Page 50 of Souls We Rip

But before my eyes lay an entire forest.

“Why do you need so much wood?” I asked, walking to Andrei, who was floating over the mound.

“Since you arrived and complained about the cold in the cave, the master commanded me to order more,” he said, still floating.

My head snapped to him. Of course, the Goat Man would want his subject to live long enough to fulfil his selfish desire. I couldn’t see this as an act of kindness. Not from him.

“Why aren’t you cutting it?” I asked, searching the tool on the ground.

“I cannot find the blasted axe,” he whined and turned with his whole body. “Most likely, it’s in the stables where the beast slumbers.”

My brows furrowed.

“The horse does not like being woken up.”

“Then why would you wake me up?” I asked, placing the candle down.

“To ask you nicely to search for it.”

“You and your master demand too much of others. What if it turns wild on me?

“It won’t,” he assured.

“What makes you say that?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

“It likes you,” he replied too quickly, as if he had this conversation already planned.

With my heart in my throat, I took back the candle and went to the stable. The air was colder than I had expected, and the grass was coated with dew.

The stable was enormous, built to fit the size of the horse. I pressed my ear to the wooden door, but besides my quickened heartbeats, I couldn’t hear anything. The stallion should know better than to kill the only advantage his master had.

I’ve ridden it before; therefore, it must have had some kind of trust.

I took a deep breath. My fingers gripped the handle and pulled the door open. A light squeak replaced the silence as I squeezed myself and the candle inside the stable. The smell of fresh hay reached my nose, bringing memories of Angelica and me spreading it across our stable.

No sound reached my ears from the end of the wooden building, so I advanced further on my tiptoes.

On my left were multiple saddles for the horse. I admired the intricate designs, unfamiliar to me. Our saddles were simple, worn by time and passed from father to son. The ones I was looking at were cleaner and more elegant.

On my right were the tools I needed. Multiple axes in different sizes were perched on the stable’s walls. I went there and grabbed one that seemed light in my hand. Perfect for chopping wood.

The sound of a snort came from behind me. I swallowed, my heart accelerating as if my ticker wanted to run away. The horse was up. Its silence stunned me. It sniffed me and snorted again, as if I didn’t deserve its attention.

Its hooves clanked on the ground, making it tremble. The horse stepped backwards, creating space for me to turn. Once I did that, I was hit with the horrid smell of death coming from its mouth. My eyes fixed on its fangs, but it didn’t look as if it intended to attack. Its mouth opened in the shape of a smile.

Which made me laugh. “You’re a gentle boy, aren’t you?” I whispered, looking in its midnight eyes.

It shook its mane as if saying yes. Its large body blocked my way to the door.

“How about this?” I began, trying to calm my heart. “Let me help Andrei, and I will bring you something sweet to eat.”

While I was in the kitchen yesterday, I noticed a basket filled with apples. Andrei wouldn’t mind if I took some of them to feed the beast before me.

It snorted again, but it made way for me to pass.

“Thank you,” I said, bowing and hiding the axe behind my back, retreating to the stable’s door.

“Just as I thought. The beast does like you!” Andrei laughed, stretching his hand to the axe when he noticed me.