I awoke with a groan, sunlight streaming through the tatty curtains and glaring into my eyes. My head felt like it'd been stomped on, then hit with a battering ram.
Wincing, I sat up in bed with a groan, my head screaming in protest. My memory was fuzzy. What happened last night? Was I poisoned? Irrational thoughts quickly clouded my judgment.
There was a knock on the door, and Elara opened it, walking inside. "You look like hell."
"Elara." I gasped. "H-help me. I think… I think I've been poisoned. I feel like I'm dying."
"You're hungover." She walked over to me. "How much did you drink?"
"Hungover?" I muttered. "What's that?" I tried to stand, and immediately stumbled onto Elara's bed.
She sighed. "Result of drinking too much alcohol. You'll live." She picked up my rucksack from the corner. "Get up. We're leaving."
"Already..? It's early."
"It's the afternoon."
"Fine," I grumbled, slowly staggering towards the door. Elara didn't offer to help, just watched me suffer.
Acorn had been left outside in the stables. Fortunately, I managed to regain control of my body soon enough to stagger out to where he was lying. Unfortunately, the headache persisted.
Acorn stood up when he saw me, neighing in greeting. "Morning to you, too." I untied him and climbed on top awkwardly. Elara secured my bag on his saddle. "Elara?" I groaned.
"Yes?"
"How long does a 'hangover' last?"
She shrugged. "Elves tend to shrug them off relatively quickly, so… a few hours?"
"Uuuugh." I leaned on Acorn's neck. I grimaced as I caught a whiff of myself. "I smell bad."
"Yes, you do." Elara led off, Acorn following behind as they headed through the town. Every gentle bump from Acron's trot made my head feel like it was on fire.
A few hours?
…
A few hours went by. My head still hurt. Elara wasn't one to take frequent breaks while walking, so I instead opted to try to sleep it off. Unfortunately, sleeping was rather difficult when it felt like someone was repeatedly slamming your head in a door.
We came up to a fork in the road. The first fork continued down the road we were on, while the second was a much narrower, darker path that snaked deep into the forest, cast in shadow by overhead trees. I kept Acorn following Elara, expecting that we'd continue on the main road. She stopped at the fork, turning to look at me.
"What? Lost?"
She pointed to the left, down the main track. "You continue that way. I'll meet you at the next fork."
Huh?
Confusion blossomed from my still slightly delirious head, "What–why?! Where are you going? I can come!"
Elara shook her head. "No." She said. "I've got some… personal business to take care of."
"Bullshit." My brain was still trying to exit through my skull. I folded my arms. "You just want to get rid of me. What's down there that's so important to you that I can't see? You're just gonna ditch me."
Elara's hands clenched into fists at her sides, her eyes refusing to meet mine. "No." She said slowly. "Although it did cross my mind. I have to see someone. And I will meet you at the next fork."
I threw my leg over Acorn's saddle and stalked over to her. I immediately regretted it. Elara stood at a good head and a bit taller than me. "Who? You got a secret boyfriend?"
Elara shook her head a little too quickly. "Absoulutly not!" She snapped. "I just… have to check up on someone."
"Someone that I can't meet."
"...No."
A lump was forming in my throat. "So you are just leaving me." I was panicking a little. Without Elara, I'd be completely lost in this place.
"No! Keira I-" she sighed, twiddling her fingers nervously, twisting her ring. "Keira here, look-" she tugged off her ring and handed it to me. "Take this. So you know I'll come back."
I took the ring from her cautiously, expecting some sort of trap. The ring had weird engravings on it, in a language I'd never seen. It was heavy, probably solid gold. "Is this… real?"
"Yes..? The ring… or the gold?"
"Both."
"They're both real."
I gazed at her face, searching for any hint of a lie. I found none, aside from Elara's usual social awkwardness. I peered down the right track.
"Does that even go anywhere? How will you get back?"
"It reconnects with the main track."
"You've been down there before?"
Elara nodded wordlessly.
