34 – Lauren

34 – Lauren
34 – Lauren
Meridian Water

The darkness felt like a cloak wrapped around my thoughts. The spell casting had drained me, not just physically but emotionally too. I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands resting on my knees, as I stared at the faint moonlight seeping through the window. Dark magic left marks on me—not visible to others but etched deep into my soul. A part of me resisted the shadows that lived within me. I felt like an intruder in my own body. Even as a renegade from the Kingdom of Umbra, I wasn’t a creature of darkness, and now my mind was at war with itself.

The door creaked open, and I turned. A girl stood there, her eyes—like everyone else’s—carrying a mix of concern that I found puzzling. She held a cup of something warm, its herbal aroma wafting through the air.

“I brought you something. Thought it might help you relax,” she said, setting the cup on the table beside the bed before sitting next to me, keeping a respectful distance.

“I don’t want it,” I muttered, not looking at her. But that smell... I knew that smell.

“It used to be your favorite tea,” she said softly.

That made me laugh.

“I don’t know who you think you brought home, but I hate tea,” I hissed, still staring at the moon.

“Are you feeling the effects of the spell casting?” she asked, ignoring my words.

She was different—more willing to engage in a dialogue without trying to convince me of anything. For some reason, that lowered my guard, which was new. I never lowered my guard. Only one person had ever managed that before: the prince.

“Just a few demons trying to get in, but I’m stronger than them,” I grumbled.

“You’ve never wanted to be dark? I thought this was your chance!” I looked at her, and by her tone and the glint in her eye, I realized it was a joke. Strangely, it made me laugh—not openly, but a small laugh nonetheless.

“I’m a renegade. I know who I am. My kingdom is dark, and that’s enough for me. I don’t need shadows to be powerful—I already am.”

She smiled.

“You know, when they told me about all the things you’ve done, I thought I’d hate you when you got here,” she said, taking a deep breath. “You caused a lot of damage, girl. But... I don’t hate you. I completely understand you. You don’t know who we are, and you believe you were abandoned. You thought we’d kill you. To you, we’re the enemy. Only Mother Moon knows what they told you about us.”

I stayed silent. She swallowed hard and continued.

“Speaking for myself, I’d really like to get to know you—again, for me. I hope that one day we can be friends,” she said softly.

“In another life, maybe...” I muttered.

“Why not in this one?” she asked, her gaze piercing, filled with something I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Because you’re too sweet,” I said, and she laughed. “I’m an assassin, and the only reason we’re having this conversation is that I’m in a vulnerable position. I’m a hunter, a renegade, and I definitely don’t have the sensitivity of wolves. You’re adorable. But did you catch the part where I said I’m an assassin?”

She laughed again, then nodded.

“You could at least try it,” she said, glancing at the tea. “There’s no poison in it. If we wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead. We wouldn’t waste poison on it.”

That made me laugh. I liked her humor.

“By the way, my name’s Lauren,” she said, hesitating for a moment as if pondering whether to say more.

“Okay.” I nodded. “My name is Meridian,” I said, with a touch of irony, since everyone here insisted on calling me Mel.

“It’s a pleasure, Meridian,” she said, her tone thoughtful, as if acknowledging the irony and letting me set the tone.

There was something about her that caught my attention.

When she left, I stayed there, lost in thought. What was happening? Did they really think they could turn me into a friend and get me to betray the kingdom that gave me life and purpose?

At the same time, my mind wrestled with everything that had happened since I arrived. Something deep within me was trying to surface, like a memory I didn’t want, so I shoved it down. I didn’t understand why they all seemed so familiar. Were they telling some partial truth? What if I really was part of this pack? What if they had left me in Umbra as a spy to retrieve later?

That made no sense. How could they have known King Sweeney would show compassion? And what if I really was kidnapped? Why? What purpose would that serve? Why didn’t the king kill me or imprison me? And why would he allow an enemy to become the prince’s protector? None of it made sense. If my memories returned, I could kill the prince. Why would the king put his son in such a vulnerable position?

Nothing about this added up. My head spun, searching for answers that didn’t exist.

I took a deep breath.

Inhale. Exhale.

I placed two fingers on my forehead, trying to focus on recent events.

Nothing worked.

Then the smell of the tea hit me again. I looked at the cup—it seemed harmless, and I was thirsty. Honestly, if they wanted to kill me, it wouldn’t be with poison. I picked it up, took a small sip, and closed my eyes.

“Ugh, it tastes awful...” I spat it out immediately.

“You didn’t savor it, Mel. Don’t drink it with preconceived opinions.”

I opened my eyes and slammed the cup back onto the table. What was that? I knew that voice—it belonged to the man from the ball.

What was going on?

In another life, was my name really Mel? What weren’t they telling me?