. Things were headed my way.

“I’m so blessed.” I said aloud. “I’m rich, beautiful, talented, and by the end of the year I’ll probably be a bride.”

A more modest and humble girl would thank the gods for her blessings. But I didn’t. I credited myself to all of my success and gifts and talents. Maybe if I had thanked them, they wouldn’t have done such a horrid, horrid thing.