"Ok." I held the ring in front of her face. "I'll keep a hold of this. If you don't show up, I'm throwing it away or selling it. Got it?"
Elara nodded again. I turned away, heading back to Acorn.
"Keira?"
I tuned back. "Yes?"
Elara was staring at me. "Don't lose it. Got it?" Her voice was sharp. Scary. A hard contrast to her quiet voice before.
I shivered under her gaze. "I won't." I smiled weakly. "Promise." I quickly mounted Acorn, eager to get going.
"I'll see you- I looked back.
Elara was gone. Only the soft whistling of the wind greeted me.
I glanced around, nervous.
Elara was scary when she wanted to be.
…
I cringed inwardly as Keira took the ring from my hand.
Keira inspected it, her eyes widening slightly. "Is this… real?"
What- did she think I gave her a fake ring? Or an illusion? I don't–is the ring real?
"Yes..? The ring… or the gold?"
"Both."
"They're both real." And worth possibly more than the entirety of Eldermarch, I decided not to add.
Keira stared into my face, seemingly still skeptical. "Does that even go anywhere? How will you get back?"
"It reconnects with the main track."
It doesn't.
"You've been down there before?"
I nodded. A half-truth. I'd been to the area, but not down this specific track.
"Ok." Keira waved the ring in my face. I leaned back slightly. "I'll keep a hold of this. If you don't show up, I'm throwing it away or selling it. Got it?"
I nodded silently, biting back a threat.
Keira turned away, giving me one last dubious look.
"Keira?"
She turned back. "Yes?"
"Don't lose it. Got it?"
Keira's smile disappeared slightly before she quickly plastered it back on.
I hadn't even intended to be scary.
"I won't." She assured me quickly. "Promise."
Keira mounted Acorn, and I turned and fled down the right track. By the time she turned around again, I was long gone.
…
It was lonely without Elara.
I had gotten used to her presence and her grumpy attitude. It felt wrong not to have her stalking alongside Acorn. Without her, everything felt so hostile. Which was slightly ironic, as Elara was by far the most hostile person I'd ever met.
The trees seemed to leer at me from either side, the rustle of the leaves sounded like laughter, and I suddenly felt very, very alone.
Acorn seemed unbothered. In fact, he seemed happier than usual. An extra swish in his tail, a little skip in his step.
"You don't mind Elara not being around, don't ya?" I patted his neck. Acorn snorted.
"Guess not."
Even the sun seemed hostile. It scorched down on my bare skin. I could feel the back of my neck beginning to blister. I put my hood up, carefully moving it over my ears. Sweat dripped down my forehead.
A few hours went by. Still no sign of the fork in the road. Elara hadn't given me any indication of how far away the junction would be or what it would look like. For all I know, the 'junction' could be a tiny dirt track disappearing between the trees, completely invisible unless you knew exactly where to look.
Maybe she was lying, and really was just leaving me. I clutched the ring in my pocket. Did Elara really value this ring that much?
My clothes were drenched in sweat. I could feel them sticking to me with each minuscule movement.
Acorn suddenly veered off the track, plowing through a small gap in the trees.
"Hey!" I yanked on his reins, trying to direct him back to the trail. I ducked as tree branches tried to smack me across the face, shielding my skin with my arm. "What are you-oh."
I blinked in surprise as Acorn stepped out of the treeline and onto a sandy beach. A lazy river ran through the middle of the forest, enclosed on either side by the dense bush.
"Did you know this was here?"
Acorn snorted, as if to say; Of course I did.
"Have I ever told you that you're the best horse ever?"
Of course you have.
I rolled my eyes. "Smartass."
I dismounted Acorn's saddle. "Hold these."
I stripped off my clothes, draping them over his saddle. He glared at me. I smirked back.
The forest didn't seem so unwelcoming now. As I slipped into the cool water, the whispering of the trees seemed to stop laughing and welcome me into the water. I floated on my back, squinting my eyes in the sun.
