Chương 60: Chapter Fifty Six: Back From Where?

Back? Back from where? Where am I? [You're at the Hawthorne House for Witches. In the Sunless Forest. And you… left us for a little bit.] Left where? [Limbo. Ria, you shouldn't have run away.] Limbo? Like Limbo-limbo? The in-between? Did I die or something? It's meant to be a joke, but Penguin doesn't laugh. … I died? The hiccups start right then and there. Rib crunching hiccups. [You were too cold. I tried to maintain your basic functions, but you slipped away from me. The entire space started shaking, and I almost disappeared. Then some light came from the ceiling, and it felt like I was being cooked into those tenders you're always talking about.] Even if it might be fake... the exhaustion present in his voice makes me feel a bit guilty. Scratch that. A lot guilty. I… I'm sorry. I didn't know. What else happened? [Once I realized your soul was in jeopardy, Melinoë and I used a failsafe to keep you from leaving this world.] Oh. Um thanks? [Melinoë's still out of it. She's been sleeping ever since it happened, and she won't wake up at all. We need to talk. Try to fall asleep soon.]"Miseria, what are you looking at?" I'm pulled from my conversation with Penguin back to the present. Niathe's still holding me on her lap and gently petting me like some lapdog. My curls stand up from the static, and she pats them down. Tch. I roll my eyes and get on my feet. At first, it's hard to maintain my balance. Once I'm not so dizzy my stomach growls, and I mumble.

"Breakfast?" I feel like all of the cheese fell off of my crust. What kind of tractor-trailer ran over me while I was asleep? She pulls me back towards her and stares down at me as if she's trying to decide if I'm serious. Stray baby hairs frame her paler than normal crown of her head. Her lips twitch.

"Really? This early? Yes, Ria. Breakfast is on the stove being warmed. It's been on the stove for the entire day. How can you sleep and eat so much?" She's dressed a bit differently today. Hmm. It's actually pretty similar to Meng Jialin's clothing. Except this one has a hood, longer sleeves, and a small belt meant to hold small gadgets. She looks... passable. Who am I kidding, she's a rockstar and she knows it. I step off of her lap and onto the bed.

"Whose bedroom is this?" It's so…military style. Wooden cabinets meant to hold only the bare necessities, a closet four feet wide and tall, a nightstand filled with colored glass bottles across from me, and a desk behind her. I mean, it still has elements from this world all over it, but it's so plain. Is this a guest room? Why are there weapons on the walls, though? Is this some kind of outpost or shelter? Is that mold! Where are we? How did I even get here? And how is she here?

"It's my room. You're welcome." She picked at a leaf in my hair and threw it onto the floor. Her black painted nails tapped on the bed as her eyes roved over me. Looking for more things to pick and fix. She picked at her cuticles and thought better of it. Her hand clenched into a fist, and I glanced back at her fidgeting form.

"This is your room? Where's the twenty maids and the frills galore?" She sneers at me, and her hands relax the slightest bit as she taunts me.

"Look who woke up on the wrong side of the bed. No, thank you. No, I missed you…" I snorted, "Missed you? It's been a day. Two tops." I'm no velcro kid. She corrected me.

"It's been four days since I last saw you and was informed you were involved in an ambush. Two days since I plucked you out of—Only to find out upon arrival that you are the assassin everyone was looking for. The one who chased her brothers into The Sunless Forest all by herself—" Is she trying to blame me for this disaster? I fired back.

"That only happened because both you and her didn't take me yourselves. The triplets stowed away by themselves and instead of being there, you were busy doing whatever secret stuff you do in the Palace!" A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"By the way, I met your brother! How is it that he found me before you? Huh? Sounds like you weren't looking that hard!" Four days? Maybe you were having a little vacation on the shores of the Sand Kingdom in the meantime.

"Miseria Noxcissa Duccaness!" She stood up from the bed and started yelling at me heat in her gaze.

"Take that back. You have no idea what I went through looking for you. And another thing. When were you going to tell me that you were teething?!" I blew her off and started yelling back.

"Never! I had no idea what that meant or what it was until it happened! That's what happens when the adults in your life forget to teach you important shit! This is all your fault!" The papers on the desk behind me and the glassware on the night table began to vibrate. Physically moving up and down with the tenor of my voice. I noticed them out of the corner of my eye, and my heart constricted. I let go of my balled-up fists and struggled with that mysterious force in an attempt to wrangle it back. No.

Not like this. Not her. Stop it. Stop it. Don't touch her. Please, go away. Angry tears surged forth. I wiped at them, and my throat tightened when it came back clear. Why was I expecting it to be. My chest got tight, and my lips got tighter. I refused to let go of the noise bubbling in my throat. Stop. Just stop. The glassware clattered on the nightstand, but one bottle broke in the process. I flinched and tried to keep it under control. Shaking hands clutched at my own. She's scared. I'm scaring her.

Shame and self-loathing crept in from the tightly locked box I had kept in my mind. My own Pandora's box of emotions had somehow been unlocked. Push it down. Don't cry.

"Miseria." I flinched again and sniffled. She brought my hands closer to her face and let them brush her cheeks. Long lashes tickled my palms and I tried to shy away. She wouldn't let me.

"Miseria. Throw it."

