Page 63 of To Free a Soul
She released the magic that maintained her owl form and drew back her feathered hood. “Orpheus, what’s happened?”
“They took her.”His fish fins flared from the emotional turmoil quaking through his monstrous form.
“What?” Her gaze lifted to the sealed doors behind him. “Why?”
“She said she hated me,”he admitted with a whine, and sat down to cover his skull with his arms to hide it.“I no understand. What did I do bad?”
Coldness crept beneath her skin and drained the warmth from her entirely.She said she hated him?Lindiwe shook her head before frowning to herself.I don’t understand either.
Katerina and Orpheus had an amicable relationship, from what she and Weldir had watched. They sat in the sunshine when it greeted their garden or tended it together. They snuggled on the grass out the front of their home – or, rather, Orpheus wrapped himself around her while she wrote in one of her journals or napped against him. He helped her with laundry or she sat on the stairs watching as he cut down the forest around their home to her liking.
Lindiwe didn’t know what they did inside it, but she’d seen a fraction of it earlier. Katerina had made charms, and Orpheus would have either watched or attempted to help.
Nothing had indicated towards lingering hatred, unless Katerina’s strange reward and punishment system was part of it.
But I just thought she was odd.And Orpheus needed someone who was precious and fragile to keep him in line so he didn’t hurt them.She also just came across as kind of bitchy no matter what she was doing.Lindiwe thought that was part of her personality, and she was a difficult person to like. Which meantOrpheus, who didn’t notice these flaws, was perfect for her in that regard.
With a wheezing whimper, Orpheus looked down at his claws.“Am I a... monster?”he asked, and his shuddering breath made tears well in her eyes.
“Oh, of course not, Orpheus,” Lindiwe said, reaching out to touch him. To pet his beautiful skull and let him know that she accepted him exactly how he was, and to comfort him.
Did she call him a monster?Oh god...Lindiwe could only imagine what else she’d said to him.He’s not a monster.Maybe a little on the outside, but he was sweet, caring, and always tried so hard.Humans, who were truly vile and evil beings that tortured and hurt each other, had more potential to be monsters in their hearts than her children.
Their only crime was eating people, but at least they didn’t do horrid things that scarred the mind!
Just as she made contact with the side of his skull, Orpheus struck his right hand forward.“No touch me!”
Lindiwe was flung back as a sharp gasp of pain exploded from her lungs. Her backside landed against the ground while she cupped the claw marks cutting across her right biceps and chest.
The cuts were deep, his claws so sharp they rent through the muscle. Thankfully she constantly wore a scent-cloaking spell when she was on her period, otherwise he would have gone into a bloodlust and immediately tried to attack her.
The whine that came from Orpheus was hollowing. He backed up with his orbs a bright orange.
“I am sorry,”he whimpered, looking down at his bloodied claws as he shook his head.“I am sorry. I no mean...”
“It... it’s okay, Orpheus.” Lindiwe staggered to her feet with a sympathetic smile.
He continued to shake his head, reaching back to claw at his shoulders before rending his claws down his chest. So utterlyconfused, so distraught, and in so much agony, he could do little more than attack himself over it.
“Orpheus,” Lindiwe called, reaching out once more to show him that it was truly okay.
“Stay away,”he warned quietly, while his trembling form backed up on all fours.“Bad Orpheus. Evil. Monster.”
Before Lindiwe could say anything more, his teary, orange orbs deepened, and he bolted to the side. Away from her, from the castle, and likely from himself.
She took a step in the direction he went before curling her hands into fists and halting.
Her eyes bowed with anguish. “Oh, Orpheus.”
Lindiwe watched him go, knowing that if she were to follow him, she’d only make matters worse. She’d make him run faster, causing him to fret and panic that he was being followed.
Bringing her gaze to the doors of Jabez’s castle, a question lingered in her mind.Why did I not see this coming?
This had never been on her long list of potential outcomes.
April 2nd, 1837
Landing within Orpheus’ blue protective dome, Lindiwe immediately approached the vacant home.
