BACK TO THE PRESENT
" This is where you will be staying," the girl said softly, bowing slightly, her eyes fixed firmly on the floor as if afraid to meet Serena's gaze.
"Thank you very much," Serena replied gently. "May I know your name?" She stepped forward, extending her hand in greeting.
The girl flinched, stepping back and lowering her head even further.
"I'm sorry," Serena said quickly, stopping in place. "I wasn't trying to frighten you."
"No, Miss, it is I who should ask forgiveness," the girl replied, her voice almost trembling. "My name should be of no use to you. I am only a maid."
Serena studied her carefully, sensing a mixture of fear and respect in the girl's posture. "Well, if you won't tell me yours, then I suppose I should tell you mine first. I'm Serena. Serena Johnson."
The girl's eyes lifted at last, wide with astonishment. "Serena… I am Sofia," she whispered, her voice barely audible. A cautious, hesitant smile formed on her lips.
Serena returned the smile warmly. "It's nice to meet you, Sofia."
"I, I will get you something to eat," Sofia said quickly, bowing once more before hurrying down the stairs.
Serena lingered at the doorway, her eyes tracing the shadows of the room, before closing the door gently behind her. She turned to see Missy by the window, silent, her hands working methodically to braid her hair. The moonlight streaming through the glass made her caramel skin glow, highlighting the tension etched across her features.
The room itself was simple but inviting. An old stone fireplace dominated the center, freshly stacked wood crackling as the flames cast warm golden light across the space. A large bed stood opposite the fire, covered in plain blue sheets and a thick wool blanket. The peach-colored walls bore the marks of age cracks spreading beneath faded paint but the room was neat, orderly, almost comforting. An old armchair rested near the bed, worn but sturdy, offering a quiet corner to sit and think.
Serena perched on the edge of the bed, pulling out her journal. She began recording the day in careful detail, her pen moving as if guided by memory alone. She wrote about the gates, the fog, and the way the air seemed to thicken the moment they crossed into Eldermere, the suffocating feeling that engulfed the town. Her thoughts inevitably returned to the general.
The chill that had run through her body before he appeared. His eyes. Red, striking, unsettling. She had seen eyes like that before. One of the leaders in the university's portraits dark-haired, with the faintest mischievous smile had the same gaze, the same unsettling calm. And the mark, the butterfly-shaped symbol, mirrored her own birthmark.
It couldn't be a coincidence. She shivered despite the warmth of the fire.
A knock at the door startled her. Sofia returned, followed by the innkeeper, Mrs. Smith, a stout woman with sharp eyes and tightly pinned hair.
"Good evening," Mrs. Smith said, her voice warm but controlled. "I hope the room meets your needs."
"Yes, it's very comfortable. Thank you," Serena replied, closing her journal carefully, shielding her thoughts.
"We'll do everything possible to make you comfortable," Mrs. Smith said, smiling thinly. "Anything at all. Just ask." She snapped her fingers lightly. "Sofia, fetch hot water for Ms. Serena's bath."
Sofia bowed and turned quickly to leave.
"Wait," Serena said. "May I follow her?" Sofia froze, surprised by the request.
Mrs. Smith regarded Serena for a long moment before nodding. "Of course. Go ahead."
As they left the room Missy finally spoke, her voice low and firm, carrying a weight Serena had not heard before. "Will I be allowed to meet the elders with her? Or do you intend to take her away alone?"
Mrs. Smith's smile faltered. "That decision is not mine to make."
Missy's gaze hardened. "I should warn you. Those who tried to take her before did not survive. Any harm that comes to her… will return to those who dared to act." Her smile returned, sharp, like a blade hidden behind a mask.
Mrs. Smith's face paled. "Then why bring her here, knowing what she is?"
Missy's voice dropped, almost a whisper. "Because whether I brought her or not, your people would have found her. The wolves would have found her. The Hybrid would have found her. I would rather she be in his hands than in Michael's."
Mrs. Smith's expression shifted, her eyes glinting with unease. She leaned closer, voice lowering even further. "Even he has changed. He is no longer just a hybrid. He wields darker powers now. There is no good or evil anymore, only her. Only she may restore balance, if she is truly the one."
Their conversation ended as Serena and Sofia returned, laughing softly as they carried jugs of steaming water.
"Did we interrupt something?" Serena asked cautiously, sensing the lingering tension in the room.
"Not at all," Mrs. Smith said, masking the unease in her tone. "Rest well." She gestured for Sofia to leave, who gave Serena a fleeting smile before following.
Serena poured the water into the bath, steam rising as she stepped in, feeling the warmth seep into her bones. Outside the bathroom, Missy collapsed onto the bed, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice broken. "I couldn't keep her safe. But you… you are strong. You must survive this. No matter what it takes. You must."
The fire crackled softly, casting shifting shadows across the room, and somewhere beyond the walls, the trails she would face wait, patient and silent, as its newest resident of Eldermere crossed the threshold into its secrets.