The Eating Woods, #2
Eldritch
by Keri Lake
Contents
Chapter 25
Overview
Zevander aborts his trip to Foxglove, sensing something wrong at the hovel, and is ambushed on the road by a masked, highly skilled opponent. He unmasks the attacker as Theron, his past caretaker among the Gildona, who claims to be acting on General Loyce’s orders. After taunting Zevander, Theron vanishes, escalating the immediate threat to Zevander and those he protects.
Summary
On the snowy road toward Foxglove, Zevander is overcome by dread and reverses course, worried about Maevyth back at the hovel. The woods feel watchful, and the same eerie voice he heard the previous day whispers to him. His instincts sharpen as he detects the scents of oiled leather and ash.
A masked, hooded assailant strikes with lethal precision. Zevander counters, recognizing the opponent’s uncanny anticipation of his moves. He resists calling on his blood magic, conserving it for other threats, and searches for a tactical weakness.
After a fierce exchange, Zevander pins the attacker against a tree and tears away the mask. He is shocked to find Theron—the man who once tended him while he was collared among the Gildona. Theron greets him with cruel familiarity and says he has come at the behest of “her.”
When Zevander names General Loyce, Theron confirms it with contempt, implying long-standing servitude to her will. Zevander warns that coming to the mortal lands will be his demise, but Theron slips free like a whisper, leaving Zevander’s blade biting bark.
The disembodied whisper returns—“Mor samanet”—and Zevander wheels to find no one there. Theron’s vanishing act leaves Zevander with the chilling realization that Loyce has sent a deadly agent after him, heightening the danger to his path and to Maevyth.
Who Appears
- ZevanderProtagonist; senses danger, turns back toward the hovel, and duels a masked attacker with disciplined restraint.
- TheronFormer caretaker among the Gildona; revealed as the masked assailant, taunts Zevander, and claims orders from Loyce before vanishing.
- General LoyceOffstage instigator; named by Theron as the one who sent him to the mortal lands after Zevander.
- MaevythAbsent but central to Zevander’s concern, prompting him to turn back toward the hovel.