Acorn neighed from the sandy bank. He wandered back over to the tree line, under the shade. He curled up beneath the trees.
I watched him, grumbling as my clothes fell onto the sand.
What?
I rolled my eyes, looking back to the sky.
All things considered, it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and the sky was clear. A gentle breeze flowed along the river.
Acorn had shoved his nose in my bag, searching for apples.
"Stupid horse…" I grumbled. I stopped floating on my back and missed my feet on the riverbed, dipping below the surface for a moment. I spluttered, quickly resurfacing.
Acorn was watching, laughing silently.
"Shut up."
He went back to apple hunting, and I began swimming over to make sure he didn't go through my entire supply of apples. My foot brushed some kelp, and I yelped at the unexpected slimy sensation.
Acorn stood back, up, nickering softly.
"Shut up."
I reached the shallows and began wading towards him. I tripped on a log, falling face-first into the water.
Acorn snorted violently as I got up, clearly laughing.
"That's it, you stupid horse, I swear to the gods that I'm going to–" I tried to move towards him, but my foot was still stuck. I looked back, frowning.
The water was a deep blue, making it impossible to see the bottom even as I stood at waist depth. I tugged my foot again, but whatever it was stuck to refused to relinquish its grip.
Was it just me, or was its grip getting tighter?
My foot was suddenly yanked out from under me. I choked, inhaling water as I was dragged beneath the surface, blood staining the water as my hands scrabbled against the riverbed, sliced open by stones and debris.
Whatever had a hold on me had a bone-crushing grip and was refusing to let go, even as I tried to kick again and again. The water seemed to go on forever, the light quickly disappearing as darkness consumed my vision. Even the disturbance of the water from Acorn as he rushed in to try and save me quickly vanished. Kelp seemed to wrap around me from all angles.
I kicked wildly, my hands clawing at the water in a desperate attempt to break free. My foot struck something–solid, yet slick, like rotting flesh.
I looked down and tried to scream, only for even more water to flood my lungs.
A face grinned back at me.
It was horrible–decayed flesh peeling away in strips, tangled with mud and waterlogged wood. Empty sockets should have stared back at me, but instead, sickly green eyes glowed with an unnatural, ravenous hunger.
By pure instinct, my hands clasped together and then pushed outward.
The water rippled and bubbled violently as a heat wave burst out. The thing released its grip on my ankle, and I frantically kicked for the surface, clawing at the water.
My head burst through the surface. I gasped for air, coughing up water as I frantically swam for the shore.
Acorn was in the shallows, neighing frantically. He kicked up water as I approached, clearly telling me to hurry up.
"Acorn," I gasped. "Get back… to land…"
I cursed as a vice-like grip clamped down on my foot again. I opened my mouth to utter an incantation, but I was only met with my water rushing into my mouth.
The face was back. In the shallows, I got a better look at its body.
The thing looked like it had thrown itself together overnight. Its body was composed of waterlogged wood and secondhand bones, its skin a mixture of tangled leaves, mud, and algae.
And its eyes glowed, a sickly, soulless green.
I kicked out, but my foot bounced off its head to no avail. I kicked furiously, trying to dislodge it while trying not to panic.
While my foot was uselessly battering its face, my hands were moving all around, casting intricate spells.
The water around us thickened into a soup, then a gel. The thing seemed to struggle as the water became like quicksand.
I concentrated the water around it, freezing it in place.
I bubbles rushed up around me, forming an air pocket around my head. I gasped for air, trying to focus.
I forced the thickened water around me between my palms. It bubbled and hissed.
The thing stared up at me, trapped in the now gel-like water.
And just as I released it, I sent a shockwave hurtling towards it.
It screamed–an ear-piercing shriek that spilt the water–as it was hurled towards the depths, bits of rotting wood and bone flying.
I swam to the surface, coughing up water for the second time.
I grabbed onto the surface of the water, pulling myself up as it froze over.
Ice spread across the expanse of the river. Acorn quickly exited the water before it could freeze him.
