Page 38 of Monster's Maiden

“He’s not!” I snap, my voice louder than intended. “He’s not what you think.”

Maya takes a step closer, her eyes pleading. “Lara, we were worried sick about you.”

“Worried?” A bitter laugh escapes my lips. “You don’t even know him.”

“We don’t need to,” Aiden retorts, his grip on my arm tightening as if I might bolt any second.

“Please,” I whisper, my voice softening into a plea. “He’s... he’s more than you can imagine.”

Aiden shakes his head, resolute. “We’re taking you home.”

Home? The word feels foreign now, a place that no longer holds meaning without Zyrith.

“You’re tearing me away from him,” I say, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Maya's expression hardens slightly as she steps closer to me. “We’re saving you from him.”

“No,” I say fiercely, yanking my arm from Aiden’s grip. “I love him.”

The words hang in the air like a bitter chill, freezing them both into silence for a moment before Aiden recovers.

“You’ve been bewitched,” he insists, grabbing me again.

“No!” I scream, thrashing against his hold. “This is real!

But their eyes glaze over with disbelief and pity. They see only a delusion or enchantment—not the love that binds Zyrith and me together in ways they’ll never understand.

They pull me through the snow-covered clearing as I fight every step of the way—each step taking me further from the life and love I found in those dark depths.

Each step feels like a betrayal—to Zyrith and to myself—but they won’t listen. Their minds are made up; their hearts closed off to the truth they cannot see.

My struggle against Aiden’s grip proves futile. His determination is a solid wall I cannot break through. My heart pounds, each beat echoing the desperation within me. I need to get back to Zyrith. I need to be with him.

We come to a halt near a small fire. Its flames flicker and cast shadows on the snow-covered ground. The air smells of burning wood, sharp and clean. My breaths come out in visible puffs and mingle with the smoke.

Aiden’s gaze hardens as he pulls a small flask from his satchel. “Lara, if you won’t believe us, then maybe this will make you see sense.”

My eyes narrow at the flask, curiosity and dread swirling within me. “What is that?”

“Water from Lake Lorembril,” Maya answers softly, her voice tinged with hope and sadness. “It reveals the truth. Aiden nabbed some the last time we visited the lake.”

My heart sinks at her words. The truth? What truth? That my love for Zyrith is real? That he’s not just some monster?

Aiden pours the water into a cup and hands it to me. The liquid is clear, almost deceptively innocent in appearance. My hand trembles as I take the cup. The weight of it is heavy with more than just water.

I stare into the cup. My reflection ripples on its surface. The cold bites at my fingers, but it’s nothing compared to the fear gnawing at my heart. What will this water reveal? That my feelings are true or that they’re some twisted bewitchment?

“Go on,” Aiden urges, his voice firm yet gentle. “Drink it. We want to know the truth.”

My throat tightens as I bring the cup closer to my lips. The scent of the water is clean, pure, untainted.

Tears blur my vision as I lower the cup slightly, looking at Aiden and Maya through a veil of sorrow. “You don’t understand,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “This isn’t just some enchantment. It’s the truth. I love him. Why are you guys treating me this way? I thought you were my friends!”

“Then prove it. Drink the water,” Aiden says softly but insistently, nodding towards the cup.

The weight of their expectations presses down on me like a physical force. My heart aches with the knowledge that whatever happens next will lay bare my deepest feelings for all to see.

My hand trembles again as I steel myself for what’s to come, knowing that once I take that drink, there will be no turning back.

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