Page 10 of Losing The Vampire King

“We’re not foolish,” I shake my head at her. “We love each other more than life itself.”

This seems to amuse her even more. “In that case, this is the perfect chance to find out if that is really so. If he remembers you, then lucky you. Your love is one for the books. If not, well… it is better to have loved and lost, and all that.”

I wonder if she has ever loved and lost. I can’t see any other reason for closing herself off in the middle of nowhere and living all alone, then when someone does come to see her, she is doing everything in her power to push them away.

“What do I owe you?” I ask instead, not wanting to stay here a moment longer than necessary.

“Money?” she asks, laughing. Her teeth look slightly yellow, when contrasted to her white, porcelain skin and hair. “Oh, please. What on earth do I need money for?”

“Maybe I could do something in return for you,” I say.

She smiles. “Your mother has saved my life once. Tell her that this means we are even. She should no longer consider herself responsible for me.”

“She saved your life?”

Halia waves her hand dismissively at me, signaling that this isn’t something she wants to delve more deeply into.

“A long time ago. In fact, it was so long ago, that I feel like it belongs to a whole different lifetime,” she says cryptically. “But that is none of your concern. You go and take what I gave you. You don’t have a single moment to lose. Brew the tea and see if your beloved truly holds you so dear in his heart as you do him.”

“He does,” I say, unable to remain quiet to this. “I’m sure he does.”

She smiles. “I am not the one you need to convince of this, my dear.”

Something in the way she said this made me realize that our conversation was over. There was nothing else left to say. I got what I came here for.

“Thank you,” I tell her, then turn around and disappear from the hut, out into the fresh night air.

Still feeling as if I just crossed back to earth from some other, supernatural realm, I think about her words. I know I shouldn’t doubt my love for Eddie. And I’m not. I’m also not doubting his love for me. But what if the nightshade has poisoned him to such an extent that he might never be able to find his way back to me? What if I lost him forever?

Gripping at the ingredients she gave me, I rush back home. I feel lost, almost as if I’m unable to find my way back, trusting my instinct instead, and allowing moonlight to guide me.

Silently calling out Eddie’s name deep inside the recesses of my heart, I know I can’t give up. I will never give up. If he still doesn’t remember me, I will find another way. I will make him fall in love with me again. I will show him that we were meant to be, no matter how many times I need to do it.

Chapter Six

Edmund

When I open my eyes, it is morning. I turn to the side, noticing that there is already a cup of tea placed by my bedside. I’m guessing it’s the same tea that I’ve been getting for the past three months, although every time I rewind the story I’ve been told, something doesn’t feel right. Still, I can’t quite figure out what.

I decide that I won’t stay here a moment longer. I can’t. If what she’s told me is the whole truth, that means we’ve been here for three months already. I am as well as I’ll ever be. At least, physically. I can go home, wherever that is.

I quickly get dressed, not even looking at the tea. I head out to the door, but as soon as I take one step outside, Gala emerges from the woods. I feel like I haven’t spent a single moment alone here, not truly alone. I am able to close the door to my cabin, but I get the feeling that she is always here, always around. This proves it.

“How did you sleep?” she asks, eyeing my reaction, probably to see whether I’ve forgotten everything again or not.

“Alright,” I nod. That much is enough to assure her that I’m still where I was last night in my mind.

“Did something come back to you?” she wonders, still eyeing me.

I notice here that there isn’t hope in her voice. There is something else there as well. Doubt? Suspicion? I can’t quite put my finger on it. But she’s doing her best to sound calm, when in fact she is anything but. I may not know who I am or how I ended up here, but I can still recognize when someone feels uneasy about something.

“Nothing,” I say, not even needing to pretend. This is the truth.

I, of course, didn’t mention anything about the woman from my dream, whose nameless face is still haunting me. Somehow, I feel close to her. I’m sure that I know her from somewhere, but where? One thing is for sure. If I stay here, I will never find out.

“It will all come back to you,” she echoes the same words again. “We just need to be patient.”

“That is just the thing,” I say, sounding a little impatient. “I can’t just wait for that to happen. I need to go somewhere familiar, somewhere where the place and the people will help me remember. I can’t remember anything here, where it’s just you and me.”

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