Read Hair of Gold: Just Right (Urban Fairytales Book 6) for Free Online

Romania. He trekked to the mountains there and found a vrajitoare there who said she could tell him how to save us all, Narcisa. But there was a price. Father agreed without hearing her price.”
    He narrowed his eyes. “So it was that she sent him deep into the wilderness to get an item infused with the power of life. He knew it was most likely to his death, but he had to try. She told him that he needed to get a single white feather from the nature goddess of the lands, Perchta. It was a fool's errand because all knew that Perchta was also the leader of the Wild Hunt. It was said that Perchta had abandoned the lands and roamed the world half mad. The ancients and druids said that she had changed in some inexplicable way, long ago.”
    He straightened a little and unclasped his hands. “He traveled the deepest and darkest parts of the forest calling out the goddess' name until his legs were weak and his throat raw and bleeding. He could go no farther and dropped to the ground, trying to regain some strength. He coughed up blood that spattered the bed of moss he found himself on.”
    Then his eyes twinkled, and he said the next with reverence, “Then a voice behind father made him sit up and turn. There she was in all of her terrible beauty, a woman like no other. In a cloak of white feathers, the white rack of antlers of a great elk growing from her head and an unnatural white light that made him cry to be in its shadow, was Perchta. 'Who dares call upon... me?' she asked him, almost in confusion.”
    Pavel looked up, deep in the retelling of the tale. “Father groveled at her feet and said, 'I am but a humble woodsman, Iosif Inanov. I seek your help.' The goddess crouched and touched the blood on the moss and watched as it seemingly absorb into it. She scowled at father and said, 'You have paid the sacrifice of blood to nourish my lands. Speak Iosif Inanov, why have you chanced my wrath?'”
    He lowered his head, and I shifted a little on the table, as he continued, “Father plead his case to her, telling her that to save the love of his life and his unborn children he needed but a single feather from the goddess. The living incarnation of nature was swayed by his words. She narrowed her eyes and said, 'If I am to gift you in this way, you must bind yourself to your word that you will destroy the feather in flame once you have done as you need. A single feather can be used as a great and terrible weapon in mortal hands. If you do not do as you pledge, I will know and will send my Hunt after you and all those you hold dear. A curse upon your line.'”
    He smiled at me and tilted his eyes to the left and said plainly, “Father accepted. She reached out to him, her great cloak of white feathers stretching with her arm, and he realized it was no cloak at all but great wings. The goddess had wings like no other. She gave him a reassuring smile and nudged her chin toward her wing. He timidly touched the wing, a feeling of great warmth and calm flowing into him from the contact.”
    He smiled then as he recalled the tale. “He shared with mother that it was like basking in the sunshine on a summer day, feeling one with nature, but also being aware of the terrible destruction that same nature was capable of. But it comforted him to know that at the moment, it chose to gift him with the serenity he desperately needed.”
    I shifted on the table, leaning on the heels of my hands, eager to hear the rest as he continued, “He pulled a single feather from her wing and she disappeared in a whirlwind of feathers. When he looked for her, all he saw was a great white crow winging toward the heavens. He could hear her voice calling out in warning, 'Remember your vow Iosif Inanov.' He looked upon the white feather that seemed to glow in an unnatural light, and his heart dared to feel hope for his family.”
    He straightened in his chair. I glanced over to see his brothers standing in the doorway with loads of kindling and wood. They