Meribella sank onto the three-seater couch in the centre of the lavish parlour while Durian, the only maid in the house, entered the kitchen. Right now, Meribella's mind was a whirlwind of disbelief and bitter confusion.
How could these two men, with their cold logic and utter lack of basic human hospitality, leave her alone? And expect her to make this place her home? Are they for real? Not that everything was expected to be normal about the situation she was in.
All she wanted was to return to her own life after getting answers from Raze that had been denied her since the moment she was taken. And now, the shocking revelation that Raven Crest was Lord Azkariel's brother left her speechless. Because of him, she had been kidnapped?
Is he in love with her? She pondered. Would they force her to marry him? Over her dead body! She would never marry him.
She looked around the parlour room. Every corner was filled with neatly arranged plants. Their vibrant green leaves softened the space. The walls were covered in high-quality wood, impeccably finished but completely bare, lacking any personal touch or warmth. On one side, a three-seater couch faced another three-seater couch, while one-seater couches flanked both ends, creating a formal yet inviting layout around a large wooden tea table in the centre.
Meribella was trying to make sense of her situation and how she was going to get out of it. The thought of Edwyn hurting and her family worrying twisted her heart painfully.
Her feet began tapping against the floor as she lost herself in the tangle of her thoughts when suddenly, her feet halted.
"Help me." The whisper brushed against Meribella's ear, a fragile plea that sent a chill of alarm through her. Her eyes swept across the sun-drenched room. She craned her neck, twisting her body to scan every corner but there was no one to be found.
Maybe, her mind was playing tricks. Meribella was ready to pick the unfinished thought when an overwhelming feeling of dread caused her heart to pound as the voice resonated once more—now charged with a tortured growl that pulsated with despair. She covered her ears, unwilling to listen, but the noise only intensified, becoming more urgent, inviting her to step outside the frigid, lavish corridors.
It won't stop, she realised until she acknowledged it.
With a trembling hand, she pushed open the heavy front door and stepped out of the house. The unfamiliar air of ravencrest engulfed her. Her feet carried her toward the source of the agonized sound, drawing her closer to the jungle's edge. She paused, swallowed hard to ease her dry throat, and looked around before entering the jungle.
Lord Azkariel's warning rang in her head, warning her to stop and go back yet her feet carried her forward as if they had a mind of their own.
The thick plants surrounded her like a dark maze. As she moved through the tangled underbrush, her bridal gown got caught in a stubborn thorny bush. A sharp sound broke the stillness as the fabric ripped—her attire now was more torn, reminding her of her torn future.
She sighed with bitterness, whispering, "So much for being a bride!"
Birds moved between branches, their soft calls mixing with the sounds of insects. The ground was smooth under her feet, guiding her through a tangle of roots and ferns.
The growl became louder, making Meribella each step match the fast beating of her heart. Her eyes moved nervously from side to side until she reached the particular tree. There, she saw something that made her stop. A monkey lay on a gnarled tree branch. Blood dripped slowly from a deep gash in its stomach where a sharp wooden splinter had lodged. The creature's eyes shone with pain and despair.
A desperate cry escaped the monkey's lips, pleading in a strange, choked language. "Help me." Meribella heard it clearly in her head.
"Why don't you come down. I will catch you." Meribella said it louder for the monkey to hear.
"No, I-I want to stay here. Please come here. I need your help." Monkey said it in his language, yet Meribella understood what he was saying. The monkey was being stubborn even in such a dire situation. Meribella reprimanded the monkey silently in her thoughts.
Meribella's gaze shifted between the wounded animal and the remains of her ruined dress. The attire she wore was unsuitable for climbing a tree. The anguish in the monkey's cries was intensifying. She could not afford to wait any longer as the pain in her heart increased. With a heavy heart, she used a sharp wooden stick to tear the hem of her dress for easier movement. Leaving her heels behind, she ascended the tree. Fortunately, she had practised climbing trees many times before with her sister, and after several tries, she finally reached the branch where the monkey lay.
Settling on a broad branch beside the monkey, she asked softly, "How long have you been here?"
The monkey's low, pained murmur replied, "Three days… I can't bear this agony any longer. Please, kill me. Help me."
"Three days?" she echoed, her heart sinking at the thought of the slow agony it had endured. The idea of such prolonged suffering was heartbreaking. She felt a wave of empathy for the monkey and took a slow, deep breath to steady herself.
"I might be able to ease your pain," she offered softly, glancing at the cut on its side. "There are herbs in the jungle that could help heal you."
She reached out her hand carefully, trying not to scare the creature, as she thought about removing the splinter stuck in its stomach.
But the monkey pulled back, sounding more desperate. "Don't. I know I am close to death. I still have two days more days to go. But this pain is killing me. Please, end this suffering."
