I was nervous because I could feel the heat of the fire on my palm.
No.
"You're afraid, Seraphine."
"Of course! What if I get burned?" I replied defensively.
"You have the ability to heal yourself. You'll be fine," Lyara reassured me.
My mind was in turmoil. The fear of being burned dampened my determination. What I had done earlier, managing to create fire, was merely a coincidence. And that coincidence surely wouldn't happen again unless—
"Unless you make it happen," Thalindra interjected.
I swallowed hard. I saw the spirits staring at me intently, cornering me to keep trying until I succeeded. But still...
"I'm tired. I want to sleep," I said, lying down and staring at the campfire in front of me.
The spirits said nothing. I also felt that the presence of someone pursuing me was gone. I no longer felt their presence. At least for now, I was safe. But who knows about tomorrow.
"We too have fear, Seraphine," said Fenwyn, "but our fear is different."
"Oh, really?" I replied lazily, uninterested.
"We fear we can't protect you and that you'll die along with your baby. You are the chosen one, Seraphine. You are the last werewolf of Frostfur. Will you allow your kind to perish and be forgotten?"
Immediately, my heart pounded wildly. Aerion's words made my breath quicken.
Yes, I couldn't give up just because I was afraid of being burned. They were right, I could heal myself. I had heard enough people calling me weak, unlucky, a disgrace, and other hurtful things. Now, it was just me alone. Just me and my unborn baby—the heir of Frostfur. We had to survive.
"Anger, hatred, and vengeance—that's the foundation for creating fire. But it's different when you have to control it," Lyara explained.
I gathered my courage again. I stared at the flames burning beside where I lay.
I reached out my hand. Let it burn me if it had to. I would heal quickly. I had to master the elements and enhance my ability to heal to protect myself and my unborn child.
"It takes courage and a firm heart to control fire."
I heard you, Lyara.
I fixed my gaze on the flames, dancing gently as if moving in rhythm. Hot, even though I hadn't touched it yet. Yes, fire should indeed be hot. If it were cold, it would be ice.
Like my heart, now frozen for you, Denver. It was as if I saw Denver's face in the flames. I grabbed his disgusting face in my mind and held it tightly.
"You've got it, Seraphine!"
I was startled. I pulled back my hand and saw the flames enveloping it. Instantly, I sat up because I didn't expect this to happen.
"Wow, I did it!" I exclaimed joyfully as I tried moving the fire to my other hand—and succeeded.
"How does it feel?" asked Thalindra, now in a human form, though faceless.
"Warm and... it feels like I'm not even touching it. It's amusing. Look at how it moves, following the movements of my hand," I said in awe, playing with the fire at my fingertips.
I glanced at the spirits, who seemed impressed. Lyara appeared delighted, dancing in excitement, which made me laugh.
"You truly are the chosen one, Seraphine. We are proud of you," said Fenwyn, which made a smile spread across my face.
"Mother did it. Soon, Mother will learn to create and control other elements too," I said as I stroked my large belly.
The fire in my hand didn't burn my skin. As I exhaled deeply, the flame gradually dimmed and disappeared. Curious, I tried doing it again by drawing fire from the burning flames.
"You've gotten used to it, Seraphine," said Lyara, and I nodded because it was true.
Yes, I was no longer afraid. Fire would not harm me.
A sense of relief made me sleep soundly that night. No dreams came to disturb me. When I woke up the next morning, Thalindra was already there, bringing me a bowl of water in a ceramic vessel.
"It's beautiful. Where did you get it?" I asked curiously.
"Mirella. When the flood happened a while ago, a lot of human items were washed into Doomwood. The mermaid said you'd need it more. Besides, she's annoyed because the lake has turned into a dumping ground for garbage."
I chuckled softly. Yes, Mirella must be upset about her home becoming dirty. An idea crossed my mind.
"Do you want to meet her?"
"Yes. She's a kind mermaid," I said, slowly standing.
I stepped out of the cave. The fresh air refreshed my tired body. I looked at the cave where I lived—it seemed... empty. Perhaps I could do something about it.
Yes, I liked decorating spaces. That's what I used to do when I lived with my pack and was paired with Denver.
Ugh!
That bastard again. Why does his name still cross my mind so often? My heart heated up just thinking about him and Nymeria, the traitor.
"Do you like my bowl?" Mirella's voice brought me out of my thoughts as she sat on a rock by the lake.
"Yes. Thank you."
Honestly, I hadn't even realized I had walked this far. Memories of the past made me oblivious to my surroundings. This was dangerous if I didn't stay alert.
"Do you... have other things you don't need? Maybe something that suits me," I asked, slightly embarrassed.
Mirella stared at me before suddenly plunging into the water. Her surprising actions left me stunned.
I gazed at the lake, its edges clean and clear. Peaceful and serene. Hills loomed beyond the terraced lake, sparking my curiosity. What lay beyond those hills?
"Take it if you want it," said Mirella, making me look down.
"Oh!" I exclaimed, seeing many human items that looked beautiful and still in good condition near my feet.
"There's more. I'll fetch them for you."
"Yes!" I replied happily.
It felt like being in a market, picking out items. The difference was, this was free—I didn't have to pay.
Indeed, in Dreaded Veil, our lives weren't as modern as those of humans in cities. We lived in the forest, far from human civilization. We still practiced old ways of trading and others. We avoided humans and all forms of their technology for the safety of our race—the werewolves.
"If you could swim, you'd be free to choose. Unfortunately, you can't."
I smiled. "I can swim, but I can't reach the bottom of the lake. I would drown. I'm... not as strong as other werewolves," I admitted honestly.
"Yes, I can see that. Your growing belly will make it harder for you. Or, it might even make you float since you have a built-in life buoy."
Spontaneously, I laughed while holding my belly. Mirella joined in laughing, though her laugh was slightly eerie to me—perhaps due to her unusual appearance.
"Can I take it all?" I asked shyly.
"Take them. And wait! I have something that might suit you," she said, piquing my curiosity.
What else would she give me? Not long after, Mirella emerged. My mouth fell open. I approached her and took the beautiful green dress. It still looked as good as new, though soaking wet.
"For me? Did you get this from the flood?" I asked curiously.
"No. I've had it for a long time. It once belonged to a human. But she no longer needs it. She's dead—my meal," Mirella said.
"Oh," I responded naively, unsure how to reply.
"When you come back, wear the dress. I want to see it. And I promise, I won't eat you."
I smiled. "Alright. Thank you, Mirella," I said, using the dress to carry all the items the kind mermaid had given me.
As I walked away, Mirella stopped me. I turned and met her gaze.
"He's targeting you. He knows you're weak. Be careful, Seraphine. His name is Morvain," Mirella warned, making me gulp hard.
She knew about the one targeting me. Wait. Morvain?
That name... sounds familiar. Oh no, could it be...?