Page 38 of The Calling of Caellaias
“We’ll work on getting out of this cabin one day at a time, but I cannot constantly bring you things, and I don’t think things can be delivered here. It’s worth a shot, but I highly doubt it will work,” Eiri said quietly.
I was grateful to have her as my sister; she would do anything for me. But she deserved to live a life where she wasn’t constantly caring for or worrying about me. Tears welled in my eyes.I have to do something to fix this.
“Let’s do something to distract you for now. How about some movies or TV shows? We could watch some comedies to get you laughing,” Eiri suggested.
I nodded. Eiri stood and headed to the kitchen to get some comfort foods while I found something to watch. I queued up a comedy I’d wanted to see, then went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face.
My reflection stared back at me; I looked awful. My long, crimson hair was a tangled mess. My eyes were bloodshot, and the skin around my eyes, cheeks, and nose was bright cherry red. Turning on the faucet, I collected some water and rubbed it onto my warm face.
When I was done, I returned to the living area, where Eiri waited. She had pulled some of my blankets out of their cubby and brought some pillows from my bed, which she arranged to allow for maximum comfort. I knew she hadn’t planned to spend the night with me, but I also knew she’d do anything for me. She was more than happy to oblige if that meant an unexpected sleepover.
We watched a few movies, and halfway into the third, Eiri fell fast asleep. I quietly snuck off the couch to get some water and stretch. I was still overly tense but had calmed down some. I peered out the window as I stood at the sink to get my water. Just inside the tree line, the black fox was lying down on the floor of the woods, staring directly at me. Knowing Maeyve was still looking over me was comforting.
After drinking my water, I returned to the couch where my sister still slept. I turned the TV off, covered her with a blanket, and grabbed my pillow to take upstairs. Eiri didn’t stir once.
I quietly climbed the stairs so I didn’t wake her, heading for the bathroom to shower and prepare for bed. The shower felt amazing, with the hot water running over my sore body. Once I was dried off, I put on some pajamas, did my bedtime routine, and crawled into bed. I lay there awake for a while, tossing and turning. I still couldn’t get my mind clear. Once I was comfortable enough, I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter twenty-six
Anevae
The following day, I awoke to Eiri lying in bed with me. She was playing on her phone, waiting for me to wake up. As I stirred, she looked over at me and smiled.
“How are you feeling this morning? Any better? How did you sleep?”
Rolling onto my back, I stretched. “Too many questions at once, Eiri.”
“Well?” Eiri asked, pushing me for an answer.
“I slept alright. I dreamed about Caellaias, or at least the version I made from Momma’s stories. I feel okay, though. I want to talk to Maeyve later.”
Eiri dropped her phone on her chest and stared at me. “Vay, do you really think that’s a good idea?”
Sitting up, I pulled my knees as close to my chest as possible. As I looked over at Eiri, I sighed. I was still nervous about opening back upto Maeyve, but she could help me, and I didn’t want to get my parents involved. I felt betrayed by them.
“What other choice do I have?” I inquired. “We’ve already established that I don’t want to involve our parents. Where else are we going to get information?”
A while later, we sat silently eating our breakfast, unsure what to say to the other. Eiri was persistent about exploring the grounds, but I couldn’t bear the thought of going outside.
When Eiri finished her breakfast, she put her plate in the sink and said, “I think I should head out. I have an interview this afternoon but don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. And please let me know how your discussion with Maeyve goes.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“I’ll call you after my interview. Love you.”
“Sounds good. Love you too,” I said and gave her a hug.
She stepped outside, and I watched her walk to her car. Once she was safely inside, I locked the door before heading to the greenhouse. I didn’t want to go outside, so I would have to document my outdoor experiments from inside.
While I was checking my indoor experiments, there was a quiet knock on the greenhouse door. I jumped when I heard the sound, and my heart began pounding. I spun around to find Maeyve standing on the other side of the exterior door.
I walked across the greenhouse and cracked the door. “Hi. I’m actually kind of glad you’re here.”
“I need to explain some things to you,” Maeyve said calmly.
“Okay. Come inside,” I said as I stepped aside to let her in. If she had wanted to hurt me, she would have done so by now. Once she shuffled past me, I snapped the door shut, not wanting to let anyone or anything else in.
“I promise, no one is out there. I’ve been scouting the perimeter all morning. I needed to make sure you were safe. I can’t bear the thought of something happening to you. Hell, I can’t even handle being away from you anymore,” Maeyve confessed.
