His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 106: Into the woods

The voice was soft, a faint whisper that curled around the edges of my dreams and pulled me into wakefulness. "Idalia..." it called, gentle yet insistent. My eyelids fluttered open, my room bathed in the pale silver glow of moonlight streaming through the frost-covered windows. I blinked, momentarily disoriented, before the voice came again, clearer this time. "Idalia, come..."

I sat up abruptly, my breath fogging in the frigid air. Theo’s arm unconsciously tightened on me but then his arm went limp.

It wasn’t a voice I recognised, yet there was something familiar about its tone, something that tugged at a hidden part of me. My heart hammered in my chest as I slid my bare feet onto the cold stone floor. The chill bit into my skin, but I barely noticed. The voice beckoned, and I couldn’t ignore it.

Pulling my thin nightgown tighter around me, I padded to the window. The snowy expanse of the palace grounds stretched out below, pristine and untouched, except for faint footprints leading toward the woods. My breath hitched. The voice was coming from there. It was impossible, absurd even, but the compulsion was undeniable.

Without a second thought, I turned from the window and moved to the door. My steps were silent as I slipped out of my room and into the corridor. The palace was eerie like usual, its halls quiet save for the occasional creak of ancient wood and the distant howl of the wind. My body moved on autopilot, driven by the unseen force pulling me forward. My rational mind screamed at me to stop, to turn back, but I couldn’t. The voice was all I could hear now.

The cold struck me like a slap when I stepped outside, the snow crunching beneath my bare feet. My nightgown offered little protection against the biting wind, but I hardly felt it. My focus was on the voice, the faint shimmer of light in the distance, and the faint figure beckoning me forward. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Help me," the voice pleaded, and my breath caught in my throat. It was a child’s voice now, trembling with fear and desperation. My feet moved faster, ignoring the sting of the icy ground. I didn’t think about how absurd it was for a child to be out here in the dead of night. I didn’t think at all.

The tunnel under the palace wall loomed ahead, a dark, gaping maw in the otherwise impenetrable barrier. My pulse quickened. I dropped to my knees and crawled into the tunnel without hesitation, the icy snow soaking through my nightgown. The cold clawed at my skin, but I kept moving, my hands and knees scraping against the frozen earth. The voice grew louder, closer, urging me onward.

When I emerged on the other side, the woods stretched before me, their skeletal branches clawing at the night sky. The figure was just ahead, a small, trembling silhouette bathed in moonlight. I recognised the face instantly, and my breath left me in a rush. It was one of the children from the attack—a boy with wide, tear-filled eyes and a face smeared with dirt and blood. His lips moved, but no sound came out. I didn’t need to hear him to understand. He was asking for my help.

"I’m coming," I whispered, my voice breaking as I stumbled to my feet. "I’ll help you. I promise."

"Idalia!"

A different voice rang out behind me, sharp and urgent. My heart skipped a beat, but I didn’t turn around. The boy was retreating into the woods, his small figure growing fainter with each passing second. I couldn’t let him disappear.

"Idalia, stop!" The voice was closer now, more insistent, but I ignored it. My bare feet crunched through the snow as I followed the boy, my focus unyielding.

"Idalia!"

Faidon. It was Faidon calling my name, his voice laced with panic. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered his presence, but I couldn’t stop. The boy needed me. The woods grew darker as I pushed forward, the shadows twisting and stretching around me. The voice in my head urged me on, drowning out Faidon’s frantic calls.

Suddenly, a low growl rumbled through the air, freezing me in my tracks. My breath caught as a massive black wolf leapt out of the shadows, landing squarely in my path. Its glowing green eyes locked onto mine, and a shiver of fear coursed through me. I stumbled back, my chest heaving as I struggled to comprehend the beast before me.

"Eryx," I whispered, the realisation hitting me like a thunderclap. It wasn’t just any wolf. It was him.

The beast growled again, a sound that seemed to shake the very ground beneath my feet. He took a step forward, his enormous frame radiating power and menace. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The boy was gone, vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone with the beast.

"Idalia," Faidon’s voice came again, closer now. He burst through the underbrush, his face pale with worry. "What are you doing out here?"

I couldn’t answer. My gaze was locked on Eryx, his beastly form towering over me. He growled again, his eyes narrowing as he bared his fangs. My legs trembled, threatening to give out beneath me.

"Idalia, listen to me," Faidon said, his tone urgent. He reached for me, but Eryx’s growl deepened, stopping him in his tracks. "You need to come back. It’s not safe out here."

"The boy," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "He needs my help."

"What boy?" Faidon demanded, his brows knitting together. "There’s no one here, Idalia. You’re imagining things."

"No," I insisted, my voice trembling. "I saw him. He was right there."

Eryx growled again, his massive body blocking my path. His powerful green eyes bored into mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something human in their depths—anger, yes, but also fear. He was trying to protect me.

Faidon stepped closer, his hand hovering near my arm. "Idalia, please. Let’s go back to the palace. You’re not thinking clearly."

I hesitated, my gaze darting between the woods and the two figures before me. The boy’s voice echoed in my mind, his plea for help like a dagger to my heart. But the shadows seemed darker now, more sinister, and doubt crept into my thoughts. Had I imagined him? Was it all some cruel trick of the mind?

Eryx’s growl softened, and he took another step forward, his massive body lowering slightly as if to nudge me back. The beast’s warmth radiated against my cold skin, grounding me in a way I couldn’t explain. My knees buckled, and I sank into the snow, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

Faidon knelt beside me, his hands steadying my shoulders. "It’s okay," he murmured, his voice soothing. "You’re safe now. Let’s go home."

Tears pricked at my eyes as I nodded weakly. The woods no longer called to me, their allure shattered by the harsh reality of the freezing night. Eryx stepped closer, his massive form a protective barrier between me and the shadows. I reached out a trembling hand, brushing it against his fur. It was softer than I expected, a stark contrast to his fearsome appearance.

"Thank you," I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if the words were meant for Faidon or Eryx. Perhaps they were meant for both.

The journey back to the palace was a blur. Faidon kept a steady arm around me, his warmth a small comfort against the biting cold. Eryx remained close, his hulking form a silent guardian. As we crossed through the tunnel and emerged into the palace grounds, I felt a strange mix of relief and sorrow. The boy—if he had ever been real—was gone, his pleas fading into the recesses of my mind. It was only as I moved further away that I realised I never met any of the children from the Blood Wraith attack.

But the memory of his desperation lingered, a haunting reminder of the lives lost and the wounds that had yet to heal.

When we finally reached my room, Faidon helped me onto the bed and pulled a thick blanket over my trembling form. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were filled with unspoken questions. Eryx remained in the shadows, his beastly form still and watchful. I closed my eyes, the weight of the night pressing down on me. Sleep didn’t come easily, but when it did, it was filled with whispers and shadows, and the lingering echo of a boy’s voice calling for help.