The Woods

Chapter Forty

As the shriek of utter terror left my throat, the creature pounced at me, its claws latching into my skin so I couldn't get away. I could feel hot blood running down my arms as I tried to pry myself from its grip. It loomed over me, roaring and baring its yellowed fangs.

Everything became a blur of panic as I tried to get away from it. I tried to shove it off me but it was too heavy and its claws only dug in further. With a snarl, it bared its fangs and aimed at my throat.

I was screaming, thrashing under its grip until the room was suddenly full of light and someone was grabbing me. I sobbed as I met Casper's eyes and he pulled me into an embrace. Over his shoulder, I saw Merilyn looming in the doorway, scanning the room.

Pulling back, I grabbed at my arms, feeling for the cuts the creature had left behind. But as I stared down at my skin, I saw no blood. The room was empty.

"Fida, what happened?" Casper asked gently. When had they come back? I thought they were both away.

"There was a creature," I said, failing to keep my voice even. I could feel myself trembling as I described it to them, and it didn't make me feel better when they shared a long look.

"There was nothing here, Fida," Casper said. "We heard you screaming and found you thrashing, but there was only you."

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. "It was real," I finally breathed. "I could feel it – I could smell it."

My hands were trembling as I ran them through my hair and curled into a ball. I felt so cold all of a sudden, as if the temperature had dropped. It reminded me of how The Fae used their magic against one another. Except much, much stronger. My whole body was trembling.

I felt Casper press his hand to my brow and hiss out a few words which I didn't quite hear. I looked up at him, but my eyes couldn't focus. He yelled something at Merilyn, who nodded and left.

He grabbed my shoulder, repeating something over and over, but his voice seemed so distant. I muttered his name, meaning to tell him I couldn't hear him, but found myself sagging against him.

In mere moments, the darkness swallowed me.

***

I drifted in and out of consciousness for what seemed like days. I had no idea how much time had passed, only that in the moments I was awake, I would be screaming before a friendly face soothed me. It was an endless pattern.

When I awoke with a jolt, I was surprised to find that I did not scream, and even more so that I stayed awake.

"Fida." My head lolled to the side and I saw Cain staring down at me anxiously. He looked . . . terrible. As if he hadn't slept in days. "Are you alright?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but no sound came out. My throat was raw – likely from all the screaming. Cain, seeming to realise this, passed me a glass of water, which I drank greedily. My throat, though it was still sore, allowed me to speak.

"What happened?" I croaked, wincing at the pain.

He pursed his lips as he set the glass on the table. "A few days ago, Casper and Merilyn returned from their trip. They heard you screaming, but found nobody. They said you kept mentioning some sort of creature – and then you collapsed with a fever. You've been in and out of sleep for days."

So . . . did that mean the creature wasn't real after all? Did I simply imagine it in my feverish state? But no – I had felt the blood as its claws teared at me; I had smelled its carrion breath. There was no way it wasn't real, even if the blood was gone when they entered the room.