Reign of Embers

Chapter 27- Truths

Fenrys

Within moments I am stood inside a relatively small house across from the inn. Wooden beams run along the ceiling while large grey stones build up the walls. A fire place sits opposite the wooden staircase that leads from the doorway up to the bedrooms. In front of this fireplace, on a worn brown leather sofa, is a small girl. As she turns to face us, I can see that her green grey eyes are rimmed with tears, her long golden-brown hair damp against her pale face.

"Who are you?" She sniffles, and I notice how tear stained her blue woollen dress is.

"I'm Fenrys, and this is Lorcan. We are here to ask you a few questions." I reply warmly, trying to mask the sadness still threatening to drown me.

"Why?"

"They are here to ask you about what happened with Oskar. They're from the palace." Vivienne says, entering from the door to my left. I spot an elderly couple poke their heads round the door frame before retreating and hiding away. "Please take a seat." She gestures to the various chairs and sofas in the snug room.

"Why do they want to know what happened?" the girl wonders aloud.

"Look, Isla, I know you don't really want to talk about it right now but these men need to know what happened because it will help them to understand why people are going missing. Ok?" The girls mum says calmly, sitting down next to her daughter.

"Why don't they ask Lena or Jades family?"

"We will, but Lena's family is a little preoccupied right now." Lorcan growls.

"Is she back?"

"She's dead darling." Vivienne whispers softly, and I'm reminded of the pain still tearing through my mind and body.

"And we need to know what happened to Oskar so that we can stop that from happening to him as well." Lorcan insists.

"I don't want anyone else to lose their mates." I whisper, then curse myself instantly.

"What do you... oh. She was yours." Isla stammers.

I nod.

"How did she die? Actually, no sorry that was a silly question. I'll help you. What do you want to know?" She says, sniffing.

"Well start with what happened?" Lorcan asks politely.

"We were playing hide and seek, me and Oskar, it was my turn to count and so I did. I swear I didnt cheat, I just looked once! I was counting to 20 and I saw that he was going by the flower beds. Theres this good hiding place there, so I knew where he would be going. I pretended to look a bit but then I got to where he was hiding and there was nothing there. Just some really creepy black smoke things. I wasnt scared though! But then I saw there was a load of blood, and the black shadow things were kind of there and were making it go black. It was really cool until I realised that it meant Oskar had gone." You can see her eyes go wide at the memory, and I can tell that shes worried about what we will think, while also being slightly shaken over having to talk through it.

"Thank you, Isla, and did you hear or see anything before it happened?" I ask.

"No. Oskar has wind powers so could make it so the seeker doesnt hear where the others are. But I guess he made it stronger this time, normally you can still hear the birds and stuff." She says shrugging.

"And you didnt hear him scream?" Lorcan questions.

"No, I said I couldnt hear anything. He does his magic stuff remember," She says sassily like Lorcan is the most stupid person ever. I almost feel a small smile start to bloom in me. Almost.