Soon, a thick layer of ice covered a portion of the river. The creature screamed from beneath, pounding against the thick layer to no avail.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "Shut up."
Over then did I take a moment to look around.
The river was frozen at least a hundred meters in either direction. Frost had crawled up the small beach. Frost had adjourned the now leafless trees, and grass and flowers had been reduced to an icy dust.
"Overdid it."
I tried to stand, and immediately slipped over. "Fuck." I mumbled, suddenly exhausted. I started crawling my way over to the bank, trying to stand, only to curse as I fell over again.
Acorn neighed nervously. "Yeah, yeah… tired," I muttered, sluggishly making my way over him.
There was a splintering sound, the ice behind me cracking.
The thing was trying to break through. My ill cast freezing spell wouldn't last long beneath the beating sun. The frost was quickly retreating, the ice beneath me thinning.
I crawled faster. I managed to stand, slipping on the ice slightly, but still stumbling in Acorn's direction.
The ice cracked behind me as a hand burst through the surface. A rotting face peered through the hole, mud and algae quickly drying up beneath the sun.
It hissed, ducking back beneath the surface.
My foot broke through the ice, hitting the riverbed.
A hand clamped over it. I reached out blindly, desperately, as it yanked me under the ice.
My hand wrapped around Acorn's reins.
My arm felt as though it was going to be wrenched out of its socket as he yanked me from the water, breaking and churning the ice around him. He stood on his hind legs, trying to dislodge its grip.
I landed on my back with a thud as he lunched me my from the ice. The thing landed behind me, further up the shorebank.
I quickly scrambled to my feet, turning to face it.
The hot sun beat down. The frost had melted, the ice in the river receding.
The creature got to its feet, the smell of rotting flesh rolling off it.
The mud holding it together was quickly drying under the intense heat, the algae shriveling up and flaking. Steam slowly curled off the waterlogged wood, evaporating into the air.
It screamed, charging towards me, bones creaking under its weight. Before I could react, it barrelled into me, knocking me aside as it made a desperate rush for the water.
Acorn charged, slamming its head into its chest and sending it flying back, knocking it to the ground. His hooves came down on it, smashing through its brittle body, sending splinters flying.
Acorn stood on his hind legs, preparing to deal the finishing blow, but the torso of the creature launched itself up, clawing into Acorn's flesh.
Acorn shrieked, neighing in panic and hurling the creature off. It landed on its side, its ribcage giving way under the impact before it desperately crawled for the water.
It made it about ten feet before the other side of its ribcage gave way as I smashed it with a tree branch.
Another scream split the air as it barrelrolled onto its back. It looked up just in time to see a ball of fire forming in my hands.
The searing ball disintegrated its head, melting the sand beneath it. Its body finally fell still, still slowly disintegrating beneath the sun.
Acorn walked over, trembling slightly. He kicked the prone body, splintering whatever was left of its ribcage.
"Good horse…" I murmured, holding my hand over his cuts, the flesh knitting itself together. "Best horse… ever."
He bunted me affectionately. I scratched his head.
The sun suddenly seemed hostile again. The murmuring of the trees seemed angry, as if they were disappointed at my survival. I shivered, gently running my hand over the gnash in Acorn's flesh, the wound closing up.
"C'mon, boy," I muttered. "Let's get out of here."
With one final glance over my shoulder, I lead Acorn back to where my clothes lay.
…
For years, I had been cast out. Years.
Much of that time was spent running from the assassins sent after me. Other mutated vampires.
But as war was on the horizon, my brother had drawn his forces back in. he'd never really wanted me dead. Only ever out of the way.
The tree canopy blocked out the harsh sunlight, casting the path ahead into darkness. I veered off the narrow track, cutting through the undergrowth.
I slowed my pace, stepping into a small gap in the trees. Hidden away beneath the dense foliage of the treetops sat a crooked little shack, smoke gently curling from its chimney, hidden by the tall canopy.
