Chapter 65 Sixty-Five
Mason didn't come after Danica as she continued out into the world and then towards the main street leading away from the training grounds and back to town.
Feeling even more distressed, Danica continued to move, making her way back to what she knew and away from the new world that she had been residing in.
Everything was as normal when Danica entered the heart of town; people bustled around going about their days, children played along the streets, and vendors tried to draw attention to their stalls where they were selling fresh produce and fish. The whole scene was so normal and so mundane that Danica had a hard time believing that this world even existed.
Around her, people gave her weird looks, taking in Danica's beaten-up state, but they quickly averted their gazes and moved around. A few children who noticed pointed as their faces paled like she was a monster rather than a person herself.
Danica couldn't help but laugh on the inside. If only these children actually knew that she was in fact a monster and that so many more monsters actually existed, but they were never aware.
"Stay innocent." Danica murmured as she turned a corner and started heading in the direction of the home she and Martha shared.
Inside the small house, the lights were off, and the welcoming aura that usually surrounded it was completely gone. Instead, an emptiness radiated from within, causing Danica's heart to clench.
Taking in a deep breath, Danica headed towards the front porch, lifting the welcome mat just before the door to find the spare key still there. Picking it up, she placed it within the lock and turned, feeling a click indicating that she could enter.
Hesitating Danica kept her hand on the knob, not sure if she wanted to enter the now-uninhabited home. Even though she had gotten some closure from Martha's passing, it was still fresh in her memory. She wasn't sure if she was strong enough to face the things within that were signs of Martha's life.
Letting go, she allowed her hand to drop to her side as she just stared at the door, trying to build up her courage.
The whole situation was ironic to Danica given that she had lived in the world of beasts for quite some time, even faced them and fought them head-on, but the thought of entering somewhere with mere memories of someone she loved terrified her.
'You can do it.' The soft voice took Danica off guard until she realized who was speaking.
'Lizbeth?' Danica tried reaching out to find the white wolf.
'You need to do this for you.' Lizbeth responded, 'Only with full closure can you move forward.'
'You're right.'
Reaching out a hand again, Danica turned the doorknob and entered the home, sneezing as dust flitted up to her nose.
Looking around, she took in everything—the pictures on the wall of her and Martha at various places, their faces smiling happily, oblivious to the future that was to come. Martha's art station was still set up with a half-finished painting that would never be finished. Framed awards on the walls from Danica's school days. Everything shows that once upon a time, a happy little family used to live here.
Feeling her throat begin to constrict, Danica headed for the stairs, making her way up to the second floor, where hers and Martha's rooms resided.
Her entire life, Martha hadn't allowed Danica anywhere near her room, and Danica had obeyed that rule. However, now that Martha was gone, Danica couldn't help but find herself curious, wondering what was just beyond the door.
Determination growing, she stopped in front of Martha's door, taking a few steady breaths before pushing, allowing the door to groan on its hinges as if it hadn't been moved in ages.
A gasp escaped Danica as the room within came into view. She didn't know what she had expected to find, but this wasn't it.
Sitting in a corner was an altar covered in crystals, herbs, and what looked to be potions. Flowers covered the surface as if Martha had used them as an offering, along with a few small trinkets. Hanging on the wall was a tapestry with three women on it: one young and beautiful, one with a bulging pregnant belly, and the final, an old woman with wrinkles scattering her serene face.
Everything about the room screamed sorceress, and Danica could finally understand why Martha hadn't allowed her to enter. If she had, then Martha's secret would have been revealed long ago, and with that, Danica's secret would most likely have come to light as well.
"Martha." Danica sobbed, collapsing to the ground as fresh tears sprung into her eyes.
Curling in on herself, she began to cry as all the memories of growing up with her adoptive mother sprung into her mind. Each one became more painful than the last as they hit her wave after wave.
She didn't know how long she lay there crying as everything hit her at once—not only memories of Martha, but the betrayal she was feeling from Mason, all the attacks and deaths—everything hit her until she was cried out and unable to feel anything anymore.
Gasping, she closed her eyes; her head had begun to hurt, and her nose was stuffy, making breathing difficult. Exhausted, she tried to push aside all thoughts that threatened to spring forth while she tried to compose herself.
'Feel better?' Lizbeth asked, breaking the silence.
'No,' Danica murmured in response as she felt another wave of sobs threaten to erupt. 'I'm so tired.'
'You've spent enough time grieving.' Lizbeth explained. 'Now, you need to return to your pack.'
'That isn't my pack.' Danica chuckled, feeling the betrayal she had felt earlier on hit her again.
'He did it for your own good.' Lizbeth argued, taking Mason's side. 'He didn't want to overwhelm you further.'
'Look what that got me into.' Danica continued; after all, his keeping her in the dark had almost allowed her to be killed by Monica.
'He is doing his best.'
Sighing, Danica tried to block out her inner wolf's voice, not wanting to hear any arguments for Mason's actions. Although deep down she knew that Lizbeth was right, she also knew that Mason should not have kept her in the dark about anything, and at the moment she wasn't willing to forgive him.
As this thought hit, she heard what sounded like tapping on the door downstairs. Lifting herself up, she remained silent, listening carefully as another three soft taps drifted upstairs.
Not sure who could possibly be at the door at this time, Danica got up and wiped the remaining tears from her face as she made her way downstairs. Whoever was at the door was beginning to grow impatient as their taps grew into loud thuds that echoed throughout the whole downstairs.
Growing wary Danica slowed her pace just as the front door groaned and then burst, sending splinters and debris flying. Blocking her face, she waited for the dust to clear before turning her gaze towards where the front door once stood to find a very excited Rebecca waiting.
Feeling her heart begin to thud in her chest, Danica braced herself as Rebecca grinned from ear to ear. It seemed that the harpie had come to take care of her, and the only thing she could do now was fight and hope to win.