Page 44 of Monster's Maiden

"I just hope you know what you’re doing," Aiden mutters as he checks his weapon.

"So do I," I say quietly.

We stand there in tense silence as the forest around us seems to hold its breath. The fire crackles loudly in the quiet night, each pop and sizzle sounding like a drumbeat heralding Zyrith’s arrival.

My heart pounds as the final tremor hits—this one unmistakably close. Branches snap somewhere in the darkness ahead of us.

"He’s here," I breathe out.

Aiden and Maya stiffen beside me as a massive shadow looms into view at the edge of our campfire's light. Zyrith steps forward, his body gleaming ominously in the flickering glow.

"Lara," his deep voice rumbles through the night air like an ancient song carried by the wind.

My breath catches in my throat as our eyes meet. The ground stills beneath us as if even nature is waiting for what comes next.

24

ZYRITH

My steps resonate through the forest with the ferocity of an avalanche. Each footfall reverberates through the frozen ground, the sound juxtaposed to the muffled stillness of the winter landscape. The sight of the snow-covered forest barely registers—my thoughts consumed by Lara. Her warmth, her touch, her presence. Taken from me. I feel the raw power coursing through my stone-like limbs, driven by a singular purpose: to reclaim her.

Branches claw at me as I advance, their feeble resistance nothing against my momentum. Snow clings to my cracked exterior. Each flake is a reminder of the eons I've spent in solitude underground. My eyes blaze with outrage and anguish. A fire that burns brighter with each step closer to her.

The cold air bites at my exposed surfaces, but it pales in comparison to the searing heat within me. The forest is a labyrinth of white and dark brown, but my senses are attuned to one thing alone: Lara's presence.

Her scent lingers in the air, mingled with that of her friends—those who dare to tear us apart. My heart pounds like a war drum, each beat echoing with the vow of retribution. The anguish I felt when she was ripped from my grasp morphs into an unrelenting determination.

The wind carries their voices to me—frantic whispers, laden with urgency.

“He's coming for you at any cost.” It’s her friend Aiden’s voice, strained and filled with concern.

I can almost taste their fear, sharp and metallic on my tongue. It fuels me further, propelling me through the forest with relentless force.

A break in the trees reveals them at last. My eyes narrow as I close in on their figures. Lara stands between them, her breath forming small clouds in the frigid air. My gaze locks onto her, her golden hair a beacon amidst the desolation. Her eyes dart around, searching, yearning for something she knows is near. She looks torn, caught between loyalty to her friends and something deeper that binds her to me.

My eyes glance over to Aiden and Maya. They do not understand—they cannot fathom our deep bond. Anger surges anew, hot and fierce, threatening to consume me whole. But beneath it all lies an undercurrent of doubt—a fear that I might lose her forever.

I advance upon them, each step deliberate and unyielding. My vision blurs red the closer I get to them. Snow crunches beneath my feet, and their heads snap up in alarm. Good—they should be afraid. I am not some brute to be cast aside; I am Zyrith of the Syldravian race.

I do not speak yet; words would be wasted on them now. Instead, I let my presence do the talking, a silent promise of what is to come if they do not relent.

Lara's eyes soon meet mine, wide with shock and something else—something that tugs at the core of my being. The connection between us is a lifeline in this sea of chaos—a reminder of what is at stake. Her presence softens the edges of my frenzy as I close in on them, determined to reclaim what is rightfully mine...

Soon, my form towers before them like a colossus brought to life by vengeance itself. My eyes bore into the two trespassers of my hidden refuge. Aiden and Maya stand frozen, their expressions filled with terror. They have dared to tear Lara from my side, and their mere presence stirs a primal fury deep within. Animosity thrums through my veins, my stone-like skin vibrating with the barely contained wrath.

“You think you can just come into my sanctuary and take whatever you want?” My voice rumbles like an earthquake, the ground trembling in response. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You," I growl, my voice reverberating through the air, "have taken what is mine." The words scrape against the silence, each syllable weighted with the promise of retribution.

Aiden's eyes widen, his hand trembling as he fumbles for his weapon. His fear is palpable. Good. He should fear me. He should understand the depths of his transgression.

“You’ve made a grave mistake,” I bark. “Hand her over now, or I’ll rip you apart.”

Maya’s face pales, but she stands firm, her weapon clenched in her trembling hand.

"I will not ask again," I continue, stepping closer, each step a deliberate act of dominance. "Return Lara to me or face the dire consequences."

The tension hangs thick in the air, every breath laden with unspoken threats. My pulse throbs loudly in my ears. Each vibration seems to echo with the promise of violence.

“You think you can keep her from me? You know nothing of what I’m capable of!” I roar.

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