I stepped up to the door and banged on the rusted knocker.
After a moment, the door creaked open. A man stood there.
"Elara." Soren smiled, craning his neck up to look at me. The burnt side of his face drooped slightly, unable to match the smile of the other side. Nevertheless, he still managed to put on a welcoming expression. "What a pleasant surprise."
I smiled slightly. "Hello, Soren. How are you?"
"The usual. Please, come in." He ushered me inside, closing the door behind me. He walked awkwardly, his twisted spine and hunched back giving him difficulty. I didn't comment.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I need uh… You know… treatment."
"I see." He turned away. "I'll prepare the ingredients. Give me a moment, I'm sure I've got them around here somewhere."
I waited patiently, standing by the door as Soren hunted around his many drawers and cabinets. As usual, the room was cluttered with all sorts of ingredients and elixirs. The usual smell of plants and chemicals filled the room.
My fingers twitched slightly. I rolled down my sleeves to hide the black veins slowly forming beneath the skin. If Soren noticed, he didn't comment.
That's why I liked Soren. He was quiet. And minded his own business.
"Aha." He muttered. He pulled out a vial of thick, red liquid from a drawer. "Still had some leftover from last time. Give me a second." He located a syringe and loaded it with the liquid.
"Sit." He indicated the chair at his desk. I sat down, leaning back slightly. "This'll hurt."
"I know."
He pressed the syringe into my neck. There was a small prick, and then he injected the serum.
My fists clenched at my sides, nails drawing blood from my palms. Fire tore through my bloodstream, purging my veins. The black veins on my wrist disappeared.
I slumped over as the pain dissipated. "Thanks," I muttered.
Soren set the syringe aside with a sigh. "You're condition isn't getting any better, Elara. The serum can only do so much." He rolled his eyes. "Although mind you, assuming you don't completely abuse your abilities daily, you'll probably still outlive me." He gave me a critical eye. "Have you used your powers recently?"
"No."
If Soren sensed a lie, he didn't say.
"I need some more serum. I might not be back for a while."
"Why not?"
I hesitated.
Soren sighed. "I won't pry." He turned away, heading over to his mass of chemistry tools, strewn out across his many desks and workplaces, which he refused to tidy. "It could be a while to brew, though. Assuming I have all the ingredients around here. How much do you need?"
"Two… maybe three vials?"
"I'll make four. That should take about two hours."
"Thanks," I murmured, hoping Keira wouldn't make it to the next junction before then. "I'll just wait then… I guess."
I remained in the chair, watching Soren as he gathered ingredients.
"It's eerie, how still you sit."
I jumped slightly, not realizing I'd zoned out. "Sorry," I muttered. "Force of habit. And that, y'kmow, I don't need to breathe, or blink, or-"
I stop before I start rambling, settling back into silence. Soren didn't seem to mind.
There was a knock on the door.
I stood up, fingers extending into talons. Who the hell else would show up out here in the middle of nowhere? "You expecting anyone?"
Soren rolled his eyes. "Yes, actually. Don't get your knickers in a twist. Get the door, would you?"
I opened the door, muttering under my breath. "What do you wa–oh."
In front of me stood a Drymar.
Draymar were creatures of the forests. Their bodies were made up of a mix of leaves, flowers, grass, and petals, all continuously moving around a humanoid form with soft, green skin and deep brown eyes, giving them a soft, hypnotizing experience. Draymars never intended to be seductive, but still managed to make many fall at their feet anyway, even if they weren't trying.
I closed my gaping mouth as I stared into the deep brown eyes. A small quirked up on the Draymar's face, flowers blooming in his adorably messy hair.
"Hey, Elara." He smiled. "Can I come in?"
I blinked, forcing myself to stop staring. "Right, Kaelan, come in…" I stepped aside.
Kaelan stepped inside, calling out Soren's name.
My mind was reeling. What was Kaelan doing here?
I'm not going to get into our history. Mainly because it's none of your business.
