Book of Aniela: Sins of Amphaesia

Chapter 5

Alora took to unpacking the bag of items she thought of grabbing before she left. She was going to stay for a while, so might as well get comfortable.

She sorted out her clothes in the dresser. She put the sack of coins into the bedside table, and the painting she put neatly on top of the table top, where she could see it laying down.

Then it hit her. She was away from home, and she wouldn't come home for at least months, if not years. Her legs gave out and she slumped in the chair, looking at the painting of her and her mother. Her eyes burned and brimmed with tears, threatening to spill. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning her head on her palms.

Be strong, Alora. You can write your mother a letter, you'll explain the situation and she'll understand.

Yes, girl. Be strong.

Her head snapped up. Those weren't her words, those weren't her thoughts. She felt the presence in her head, and as fast as it came, it was gone.

I'm just tired, she tried to convince herself, that's all.

She'd deal with this tomorrow. She got up and changed her clothes, separating the dirty from the clean. She'll ask Beth to show her where the laundry was tomorrow, and she'd also go out and buy a towel and soap, and maybe even stop by a couple places and ask about a job. She had enough coins to last her for a couple months, considering she'd been saving for a while.

I'd feel too guilty being a freeloader, I need to start working as soon as possible.

She went to bed with all those thoughts in her mind, blowing out the candles and falling into a deep and dark sleep.

"Master, the numbers are growing," said a gravelly voice. The room was pitch black except for the ring of burning red candles. Whispers rose up in the shadows.

"Silence," a voice said. Smooth as honey, deep as the darkest corners of hell.

"What else do you desire to be done, Master?"

"Nothing. You've done enough. Now we wait."

"For what?"
The deep voice grew louder with a low and steady growl, "Do not question me. Do as I say, and wait."

"My apologies, your majesty. I understand, Master."

"May is waking," gasps rose from the shadows, the whispers growing louder.

"Arimay has been asleep for thousands of years, sir. How can this be?"

"The Heart of May is growing past it's boundaries. It's escaping it's boundaries of hell on earth and growing into the human world."

"Do you want us to cut it sir?"

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Yes, Master Jala."

Alora woke early. Far too early to willingly get out of bed, but the voices from her dream made her uneasy.

Jala...

She knew that name from the history books she read, but she did not remember who it belonged to. She'd have to add a trip to the library to her to-do list.

Since she was already up, she decided there was no reason to stall. She threw on some clothes to go out in and ran her fingers through her hair to untangle it as best she could.