Chapter 31 The monster in the woods
Eloise
I winced slightly as Maevyth continued to apply salve to the open wound. The salve was meant to speed up healing, that's what Mae said. She didn't mention the burning sensation that came with it.
I deserved the pain.
Father had warned me many times not to go in the woods, but I didn't listen. I hadn't meant to disobey our father, but the opportunity had presented itself and my young mind couldn't resist.
My entire family had gone for a run in their shifted forms that morning. I was growing bored and decided to go to the garden to water the plants. The earthy scent of the garden always calm me.
I hadn't meant to make it past the garden but I had felt something calling to me. I couldn't resist the sound. I climbed the small wooden fence that surrounds the garden and headed for the woods. My instincts screamed at me to turn back, but the call of the thing, whatever it was, grew stronger. Irresistible.
I fought against my instincts and walked deeper into the woods. Mae had always warned me about the dangers in the woods, but I hadn't come across anything dangerous. My stupid, young mind had assumed that my sister had lied to me.
Until I felt the sudden shift in the air.
The hair on my body prickled at the strong presence and I skidded to a halt. I hadn't seen anything yet, but I didn't need to. That thing, that had seemed so irresistible, suddenly seemed dangerous. It hungered for my blood, my soul.
I turned around and sprinted back towards my house. I had wandered so far into the woods that I couldn't find my way back. Fear slithered into my spine along with the dread of whatever was chasing me. I couldn't hear it footsteps, but I felt the presence approaching.
I made a mistake then, I looked back.
The sight of the thing made me falter. It had no nose, no eyes, it's body were purely bones, thinly covered with what looked like melted skin. It wasn't supernatural, it was a monster.
A scream bobbed in my throat and I turned to continue running when its clawed hand shot towards me, dragging me down. I fell to the ground, my forehead hitting a stone. I felt blood trickled down the cut.
I couldn't move. The monster was holding my leg, but also…me. My body was locked in place as it eyes zeroed on my blood. I could have sworn I felt it hunger intensifying.
I squeezed my eyes shut and screamed for help. I thought of my sister, the only person in the world who had ever cared about me. She would be devastated about my death, but she would finally get the chance to be happy. A chance to escape our horrible home and travel the world like she'd fantasized about. A life without me.
An angry howl resonated through the woods and the monster was knocked off me. I turned in time to see Mae shifting into her humanoid form, her arms outstretched and face set in determination.
The monster was suspended in the air by something invisible. It growled painfully as it body began to snap. A sword appeared on my sister's hand as she raced towards it and sliced the monster's head of it body. It fell to the floor, dead.
Mae panted heavily as she rushed to me.
“By the Moon, Eloise. Are you okay?”
I nodded, my tongue too dry to speak. Mae had carried me back home and tended to my wound.
“What was that thing in the woods?” I asked as Mae tied the bruise on my leg.
“A monster you shouldn't worry yourself about.” she said, her voice strained. “It would never get you, not when I'm here.”
I believed her. My sister would always protect me. Before Mae returned to her room that day, she chanted a spell that she claimed would help me heal faster. But before she finished, I had forgotten everything about the monster in the woods.
But I remembered something from that night. Father's angry voice, Mae's scream of pain, and the continued sound of a whip cracking.
.
.
.
My eyes snapped open and I jolted up. My chest heaved as snippets from my nightmare rushed into my mind.
Except It hadn't been a nightmare. It was a memory. One locked in a web of other memories I wasn't supposed to remember. But somehow, I had recalled this particular one.
How?
“By the Hearth! Are you okay? Did you feel pain anywhere?” I turned to the voice, my brows furrowed in confusion.
“Raihn?” I called. He was standing beside me with a concerned look on his face. His eyes roamed my body as he spoke.
“Yes, it's me. Why did you jump up like that? I can't see any physical injuries beside your arm. Maybe I should get the healers.” He stood up and made to walk away but I grabbed his hand.
“I'm fine.” I mustered a smile.
I felt a dull ache in my shoulder but it wasn't so serious that it required medical attention. Raihn must have sensed my sincerity because I felt him relax, a distinct emotion still lingered in his eyes.
