The Villainess' Mischief (Fate's Transgression Series, #6)

TVM 17: Whispers

CHAPTER 17:
Whispers

PYRA VERONICA ELDRIDGE

THE forest felt alive, as though the very air buzzed with voices, whispering just beyond reach. The entrance to the Grove of Echoes stood before me—a towering archway made of twisted roots and vines, pulsing faintly with green light. The ethereal glow seemed to lure me in, like a silent invitation or a warning. Nux walked beside me, silent and observant, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Hindi ako makakaramdam ng kaba, at minsan naiisip ko na rin na normal ba talaga ang reaksyon ko. It feels like I am meant for this. Hindi nawawala yon. The atmosphere has a sense of belonging, and it's quite eerie but I cannot feel the shiver flowing down my spine.

“We’re here,” I whispered, though it felt like the forest already knew.  Nakatigil kami dalawa at pinagmasdan ang paligid. “I don't know why I knew it, but I feel it…”

He let out a reassuring smile. “Stay sharp, wife,” Nux murmured, his voice low but steady. "Echoes have a way of drawing out memories you'd rather leave buried." 

I shot him a glance. “Comforting thought.” 

He gave me a small grin, though his eyes held a flicker of something—concern? Or was it guilt? I couldn't tell. Before I could ask, the ground shifted beneath us, and a subtle hum vibrated through the air, like a distant song just at the edge of hearing. 

The moment we stepped under the archway, the temperature dropped, and I felt as though I had walked into another time, another place. A strange pressure settled over my chest, not painful, but heavy—like a memory just out of reach. The air thickened with the scent of wet leaves and earth, and faint lights swirled around us, dancing like fireflies but without warmth. 

Nux tightened his grip on his weapon, scanning the surroundings. “Remember, the echoes here reflect more than memories. They test intent.” 

“Intent? What kind of test is that?” nagtataka na tanong ko.

“Intent to move forward—or intent to run,” he said, meeting my gaze with unflinching seriousness. “And not everyone passes.” 

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the strange sensation wrapping around me. “Well, we don’t have a choice, do we?” I stepped forward, forcing my feet to move. “And it reminds me, you're more well informed than I thought.”

Nux raised an eyebrow. “I listen, wife. My ears don't wander around when someone is talking.”

I scoffed and eventually walked. “Nang-iinis ka lang.”

The grove welcomed us—or at least, it pretended to. The twisted trees swayed gently as if alive, and the roots underfoot slithered like serpents with each step. Shadows curled between the trunks, taking shapes that flickered between familiar and foreign. 

Suddenly, the world shifted. Napatingin ako sa posisyon ni Nux at napagtanto na wala siya roon. Did he leave me? Or the Grove separated us?

The forest melted away, replaced by a hazy vision of a place I knew all too well—my childhood home. I froze as the scent of freshly baked bread and lavender filled the air. Before me stood a younger version of myself, barefoot, twirling under the glow of the afternoon sun. I could hear my mother’s laughter in the background, the sound so real it sent chills down my spine. 

“What the…” I whispered. 

“Wife! The Grove is pulling your past to the surface. Be careful not to get lost in it.”  Naririnig ko ang boses ni Nux subalit hindi ko siya nakikita. Nakatutok lamang ako sa batang nakikita ko sa harapan.