229- Scars That Refuse to Fade
POV Elowen Grimwald:
The day dawned hot, and I woke up drenched in sweat. I had no idea what time it was, but the sun looked like it was already noon. I took a shower and stood in front of the mirror, trying to see all my marks.
They didn’t hurt at all, but they were definitely there—every imprint of teeth and fangs.
Aldren might not have been joking when he said they wouldn’t fade unless he himself removed them, and that worried me.
In my pile of folded clothes, I searched for something that could cover that mess.
How embarrassing.
My benevolent captor had blessed me with new clothes, and among them I found a three-quarter-sleeve knit top with a high collar.
I would have worn the beautiful leather skirt, but my thighs were bruised as well. I was forced to put on a pair of jeans that, thank the gods, fit me perfectly and didn’t hang loose.
Some things depressed me, but the fact that Nerin had lied to me weighed more heavily than my inability to kill Aldren.
What was I thinking? What good would killing him do?
Where I came from, people solved even the most trivial problems with death—maybe that was why.
Spite, resentment, impulsiveness, hatred, rebellion, passion… so many feelings mixed together, turning my mind into complete chaos.
One more thing that made shapeshifters resemble purely human beings was that, at least once in life, we asked ourselves: What if?
What if I hadn’t done what I did? What if “us” had been possible?
What if…
Dressed, I went down to the kitchen, unsure whether or not I would ask Nerin the questions burning inside me. As soon as I stepped in, the delicious smell of her food hit me.
A small speaker was on at low volume, playing a foreign song, while my colleague moved around the wood-burning stove.
“Good morning,” I greeted her.
“Good afternoon.” She didn’t turn around to reply.
“Yeah. I lost track of time.”
Not hungry, I sat on one of the stools facing the window, trying to organize my thoughts. I stayed there in silence for what felt like half an hour.
I tried repeatedly to push the previous night out of my mind and failed every miserable time.
I snapped out of it and wiped away a smile I hadn’t even noticed I was wearing when Nerin dragged a stool in front of me and sat down, resting her crossed arms on the small table.
“Don’t you want to eat anything?”
I shook my head, watching her shift uncomfortably, even as she tried to look calm.
“Maybe I want hazelnut spread,” I prodded her coldly. Nerin sighed.
“Yes, Elowen, it was Aldren who bought it.”
“Why did you lie?” I asked, snorting.
“Believe it or not, I like you. I don’t want you to get hurt.” She sounded sincere, but it still felt unnecessary.
“I’m not a child. I know how to take care of myself.”
She shook her head, disagreeing.
“You’re still twenty. At that age, I fooled myself with anything.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Want to make it up to me? Start by telling me why, in your opinion, Aldren can’t be ‘cured,’” I referred to what she had told me the night before.
“I’m not authorized to talk about my alpha’s past. I’m sorry.”
“But you’re authorized to lie on his behalf?” I raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, I didn’t rat you out.”
“I know you didn’t.”
“You do?” She nodded.
“Are you okay, Elowen?”
I took a long breath, trying to assemble my own puzzle inside myself.
“I’ll be honest.” I fixed my eyes on hers. “I’m lost. I don’t know whether I should be happy or sad.”
“Why? Explain it better—maybe I can help.”
“Let’s say that Aldren and I…”
I didn’t want my cheeks to turn red, but I felt the heat rising anyway.
“Forget it, I get it,” she said, giving me a toothless, understanding smile. “I have good news.”
“What?” I lit up with a spark of hope.
“You’ll be allowed to walk around the village starting today.”
Unable to contain myself, my jaw nearly hit the tabletop.
“Nerin! Don’t lie to me!”
She smiled, empathetic.
“It’s true. A guard will accompany you.”
“For God’s sake!” I brought both hands to my face, stunned. “Can I go, like, right now?”
“If Bratvo is waiting for you, yes—but first you need to eat something.”
“I’m not hungry!” I stood up, anxious.
“If you don’t eat, you’re not going. Then you’ll collapse from walking on an empty stomach, and Aldren will send me to prison with Kehin.”
I laughed at the absurd idea.
“As if.”
I gave in and ate a few pieces of cheese with tea before going upstairs to brush my teeth and slip on my only pair of flat sandals.
I didn’t walk down the corridor—I danced, even without music.
My happiness at being almost free again surpassed any limit. Now I could look for my little sister.
Nerin walked me outside, down a long stone staircase. I was surprised by the size of my personal bodyguard.
Dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and pants of the same color, he was as tall as Aldren and wore boots like his. His dark, curly hair fell to his shoulders, and his skin was as pale as mine.
“This is Elowen, Bratvo.”
Bratvo—like “bravo”?
“Good afternoon!” I smiled and held out my hand, but he didn’t shake it—he merely nodded.
Beside him, about a meter away, stood the two hulking men who had accompanied my entire saga as a prisoner. Neither of them opened their mouths.