Grapevine (Zetheria Series #1)

Chapter 11: Miraculous Seeds

In the morning, Selene was jolted awake by the familiar sound of rattling chains.

Several days passed since they were captured. By this time, Dale always woke up brimming with energy. He would try to talk to the expressionless guards or throw random questions to Selene.

This time, however, the rattling of chains didn't come from Dale's cage, but from the empty cage opposite him.

With sleepy eyes, Selene turned to the source of the sound and saw another prisoner being thrown to the cage.

Looking closely, her eyes widened.

The prisoner was an old woman. She laughed while settling herself inside the limited space of her prison.

"Ah, this is funny..."

The guards did not pay attention to her murmurs. They looked at her indifferently and left without saying a word.

Blinking, Selene turned to the new prisoner.

Noticing her, the older woman smiled.

"Hello there. A pleasant morning, isn't it?"

Selene responded with a short nod and looked away immediately.

"Were you captured by Deon?"

The old woman smiled, showing her yellowish teeth. Her voice was grating and it sounded as though it came out from a dry throat. Her blurry eyes stared at her curiously.

Unnerved, Selene pretended to ignore her question. However, her curiosity was so strong, she ended up responding.

"I was captured."

"By Deon?"

"I don't know who it was."

The older woman moved closer to Selene's cage, her eyes looking at her with pure interest.

"Golden eyes?"

"I... did not get the chance to take a look at his face."

"A he?"

"Well, it could be a woman for all I care."

After that, Selene shifted to the other side and closed her eyes. But, it didn't stop the old woman from talking to her. It seemed she was even more determined to converse.

"He had a soft spot for children. Ah, I remember when he was a kid himself..."

The chains rattled.

"All the other kids play with wooden swords, but Deon likes to read..."

She paused, leaning on the wall of her cage.

"He likes to read about Forbidden Magic. The books brought by that suspicious wandering merchant."

Selene's ears perked up, now interested in her story.

Meanwhile, the old woman laughed loudly, causing the nearby prisoners to stir in their sleep. Her voice was particularly disturbing though, so Selene could understand.

"... He discovered a plant growing in the dead forest. A young man like him had a hard time getting it. He had abusive relatives, you know. But, he likes kids. He liked the beauty of their innocence..."

Her chains rattled once more. Selene felt her stares from the back.

"... What he doesn't like was seeing the death of it."

She chuckled. It made Selene worry because it sounded like she had a difficult time breathing. She even choked on air.

"Ah, gosh. I don't like this body."