But maybe we used to have a… thing. A while back. He was the first person I met when I was thrown out of Nyxholm, and he helped me hide from my pursuers as I was still struggling to get a hold of my powers.
I never exactly made the best partner. I was rude, irritating, and closed off. But he tolerated me, slowly prying open my rough exterior, teaching me how to fit in.
And then of course, I had to go and ruin it. He forgave me, of course. He always did. But I couldn't forgive myself, so I left, telling him to find someone better.
I can still remember his soft smile, gentle touch, his soft aroma, and his kind words.
And now here he was. In the middle of nowhere. In Soren's hut.
"Elara?"
I quickly snapped out of my daze. "Yes?"
Kaelan smiled at me. "You okay?"
"Yes, fine-fine, just spaced out for a second. How are you?"
"I'm good." He looked me up and down. "It's been a while."
"Yes, well, I've uh… been busy. What are you doing here?"
"Kaelan's staying with me for a while." Soren interrupted. "He's been very helpful, actually, growing herbs and whatnot that wouldn't normally grow here." He eyed us both. "You two know each other?"
"We've known each other for a while." Kaelan addressed me again. "As for why I'm here, the humans have recently been burning much of the forests that I used to call home, to create homes for themselves. Soren was kind enough to offer me a place to stay."
"Your forest got burned down? Are you not… angry?"
"Humans will do as they will. Besides, there's plenty of forest to go around."
"How can you say that? They burned down your home!" My hands clenched at my sides, fingernails drawing blood.
Kaelan smiled sadly. "Elara… always with that temper of yours. Humans are simply adapting faster than the rest of us. We can either adapt with them, or get left behind."
Suddenly, my brother wiping out the human race didn't seem as bad. Yes, there were a few good ones. But for the most part? They were backstabbing snakes who stole, pillaged, and murdered anyone in their way.
Kaelan saw my expression. "It's ok, Elara. I can find a new home."
"How long until the serum's finished, Soren?"
He rolled his eyes, still mashing together ingredients at his workbench. "It's been like, five minutes, Elara."
"Right…" I muttered.
Silence filled the room, aside from the sounds of Soren rummaging around for ingredients and equipment, and lighting a fire under his culadarun. I shifted awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable in the silence. Kaelan seemed unbothered. Soren was absorbed in his work.
"So, Elara, what are you doing here?"
"I'm uh, picking some things up from Soren."
"Like what?"
"Just some stuff. For a friend."
"Can I ask what it is?"
"Uh, no."
Soren turned and looked at me, and mouthed: Does he not know?
Or at least that's what I think he said. It could be hard to tell sometimes, with his damaged face.
"I won't pry then."
The room fell back into silence.
"You smell odd."
I stiffened. "I'm sorry?"
Kaelar looked at me. "You traveling with someone?"
"An elf," I muttered. "She's gone ahead."
"An elf?" Soren butted in. "That's rare to see."
"Yeah," I muttered. "She's probably a runaway from one of the elven villages. She has that clueless and gullible look about her. Might be a mage, I don't know."
"You haven't asked?"
"We don't talk much," I muttered. Soren rolled his eyes. Kaelar smiled slightly.
"So you two are… friends now?" I gestured between him and Soren, desperate to change the subject.
"Yes. Friends."
I nodded, fidgeting slightly. God, I hated being like this around Kaelar.
"Soren-"
"Still two hours, Elara."
"Right." I cleared my throat. "In that case, I'll come back when they're ready. I'm going out… hunting."
"Oh!" Soren perked up. "While you're at it, there's a living in a swamp just north of here. The one where all the lilylac grows? You could get rid of that for me. Consider it payment for your… gift."
"I know the swamp," I muttered, opening the door. "See you later, Soren. And… you to, Kaelar."
Kaelar smiled. "Later, Elara."
I quickly headed out the door, escaping the smells of Soren's herbs and chemicals. And Kaelar's flowery aroma…
Snap out of it, Elara.
