“Great one … I'm not going to hurt you in any way. The people looking for you, they won't come here. They asked me if I had seen anything in the Perishing Coppice and I said, quite honestly at the time, no I hadn't.” He paused, and I stared. “They - they said you killed a man?”

“The captain. He was going to rape me,” I hissed. “They took me as a slave when I did not want to be. I'm done with that life. All of it.”

Undun looked at me, then nodded slowly. “I understand. You killed to survive.”

Quickly I nodded, and he let out a long breath. Still I did not move.

He breathed. “And … You were a slave. Just before they took you?”

“Bought me, technically, but yes,” I growled. “But I'm not going back to that life. I've been a slave and prisoner for three thousand years and-”

I was stunned when he gasped. Blinking in shock I was surprised to see his eyes wide and a hand at his beard. “Oh my … dear girl. You - three thousand years? And you only just escaped?!”

My jaw tightened, so did my hand on my rapier. His brow creased and he sighed again. “Great one, I am not going to harm you. I swear on my whole being.”

“How can I-”

He suddenly put a finger in the air. I saw his ears suddenly prick back as if they were a beast's. Eyes going large he shook his head at me, making me stare in confusion. But I went silent, not sure what to do or say, or what he meant by this. My lips were dry, I was starving, this was … what?

“There are people in the Wood,” he hissed. “I would not be surprised if they were the crew of the ship looking for you. Stay here, and I will not be long.”

I frowned, and looked out of the doorway that was the large crack in the hollow of the tree. Certainly I could not see anyone there just now, never mind hearing anyone. Undun looked at me, his fully black eyes, including the scelera, deep and passionate.

“I have attuned myself to this place,” he whispered. “Now, stay here, and I will see them off.”

And with those words he stood, and he bowed to me. “Stay quiet. If you must eat, then food is in the compartment there.” He pointed to a chest. “I will move them off, and then maybe you will trust me more.”