"Why?" she asked, her tone laced with sorrow and incredulity. "Why are you choosing death over life?" Meribella didn't want to kill the animal; it was the last thing she wanted to do. Yet they always urged her to take its life. If she didn't comply with their request, the pain in her heart only intensified.
"Unlike humans, we animals understand when our time is near. My journey has reached its end. Do your duty, as grim as it may seem. Please, have mercy on me." The monkey replied.
The pain in Meribella's heart swelled as she realized she could not wait any longer. With trembling hands, she removed the hairpin from her hair and looked down at the dying monkey. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the sharp end of the hairpin into his right shoulder. The moment it pierced his flesh, a serene smile crossed his face, and he died instantly, his palms coming together in a final gesture of peace.
Meribella had seen so many deaths done by her own hands that she did not shed tears as she did in her initial days. She considered bringing the monkey down to bury him. However, he seemed to wish to remain on the branch, so she decided to let him rest there, allowing nature to take its course.
Meribella climbed down from the tree, and just as she was about to put on her heels, she heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes. She raised her gaze, trying to figure out the source of that sound but nothing had prepared her to see what she found. The rustling sound shifted, and soon, a wolf appeared.
Startled, Meribella forgot that the jungle was home to dangerous animals. Her eyes widened in alarm. Before the fear took over her senses, she quickly picked up the wooden stick she had previously carried from the ground and aimed it at the wolf.
To her astonishment, the wolf smiled, and its tails raised in the air. Not just one tail, but nine, creating a stunning display as the wolf spread them. Meribella's lips parted in awe and surprise. She had never encountered such a creature before. It looked magnificent and exuded a cunning aura.
"I mean you no harm," the wolf spoke, its voice deep and masculine.
"W-what are you?" Meribella stammered, still holding the stick aimed at him.
"I am a wolf," the wolf declared proudly. "I am a nine-tailed wolf. Have you never heard the tale of me?" The wolf gazed at her as if she had committed a great offence by not knowing who he was.
"Yes, I read about it in a storybook. B-but I never thought it could be real." That's when Meribella recalled Raze telling her that the jungle held creatures people considered myths. 'So he was telling the truth and not just trying to frighten her.'
"What do you want?" Meribella scrutinized the wolf carefully; he appeared unharmed. But how could he speak to her in human language? Yes, she understood animal speech only when they were injured and in pain. "H-how can you talk to me? How is it that I understand you? You seem perfectly fine," she posed many questions, causing the wolf to chuckle.
However, before he could respond, he glanced up at the sky and quickly advised Meribella, "If you ever need assistance to escape this place, call my name, Kazzan." Then he departed.
Meribella remained rooted to her spot for a minute, still trying to wrap her head around what she just witnessed. Was that even real? She wondered for another time in a short span of 2 days.
Shortly after, a raven arrived and transformed into a human. As soon as he noticed Meribella, he landed on the ground. "The jungle can be quite perilous, Miss Meribella."
Meribella was startled once more, "From where have you come?" She surveyed the trees and their branches. "Are you like Tarzan, swinging from tree to tree?" She asked the raven, which made him laugh.
"No, I don't swing from tree to tree; I hop on and off from the tree," Raven said with a giggle. "Miss Meribella, I think it's time for us to leave this place."
Meribella was at a loss for words. Ever since she met Raze, she has encountered and seen creatures that genuinely exist on Earth. She had never been aware of this secretive part of the world. Was this real, or was she trapped in a long dream? She questioned her mind, which was starting to lose touch with reality, Meribella thought.
Keeping her head down, she bent to put on her heels, exposing her legs as she lifted one to wear the shoes. Raven, noticing her exposed leg, immediately turned away, keeping his back to Meribella, frowning.
Once Meribella had finished putting on her heels, she stood beside him, and they began walking toward Raze's house.
"Have we met before?" Meribella inquired of Raven. She wanted to know the answer and hoped the Raven could respond to her, unlike his brother Raze.
"Yes, I was once in Brindlewood when you were 11 years old," he replied, not looking at Meribella, as his eyes kept darting to her toned legs while she walked, revealing more of them. So, he chose to look straight ahead and anywhere else.
"I don't recall you," Meribella stated directly, making Raven meet her gaze.
"I know you wouldn't remember me."
"So… why did you want to marry me? And when did we even exchange the letter?" Meribella asked, noting Raven's hesitant replies.
Raven didn't want to reveal the truth, but he certainly couldn't mention Raze's name, as Meribella would definitely dislike him more, and the connection they had built over seven years would be lost. He would take all the blame.
"We did exchange the letters, Miss Meribella. You know me as Seraphiel."