Chapter 410: A Dream Come True

Chapter 410: A Dream Come True


Thalia saw a small colonial-style house at the end of the road, and her steps suddenly became heavier.

She stopped in front of it and looked at its new light blue paint and the white fence surrounding the entire house. The house was not as small as she had imagined when she saw it from a distance.

Thalia looked at the chimney and saw smoke coming out of it at the same time she smelled fresh coffee.

In the front yard, there were some swings and wooden toys, rustic in style. The swings had posts with supports laden with small white and yellow flowers.

“I hope this is how you always dreamed it would be.”

Thalia discreetly reached for her secret weapon when she heard the ghostly voice behind her, and even though all her senses were on alert, she managed to turn to the creature with an indifferent look.

“Wouldn't it have been easier if you had left me here?”

He smiled.

“Walking is good for your health, Luna.”

“I don't think you're concerned about my health.”

"I'm not really concerned about that insignificant detail. I wanted you to see with your own eyes how isolated this place is. If you choose to stay here, everything you saw on that road, and everything inside this house, will be all you will see for as long as I live. Except for the gift I will send you in seven years, then you will be able to see three or five more different faces."

“Gift?”

“Yes. If you don't kill me before then.”

Thalia looked away, trying to hide her surprise. The creature spoke as if it knew her intentions. She assessed that he was close enough for her to strike him with her dagger, but her intuition told her that this was not the right moment for that. The creature must be alert to any sudden movement, and she knew she would only have one chance to hurt him.

“You said ‘if I choose’? Do I have a choice?”

“You can come live among us. As our servant, of course. I promise that no Firecold will touch you with sexual intentions. All they want is to live as humans used to live, and you can be useful washing their clothes and cleaning their houses while they learn. What do you say?”

“Live in isolation here or serve as a maid to the disgusting creatures who killed people important to me and whom I hate? It doesn't seem like a difficult choice.”

“Don't refer to the Firecolds that way!” He replied angrily. “I didn't say you would live in isolation. You will need supplies, and this house was offered to someone else before you, and she is inside right now.”

“I'd rather be isolated,” Thalia grumbled, annoyed.

“I'm trying to save some of you, Luna. Don't make my job harder, because that's not important to any Firecold.”

Thalia looked at the creature with interest.

“Why are you trying to ‘save some of us?’ Who is important to you that made this request?” Thalia asked, believing that killing the person important to that creature would be a worse revenge than seeing life leave those almond-shaped eyes.

“Someone important to you, too.”

Thalia glared at him furiously. Once again, he seemed to read her intentions.

“I need some time to give you my answer, because you're making it sound like it's going to be final.”

“You have one day. A Firecold will come looking for you tomorrow to get your answer.”

“So... I'm to assume that you won't be the one giving me the choice.” Thalia said worriedly that another opportunity to kill him would not arise.

“It won't be me. You will have many questions troubling your mind, and I have... I need to take care of family matters.”

Thalia laughed mockingly.

“And since when do monsters have families?”

“I don't know, Thalia. You tell me. How long does it take your species to reproduce?” He asked sarcastically and disappeared.

When she was alone, Thalia looked back at the house and remembered the smell of coffee. Would the person who lived there be bothered by the presence of a guest? She certainly wouldn't get that answer standing outside the house, so she decided to go in, thinking she would enjoy a steaming cup of coffee.

...

She knocked on the door, trying not to be intrusive, but it was impossible given the silent response. Thalia entered. The house was cozy and modestly furnished, but with attention to every detail. Thalia rolled her eyes, impatient with herself for letting herself be carried away, even for a few minutes, by futile thoughts, and went to the kitchen. She knew her way around because that house was an exact replica of the house she had always dreamed of living in.

She saw the coffee bottle on the table and approached it. When she reached out to grab the bottle, Thalia froze. She felt it. Her tears flowed as her whole body shook. The vision she saw from Ian's memories, which she extracted when he touched her, began to make sense. She turned slowly. He was standing and leaning against the doorframe, just as she remembered. With his arms crossed and his head tilted slightly to one side, his sparkling blue eyes  watching her as if she were an intriguing and rare creature.

The words of the Firecolds' leader finally penetrated her mind and made sense. “I hope this is how you dreamed it would be.” He wasn't talking about the house!