Page 41 of Monster's Maiden

With renewed vigor, I press on, each step echoing with purpose as I make my way toward the surface. Toward Lara.

The air shifts as I finally claw my way out of the cavern, each breath carrying the strain of centuries and recent anguish. I emerge from the cavern's depths into the light above. The sunlight is harsh against my eyes. It’s a stark contrast to the dim cavern I’ve known for so long.

The cold air bites at my skin, a welcome sensation after the suffocating underground. It's been eons since I've felt the wind. Yet, there's no solace in this freedom without her by my side.

“Lara,” I murmur to myself. Each step is driven by a singular thought: reclaim her, protect her, never let anyone take her from me again.

23

LARA

The fire crackles between us, casting flickering shadows on our faces. The warmth should comfort me, but the tension hangs heavy in the air. I see the disbelief in Aiden’s eyes, the confusion in Maya’s furrowed brow. I hug my knees to my chest, feeling a chill that the flames can't touch.

“Lara, you can’t be serious,” Aiden says, breaking the silence. His voice carries an edge of frustration. “Why do you want to be with that… thing?”

I sigh, my heart aching at his refusal to understand. “Zyrith is my everything.”

Maya shakes her head, her hair catching the firelight. “But how? How can you even feel anything for him?”

“We have a special bond,” I say softly, my gaze fixed on the dancing flames.

“Lara,” Maya interjects gently, trying to bridge the gap between us. “We’re just worried about you. We don’t want to lose you to some underground beast. We miss you. We want you to come home with us.”

The flicker of concern in her eyes makes my chest tighten. “I know you mean well,” I say, struggling to keep my voice steady.

Aiden pokes at the fire with a stick, sending sparks into the night air. “We just want things to go back to how things used to be. Back in the village, hunting game and cracking jokes like we always did..”

“I am safe with him,” I insist, feeling a surge of frustration. “He would never hurt me.”

“But he wanted to hurt us,” Aiden counters, meeting my eyes with a fierce glare.

I remember Zyrith’s rage when he thought they were taking me away from him, the pain in his eyes when he fell unconscious. My heart clenches at the memory.

“He just wanted to protect me,” I say quietly.

They both stare at me as if seeing a stranger.

“You’ll never understand,” I say finally, rising to my feet and brushing off dirt from my clothes.

We’re at an impasse—neither side willing or able to yield—but one thing is clear: nothing will ever be simple again.

Aiden looks like he wants to argue more but Maya places a hand on his arm to settle him.

I give her a grateful look before turning away from the firelight for a moment and staring into the dark forest beyond our camp. Zyrith is out there somewhere, probably hurt and angry—yet all I want is to be with him again. The cold night air stings my skin as tears begin to blur my vision—tears for what I've found and what I'm about to lose all over again.

I stare back into the flickering flames, my mind soon racing with worry at the potential consequences of Zyrith finding us. His wrath is a storm waiting to break, and Aiden and Maya's ignorance of his true nature only adds fuel to the fire.

"Aiden," I begin, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to stay calm, "you don't understand what you've done. Zyrith... he won't stop until he finds me."

Aiden's brow furrows in confusion. "We did what we had to do, Lara."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "He was only trying to keep me safe. If he finds us?—"

"He won't get that chance," Aiden interrupts, his tone resolute.

"You don’t know him like I do," I whisper, my gaze dropping to the ground. The fear gnaws at me, knowing Zyrith's anger could lead to bloodshed.

The forest around us seems too quiet, as if holding its breath in anticipation of what’s to come. The scent of pine needles mixes with the faint smell of smoke from our fire, grounding me in the present yet unable to shake off the dread.

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