I dragged my gaze around the unfamiliar room. The only memory fresh in my mind was the one I just unlocked. My other memories were muddy at best.
“What happened?” I asked.
Raihn's face turned solemn. “You saved me.”
My confusion deepened. “What?”
“You were attacked by a Hollowborn during our punishment. It had sneaked into the base and was hiding in the woods close to the training grounds. Thank Hearth, they managed to kill it before it could drain anyone's magic. You sensed it first and pushed me out of the way with your magic when I approached it unknowingly.”
“I used my magic?” I remembered the uneasiness I felt, I remembered shoving Raihn, but I didn't remember using any magic.
Raihn sighed, “I'm sorry, Eloise. For everything. I know I've been, in Lidia's words, a prolific asshole this past week and I apologize for it. And for everything I said too. I promise, I didn't mean any of it. I was just angry at myself and Tina and I took it out on you. I'm so sorry.” his head hung low in regrets.
The knots that had been in my stomach since their hallway fight loosened completely and I smiled. “You called me Eloise.”
“Oh, I said that? I meant Elise. Or is it Erin. Hearth, what is your name again, Erica?”
I tipped my head back and laughed, my first real laugh since I woke up at the Dragon Keep weeks ago. Raihn's lips tilted into a smile.
“I thought you didn't know my name since you've called me every ‘E’ name except my actual name. Asshole.” I chuckled.
Raihn's smile was so sad that mine fell away. He looked so vulnerable in that moment that I was almost certain he would cry.
“That's because you reminded me too much of her.” he said. His face tightened immediately as if he hadn't meant to say that.
I stayed silent. I wasn't going to probe him if he was willing to discuss who ‘her’ was further.
“Kathryn.” I felt him shudder as he said the name. “She was our friend. Mine and Aeron's. But also more than a friend.”
“You and Aeron's?” I asked.
He nodded. “Believe it or not, Aeron and I actually liked each other at some point. We all grew up together at the Keep. Tina, Aeron, Kathryn, and I, under Princess Tatia’s care. We were like siblings. Tina was the oldest while Aeron was youngest so they were closer. Kathryn and I were the same age.
Aeron had a massive crush on her despite that she was a year older. She was just that amazing. When Princess Tatia died, Aeron was devastated. She'd saved him from The Burn and he blamed himself for it. To cheer him up, Kathryn and I decided to sneak him out to see a carnival cruise. I had gotten drunk and wandered off.
A stray Hollowborn had attacked the carnival then. It was brutal. Kathryn had hid Aeron and went out to find me. She never returned. They found her clothes later with blood all over it and scent of charred skin. The Hollowborn had drained her magic and burned her body with it.
Aeron blamed me for her death and hated me since then. Sometimes, I blamed myself too. If she hadn't gone out to find me, she would still be alive.”
His eyes were damp with tears by the time he was done. I didn't realize I had been crying too until a tear fell on my hand. I dragged Raihn closer to me so he was sitting on the bed and hugged him. I couldn't imagine how lonely it must have felt to carry that burden for so long. I didn't speak, I just held him like I knew he wanted to be held.
“I don't blame you.” Raihn and I turned to the door to see Aeron and Lidia standing by it, each carrying trays of food and medical supplies.
Aeron had been crying too which meant he'd heard everything. “I don't blame you for Kathryn's death, Raihn. I blame you for isolating yourself and shutting me out. I lost two best friends that day, Raihn. You left me.” he said, his voice cracking.
“I'm sorry, Aeron.” Raihn said sincerely. “For that day, and for…everything. I don't expect you to forgive me, any of you, but I'm truly sorry.”
Aeron dropped his tray on the bed and hugged Raihn and me. Lidia stood by the door, a vulnerable expression in her eyes. I motioned to her to step forward but she shook her head.
“Get in here.” Aeron said.
“Group hug? Nah, I'm good–” The three of us turned to her at the same time and glared. She groaned and joined the hug, but I didn't miss the tiny smile on her lips.
We hugged each other for what felt like eternity but in reality was only minutes. I felt something I've never felt in my life before. A sense of belonging. A family.
But despite my happiness, I couldn't shake off my new discovery. That a Hollowborn had attacked me when I was a child, and that my sister has erased my memory of it.
For what reason?