Bound by Roses (The Bound Series Book 1) by Jonathan Lazar

never guess my name. And at sundown on the seventh day, her Soul will be mine to do with as I please!”
    “Whose Soul?” Rose Red questioned.
    “None of your concern—ugh—now guess!” The ugly old man yelled, “Quickly!”
    “Is it Charles? No—May Bell? No?” Rose Red began guessing immediately before the ugly old man’s voice disappeared in the shadow of the brush that surrounded them.
    “Terran? Remnan? Bastian?” Snow White guessed next.
    “Try as you like, you will never guess my name,” the ugly old man chanted again, and again in a singsong fashion almost like a sea shanty. He tugged his beard a third time, “Now leave me be to this wretched fate that has befallen me!”
    “At least let us help you. Or would you prefer the Bear to come and swipe you?” Snow White asked with a devilish smirk and chuckle.
    The creatures milky eyes grew wide at the prospect of what could be, “very well. Do what you need.”
    Rose Red, from a tiny bag she carried around her waist, produced a small dagger. With a slice she made swift work of the beard that was trapped within the log. The little man tumbled backwards several feet from the log. Strands that remained trapped, burst into green flame, and released the putrid smell of rotting fish dissolving away into sea foam.
    “My beard! My beard! My precious beard!” The ugly old man jumped up and down as he screamed. Thick dust clouds billowed upwards. Into his wrinkled hand he gathered a swirling ball of black and blue mist. It glowed bright as a star that reflected upon the waves at midnight. Ready to throw it upon the two young girls, the talking Bear returned. He released a mighty roar as he bounded with a great leap from the brush. Startled, the creature dropped the swirling ball of mist into the nothing from whence he created it. And in a flash of putrid green flame, he himself, disappeared.
    “What happened?” The talking Bear trudged forward from the woods.
    It was then that Snow White and Rose Red recounted what had happened when they awoke from their short nap, and found the ugly old man stuck in a log, and cut his beard. They also informed him of all the names that they had tried.
    “As I have said. It is impossible to guess this small creatures name.”
    “Nothing is impossible,” Snow White tried to pet the Bear, who merely huffed and sulked away. They watched him fade into the shadow.
    Not long later, Rose Red and Snow White came upon the silent woman, who danced, naked within the failing sunlight. Her red hair, redder now in the late afternoon sun, twirled and spun. A great and heavy sadness lay within her eyes. A sadness of pain, with every step she took, but even with all the pain, she continued to dance as if she never had another chance to. It was both sad and beautiful to the two young girls who lay hidden within the shrubs. Clapping caught their attention.
    Snow White and Rose Red watched the ugly old man, sitting upon a log. He was the source of the clapping. His hair ragged like green seaweed. He looked to them much more ugly than before, more rotting and fishier in appearance. The creatur e’ s skin was almost spoiled and very damp. He clapped and laughed at the young woman.
    “Yes, dance. Dance my little mermaid! Dance! And with luck, you shall see that human you have fallen so in love with. Though the days grow less and he has yet to appear. Such a pity.” He watched the young woman dance and twirl, until at last she collapsed in silent tears, and wept into her hands. He approached with awkward hobble, as if the creature never walked upon the land before. His damp fingers grabbed the woman’s chin sharply, “it would seem your Soul will be mine, as was promised. Isn’t that right?”
    The silent woman shook her head and removed his grip. Done with her, the ugly old man snorted, disappeared in a flash of green fire. An evil laughter, deep and bone chilling, remained for several more seconds after the fire died away.
    As the young