The Land of Gods and Beasts

Chapter 5

The Unknown

The male had startled me horribly at first. Jarring me from a tailspin of self-loathing at what I had done to the wildlife surrounding me. I had desolated this place, and my heart was wrenching at the sight of it. A grief that I didn't understand choking the breath from my lungs.

But as he stepped into sight, all thoughts of that fell to the wayside.

My brain immediately screamed at me that he might be who put me in the ground, returning to kill me.

Or worse, bury me alive again.

My body shook with the terror.

But, the male had such kind eyes.

He didn't look at me with the same disgust I was feeling for myself.

He didn't look evil or menacing.

He just looked curious, slightly wary, and run down like he had been dragged to Hellas's realm and back. He was limping, his dark hair disheveled and twinkling green eyes ringed with exhaustion. Not that I had much room to talk, I was sure.

I had saved him. That's the only thing that had snapped me out of my self-loathing and fear. I destroyed so much, but I had saved this male. And I didn't even know I was doing it.

The male looked as though he was approaching a frightened animal. Hands raised, steps slow, voice calm and melodic. Soothing. Something tugged in my chest as he came closer. An off feeling of familiarity at the sight of his warm features, a familiarity I saw echoed in his own eyes. The feeling of inexplicable trust I felt towards this male made me feel incredibly naive. Hellas, maybe I am naive. Or was, before I was buried eight feet under and left for the gods knew how long.

But whether I trusted this male or not, the fact remained that I had no idea where I am, or who I am. I was not naive enough to believe that I could've found my way to a village when all I could see was endless forest surrounding the crater I created.

He oozed charm and charisma as he told me about his near death. Distracting me from the pit that had been in my stomach since I woke up in the ground. And steadying me with his calm thoughtful stare. Suddenly, I was really hoping that the unexplainable trust that I felt for this male was warranted.

Definitely naive.

Mallok gave me a crooked smile, flashing elongated canines at me, "better than calling them rainbow fuckers."

My eyes widened as I let out a hoarse laugh of surprise. "These "rainbow fuckers" must be quite the abrasive species."

He shrugged his broad shoulders, lips twitching in an almost smile. "Not nearly as bad as pixies at least."

I was about to ask why unicorns and pixies are so awful, when I noticed Mallok's eyes flick down and then quickly back to my face. I looked down and then quickly slapped my arms around my naked chest. Face burning.

He winced guiltily, "I'm sorry, I was just looking here," he tapped the space in the center of his own chest.

I looked down, unfolding my arms and rubbing some of the dirt from my chest. There was a golden mark, like a swirling knot with lines expanding outwards, glowing faintly between my breasts. I looked back up to him in question.