Ch. 55
“Knowledge”
Iamys and Zanir stay in the hallway, while Oana and I head to my bedroom where Halfy has already taken up the end of the bed. After the third or fourth bed, we decided to keep the beds on the floor. The bed still groaned in protest anytime Halfy barley moves.
After brushing my teeth and settling for the night, I crawl into the bed and nearly jump when Oana speaks. I thought she was resting soundly, and I was wrong.
Barley more than a whisper, “What was that black liquid in the hallway earlier?” Oana is facing away from me, and I almost believe I am hearing voices with how relaxed her silhouette looks in the moonlight of the skylight. Her long black hair laid perfectly on the pillow. “M?”
“I am not sure, but Zanir said it was maybe a Oreli.” I finally say, the words quietly moving past my lips.
“Describe it to me…”
“Like the Samca, but not…more human…”
“Oreli are another underworld creature. Only God Hades and dark fae can command them. Did it say anything to you?”
I think for a moment. Do I really want to bring Oana into whatever lies this creature, this Oreli, may have fed me? Is it even worth the breaths? No, I trust Oana more than anyone and after tonight she may know more than me, maybe we can actually figure out all this shit, together.
“Mother left a note saying whatever that creature…was…” Its black purulent blood flashes before me, on my skin, on my fangs. “It is known to lie, so I am not sure where or why she had it…so take this with a grain of rock salt if you will…” I take a big gulp of the saliva that was starting to pool in my mouth. I hated how my anxiety and the murderous animal instinct play off each other. I nearly choke before saying, “It mentioned something about a they, and they were looking for me…which seem absurd. As Rolf mentioned earlier mostly believed me to be a myth, so I doubt many even know I am actually living and breathing entity. So, I bet it was just trying to scary me, so I…Kiza didn’t rip it to shreds.”
Oana turns toward me, the ice within her eyes shining against the moonlight. “Did it say any names? Anything else about these they?”
She is studying my face, as I am hers. “Only something about a Zmeu.” I break her stare. “I saw something in that Oreli’s mind.”
Oana grabs one of my shoulders, “Your Mother.” I watch her face scowl. This isn’t the first or last time Mother has used this power, my power for her personal gain. “What did you see?”
“It was dark, so dark. Much like…” I pause. I haven’t told anyone about the darkness that fills my head sometimes, the screams…just the mental door and walls I have built to keep more than Kiza out. It almost pains me to keep something from Oana, but I just can’t add more to an ever-grown plate of problems, issues, and mortal fae men. “I saw something. Different like the Oreli, but not. The same energy, but it was so much darker, eviler. I don’t know really it was all a very strange way to end the day I had.”
Oana lets a small smile grace her face, but I can tell by her eyes that her minds is spinning and trying to piece all the pieces together. “After my classes in the morning, the public meeting your Mother is holding…I will go to the library and see if I can find anything. Maybe even send a Rataosker to the library in Vulpar to see if they have any useful information on this Zmeu or who these they are.”
“Do you believe the Oreli, or what I may have saw?” I ask as she settles back in the bed and lets a deep sigh escape from her.
“Mihaela, as much knowledge as I have acquired, I know that nothing is not always what it seems, but that is only found out by investigating first.”
I lay staring up at the skylight counting the stars as the remaining rain clouds move in and out of view. After an hour so, Oana sleeps soundlessly next to me and I seem to fine myself waiting for the god Hypnos, the god of sleep and slumber, but he isn’t coming, but someone else takes his place.
