Page 100 of Unraveled
It takes a while to understand the patterns of my strange dreams enough to know when a day begins and when it ends. Pain seeps inward from my skin all the way to my bones. But I’m never alone. Nera speaks to me—about me—somewhere in the distance, asking someone questions.
Naheli visits me in my dreams too. There she speaks with a voice that sounds an awful lot like my mother’s. Though perhaps that’s a part of my delusions, since I can’t quite remember the sound of her voice.
“That was reckless, even for you, Miale.”
Miale?I haven’t heard my full name in an eternity. It sounds like coming home. I must be going mad—I guess that aspect of myself isn’t new.
“Am I dead?” I ask.
“No, but you trapped the curse in your body.” Naheli doesn’t sound amused, and she moves like mist in the darkness.
“Am I going to die?”
“Not today.” I can’t see her anymore. “Darkness now lives within you. Don’t let it take over.”
I open my eyes, and it takes a while for my vision to adjust to the new light and surroundings. I’m not in the house in the forest, but lying in a familiar bed with a tree above. I feel terrible. Weak and aching all over. The scent of healing magic lingers around me, notes of menthol and something sterile that pushes away the earthy tones of Ash’s scent.
I hate it.
“You’re awake,” Finley says from the foot of the bed. We’re alone, and judging by the orange light of the sunset seeping past the window, it’s late. “How are you feeling?”
“Like the Wild Hunt ran me over,” I groan, and press my fingers to my eyes, willing my vision to stop spinning. It’s then I notice my skin feels odd, coarse, like charcoal. Pulling my hand away, I gasp as I take in my new black fingertips. The color fades into the tan shade of my skin around my wrist. It almost looks like I was burned to a crisp, except I don’t feel that kind of pain.
“Does it hurt?” Finley’s brows furrow in the middle as he takes a seat beside me, handing me a glass of water that tastes of wild berries and herbs. “We’ve been trying to figure out what happened and how the curse will affect you. So far, no human has reacted to it this way.”
“H-how is it affecting me?” I smack my tongue to the roof of my mouth to figure out why my water tastes different.
“Only time will tell how it’ll show itself.”
“I didn’t expect it to rebound to me,” I admit, feeling too tired to even muster embarrassment. “Is Nera doing well?”
“She is better than well. In fact, she’s perfect. You saved her.” Finley takes the glass from my hand, fills it again, and pressesit back, as if he can read how thirsty I am. However, this time I hesitate, eyeing the glass with suspicion before glancing up at him.
“I added a few drops of night brew to your water to help you rest tonight. It seems you slumber a bit uneasy. All lunargyres do as the blood moon grows closer.”
Horror washes over me as I settle back on the bed. My limbs feel numb as I stare at a point on the wall. Questions swirl in my mind, and I no longer feel as sluggish as before. “How long have I been sleeping?”
“Four days,” he says. “You don’t have to worry about turning. The blood moon isn’t for nearly two months...”
I bring the glass to my lips, taking a small sip and trying to ignore the burning in my eyes. At least Nera is alright. Better than that, according to Finley. “Where are they?”
“Ash is walking the perimeter alongside Naheli. Nera stayed here with you until I sent her back to her room to rest. There’s no need for all of us to be here. Besides, she’s extra loud, and I can’t hear myself think, let alone helpyou.”
“Naheli told me I’m not dying.” I hide my blackened hand under the sheets and meet his gaze.
“She spoke with you?” He lifts a brow. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. What else did she say?”
“That I shouldn’t let it take me over, and I don’t want to, but honestly I don’t feel any different...” Other than pain everywhere.
Worry still marks Finley’s features, even as he tries to smile.
Steps from outside call our attention, and Ash comes through the open door a few seconds later, followed closely by a giant spirit made of stars and night, shaped like a wolf.
His hair is standing up in waves of disarray, like he’s run his fingers through it multiple times. “You’re awake.” He pauses in the doorframe, staying perfectly still as if moving might makeme crumble. There are dark circles under his eyes, and I wonder if he’s rested at all since we returned home from our travels.
Butterflies flutter in my stomach, and everything but him falls away as he crosses the distance between us with long steps. I scoot my body to the edge of the mattress, and as soon as I swing my legs over to meet him, he’s by my side, picking me up before I can stand and pulling me against him where his lips crash into mine.
A soft noise leaves me, and I wrap my arms around his neck, enjoying the way our lips explore each other. I hadn’t realized how much I thought I was going to fail, and that perhaps I would never get to kiss him again.
