Chapter 23 Full moon
The full moon rose slowly out of the clouds in all its glory, illuminating the dark night—a perfect night for wolves and all dark creatures to roam the hills and forests. But that didn’t stop Lyriel from taking in the beauty of the full moon, it reminded her of the phrase “the light in the darkness.”
She sat outside the cottage on a mat, her legs drawn up to her chest. She was dressed in a beautiful nightgown—one of the many gowns Eli had bought for her that day. The air was cool and carried a soft breeze. It reminded her of a nostalgic feeling. But it was more than just a feeling, it was a smell—the smell of rain. She breathed it in as the breeze brushed against her blonde hair.
Indeed, the human world was peculiar. It held a blend of light and darkness, making it an interesting place to live—a place where one must find their purpose. She wondered if she had a purpose on Earth, or if that privilege was reserved only for humans. How lucky they were.
Although she looked very much like a human at that moment, it didn’t change the fact that she wasn’t from the human world and didn’t belong there. Sooner or later, she would have to return. Or perhaps, if her mother truly cared about her, she would come searching for her with her armies of light. After all, Lyriel was the heir to the Kingdom of Eloria—a great duty she never asked for.
She wondered if the annoying Farren would chase her around if she weren’t an heir. Her little pixie, Miren, hated him just as much as she did and would have dealt with him badly, as always.
Thinking about Miren made her smile widely. The pixie was more than a best friend—she had always taken care of her like a sister, making sure Lyriel never did anything that would upset the Queen. Once, they had both planned to set traps for Farren so he would fall into a river and drown, simply because he had referred to Lyriel as his betrothed in public. Unfortunately, Farren was a very good swimmer, and Miren knew that detail but never told her.
Lyriel had sworn to replace her with a different pixie after that day but never went through with it. Miren was irreplaceable.
“I’m sorry, Miren,” she whispered, her eyes dreamy. “I left without saying goodbye. You must be very angry at me.”
Thinking about her kingdom made her smile, and a certain song—known only in her world came to her mind, as gentle as the night breeze. She closed her eyes, imagining herself in her lost fae form, her beautiful golden wings unfurled. She parted her lips, took in a breath, and began to sing.
She sang in the ancient fae language—a hauntingly beautiful melody that pierced the heart and soul, healing with magic.
Eli, who lay inside the cottage pretending to be asleep, leaned closer as he heard Lyriel’s voice. It was the most mystical voice he had ever heard—so beautiful and angelic. Though he didn’t understand the language, he felt the melody resonate deep within his heart.
He rose quietly and sat on the bed, gazing at her through the window. It was the most magical moment he had ever experienced—the moon, the breeze, the trees, the music. He had never felt such chills.
As Lyriel sang, a dark cloud covered the moon, and a strong breeze rose like an approaching storm. She stopped singing at once, staring in confusion at the sudden change. She closed her eyes and a vision appeared in her mind’s eye— she saw a group of evil beings oozing black aura. They rode black horses like spirit entities, moving at an unnatural pace with murderous intent. An evil voice sang alongside them, overshadowing hers.
Despite the darkness that cloaked them, she could see their eyes—hauntingly silver.
She had seen one of those beings before, the day she first entered Eli’s cottage. Now, it was clear. She finally understood what they were.
She opened her eyes abruptly, cutting the vision short. Her pupils dilated in pure fear.
“The Watchers!” she gasped. They were the beings who had threatened to invade her kingdom and destroy the Veil. But weren’t they supposed to be human? These creatures were nothing like that. They were evil spirits.
Suddenly, one of them emerged from thin air and stood before her. It grabbed her by the neck and yanked her upward, her legs dangling helplessly in the air. She wondered how it had reached her so quickly, without her noticing.
“Don’t… don’t… touch… me…” she struggled, clawing at it. Unknowingly, she pulled down its cloak, revealing part of its face. When she gazed into the glowing silver eyes, she gasped.
“Eli…” she cried in disbelief.
But he did not flinch or show emotion. He only stared at her with bloodlust burning in his eyes—he was soulless and demonic. Eli opened his mouth, revealing sharp fangs, and plunged them into her neck, sucking her blood like an animal.
When the full moon reemerged from behind the clouds, it shone red—red as blood.
Lyriel jerked awake from sleep, and upon seeing Eli gazing down at her as he sat on the bed, she screamed loudly in fear. She threw everything in sight at him, while he caught each object with ease, utterly confused by her strange behavior.
“What’s wrong with you? Have you gone crazy?” he asked in concern, but Lyriel only searched for something else to throw at him.
She suddenly went still and touched her neck especially the side to confirm whether the bite mark was still there. She felt nothing and saw no blood. Eli tried to touch her, but she yanked his hands away, realizing that what she had experienced was only a dream, and that Eli wasn’t a blood-sucking creature. Still, the fear had sunk deep into her bones.
“Don’t touch me, you demon!” she screamed, collapsing onto the floor, panting violently. Her heart raced so fast she could barely breathe.
“Are you really okay?” Eli asked again, keeping his distance. His brows furrowed as he wondered, what he had done wrong this time. “Calm down. It was only a nightmare,” he said gently.
Lyriel shot him a sharp look. She stood up, climbed back onto the bed, and buried her face in the pillow.
“I hate nightmares!” she cried, embarrassment flooding her cheeks. She had probably terrified poor Eli.