"..." I opened my eyes. What? I gaped at the obviously crazy woman.

"Are you insane? No."

"Miseria, you have to let it go." Her mauve eyes bored into me. I sputtered.

"No. No. I'll hurt someone. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Let me see Miseria." I refused."No." She continued to ask it of me. Her voice became too much, so I wrenched my hands from her grasp and covered my ears. She's just nuts. Deep breaths. One in. One out. Everyone else is crazy. This entire world is crazy. Focus. Something else. Anything else.

"Is she having trouble?" A deep, concerned voice interrupted my calming breaths and drew my attention. Standing in the middle of the darkened doorway was a familiar face. Green light illuminated his features and cast him in a spooky shadow.

"Lucian?"

"Hey, Bloodsucker. Need a snack?" He waved his hand teasingly but maintained a stone face. My stomach growled, and I blushed. Strike me down, someone please.

"Well. Come on." He beckoned me forward and rolled up his sleeves nonchalantly. The distraction helped me gain some control. He motioned for me to come closer, and I walked over to him following the scent of smores. Niathe's warm hand stopped me from getting what I wanted, though. Fangs slid down from my gums, and I hissed at her through my teeth.

"We're going to talk about this." She tried to establish authority. I rolled my eyes and shrugged her off me. Yeah, right. Lucian rolled up his sleeves all the way and offered his arms to me. I searched for a scar or any sign of my previous bites but found none. He chuckled as if he understood what I was looking for. Werewolf healing girly. His gruff, gravelly voice whispered in my ears, and I realized that's just his thoughts. That's going to take some time getting used to.

Shaking my head, I picked up his left arm and sank down. I had already gotten over the jitters of biting someone yesterday, or I suppose a few days ago. Two days? Hot liquid quenched the thirst burning at the back of my throat and filled my stomach with what it needed. What it craved.

"Has she had any reactions? I peeked through my eyelashes and made an inquiring sound. I gulped another rush of hot liquid down and unlatched from him when I felt like I had enough. Blood and puncture wounds slowly closed up in real time.

"That's so cool." Lucian smirked in Niathe's direction, and she sighed.

"Why did it have to be you?"

"Fate works in mysterious ways. Can't believe it's already been this long." He sighs wistfully and shakes his head. Something passes between them, and I sneer. I hate it when old people talk about stuff I can't relate to. So rude. Niathe wipes at my face with her sleeve, and I try to push her away.

"You know each other? Hey! Stop it." She relents but uses a finger coated in her own saliva to wipe at the corner of my lips. Disgusting.

"Yes, we know each other. Lucian's one of my dear friends and a mentor, so to speak. He showed me the ropes of the forest when I was only a little older than you." I nodded to show that I understood. So you most likely kidnapped him and made him teach you the ropes. Just like Mediak. Oh shit. I completely forgot. My bad. I hope he just half-assed those plans. It seems I won't need them anymore. A knock rapped on the open door.

"Can I come in?" Niathe scowled and stared daggers at my favorite person in the world.

"Eric?" He found his way inside and reached for me with hands adorned in silver rings. I held out my hands, and Niathe used my collar to drag me further back on the bed. Her eyes in furious slits darkened as she hissed.

"I thought I told you she was resting. Was I mistaken?" Erichean met her glare with the same intensity, "She seems very awake now. The others all want to know how she's feeling. Especially the elders." Niathe sat up straighter and looked askance. Then she tilted her head so she could see past him. Her expression softened and she looked to me again.

"Ria? Do you want company right now?" I nodded like a rooster pecking at the ground.

"Of course. How is everyone?" Erichean used that opportunity to grab me, and I snuggled into him. So warm. I smushed my cold cheeks into his neck and he sighed in satisfaction.

"You smell like sunshine and…" I tried to pick up that other smell.

"Roses? Something floral and kind of wheaty." He barks a laugh and returns the favor by sniffing my hair. Ew! I giggle and push his chin away.

"You smell like fruits and milk." He pats my back and runs his fingers through my hair. Knots and tangles from the past few days stop him from completely running them through. With practiced fingers, he sorts them out and holds my head so the hair doesn't pull. The scent of Niathe, Lucian, and the incense wafts towards me. Wow. That is so much all at once. Strangely enough, only Lucian and Niathe's scent makes me want to... bite. It's not like Eric smells bad. It's just not right?

Something cold is underneath his scent that makes him smell not very appetizing.

"Fruits? Like grapes?" Is that racist because I'm kind of purple-skinned? I tilted my head and tried to think. I mean yeah. He seems amused at the thought, like he knows what I'm thinking too. He curls his lip.

"Like oranges or lemons. Something vanilla-y too." I scowl. I'm not a fan of sour stuff. Once he's done untangling the major knots, he looks down at my neck. He pulls at my necklace, and I look down as well.

"What happened?" The stone isn't glowing anymore. He reassured me and let it dangle against my chest like a pendulum, "I used up the spell inside. I'll get you a new one." Niathe cuts in.

"That's alright. I'll get her another." Eric gives her a dark look but says nothing. Instead, he smothers me in kisses and blows raspberries into my cheeks. I push at his face and laugh hysterically.

"No more! I want to see everyone and make sure they're ok!" Thank god. We all made it.