…
Bubbles flew around me in a flurry as the sloughkin screamed beneath the murky water, thrashing as I drove its own decapitated claw beneath its scales.
Its tail swung around, smacking me in the head. I dug my claws into it, digging deep into its flesh as it thrashed. I grinned, bubbles floating from my mouth.
The sloughkin shook me off and turned in around in a rage-infused feeding frenzy. It swam towards me, tail beating behind it like a giant eel, slimy arms outstretched and mouth open, exposing rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth.
I heaved a fallen tree branch out from the muddy waterbed, about as thick as my torso, and thrust it into the mouth of the oncoming swamp monster.
The branch pierced its gullet, forcing its way down its throat and tearing open its stomach and guts. The sloughkin coughed up blood, and its final screech died in its throat as it deprestly tried to unpierce itself from the tree, claws weakly scarrbling against the thick wood before falling still.
I dumped the body beside the swamp and rang out my clothes, shrugging my jacket back on.
The atmosphere was still again. The birds resumed their song, and the trees continued to whisper to each other.
I sat down on the moist grass, watching black blood slowly leak out of the sloughkin's mouth, staining the murky water and seeping into the ground.
A bird flew down from the canopy, pecking its eye–a bone sparrow. A common carnivorous bird, feeding on recently deceased corpses, I watched it with some amusement as it yanked the eye out. Fluids leaked out as it ripped it apart with its sharp beak, before attacking the meat within the eye socket.
That wasted a little bit of time.
I wasn't particularly hungry and didn't feel like hunting for something else. Sloughkin blood tastes vile and was next to the worst type of blood a vampire could drink, just above Tide Serpents'.
So I settled for lying back, my hair splaying out behind me on the marshy ground, completely still, enjoying the peace as I closed my eyes.
The bone sparrow landed on top of me. I slapped it away. One thing you have to be used to as a vampire–other animals think you're dead. A lack of heartbeat and a body with the same amount of warmth as a corpse will do that.
Especially with a bird like the bone sparrow, which relies on hearing the heartbeats of their meals to see if they're dead or not.
I don't know why they're called bone sparrows.
They eat flesh, not bone.
…
Bang bang bang.
"Soren?"
Soren opened the door to his shack, ushering me inside. "Elara, just in time. I just finished."
I stepped into the shack, the chemical smell flooding my senses.
"Did Kaelan leave?"
I tried to hide the disappointment from my voice.
Soren nodded. "About an hour ago. Back off to the woods. I don't think he likes it in here." He walked to the back of the room, grabbing a handful of newly filled vials with a deep back liquid.
I wasn't surprised. I had doubted that Kaelan enjoyed the smell of chemicals that constantly filled Soren's shack. He liked the outdoors too much.
"Thanks," I muttered, accepting the vials he handed to me. I secured them in my inside jacket pocket.
I cleared my throat. "The soughkin's dead, so… I'm gonna head off." I jerked my hand to the door. "Nice to see you, Soren… And say goodbye to Kaelan for me."
"Will do." He turned around, already once again immersed in his concoctions. "See you next time, Elara."
"Cya…"
"Oh, and one more thing, Elara."
"Hm?"
Soren turned back to me. "A word of warning. Celeste Vael passed through here recently."
I stiffened. "Celeste?"
He nodded. "She brought a few ingredients from me. Didn't specify what for, just said it was for a new serum she was trying. She was heading to Brambleford."
"Fuck." I muttered. That's where Keira and I were headed. She was most likely tracking me, dammed vampire hunter.
"You sold to her?"
Soren shrugged. "Of course. I have no problem with Celeste, and I'll never turn away a loyal customer."
"Right," I muttered. "Thanks for the heads up."
I turned away, stepping through the door and back into the woods. A few hours had passed. Keira would be getting close to the next fork.
I took off at a sprint, my feet gliding across the foliage.
The sun cast sharp hues of orange and red, filtering through the tree tops as dusk slowly fell.