The Unicorn Hunter

By Alethea Kontis

Once upon a time, a princess was born with hair as black as ebony, lips as red as blood, and skin as white as snow. After the huntsman and before the dwarfs-while she was all alone in that great forest-the princess met a demon. He was hunting unicorns. And what bait could better snare his prey than the fairest of them all?

This is the sec

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alethea Kontis
• Release date: Mar 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869245281

Alethea Kontis

Alethea Kontis is the author of two picture books and many short stories. Alethea was a student of science fiction greats Andre Norton and Orson Scott Card, and she has worked in a number of book-related jobs. She lives in Virginia. Visit her at www.aletheakontis.com.

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The Unicorn Hunter

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The Unicorn Hunter

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The Unicorn Hunter by Alethea Kontis

THE UNICORN HUNTER

© 2024 Alethea Kontis

All rights reserved.

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For information about permission to reproduce selections from this story, write to:

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www.aletheakontis.com

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Cover design by Caitlin Greer

https://www.authorcaitlingreer.com/

The Unicorn Hunter

The demon was waiting for her when the huntsman brought her into the forest. He knew exactly who she was and where she’d be and when she’d come and how she smelled and what she ate and the size of her slippers and the sound of her voice and exactly how far her chest rose and fell when she drew in a breath. From the tiniest needle on the smallest tree to the oldest dragon in the mountains, the denizens of the forest had been whispering about her for weeks now: the poor, beautiful young princess whose horrible jealous mother was sending to her death. The whole of nature waited with bated breath for her arrival, wondering at what adventures might arise from this terrible occasion. There hadn’t been this much drama in the Wood since the last time his brethren had crossed the storm-tossed threshold into this accursed world.

He killed a doe while he was waiting, in part because the princess would eventually want for sustenance, but mostly because the idiot creature was too distracted by all the excitement to have the sense to stay away from him.

He knew the moment she entered the forest, for everything in it smiled at once and sighed, like a chorus of tinkling bells. The cold winter sun broke through the gray clouds and bare branches to kiss her alabaster cheek in reverence. The gold thread in her dress and golden ribbons in her ebony hair caught the light and danced like fire. She was young for her height, slender as the willows, and as yet