Rieka

Chapter 16

We find ourselves in a small tavern. I look out the window to see three little kids playing hopscotch. I jump at the sound of men laughing as they talk back and forth. A woman walks around bring them cups of a brown liquid in which they drink eagerly.

A plate of turkey leg with green peas sits in front of me with a glass of water. Uncle had already gobble up his turkey leg like it will be taken away and was now staring hungrily at mine.

"Do you want it?" I ask him, gesturing to my plate.

He shrugs and tries to sound like he's not interested. "I mean if you don't want it... theres no reason for good food to go to waste."

Aaron stops me from pushing the plate towards Uncle, "No, you need to eat."

"Im not hungry," I said glancing at the people in the tavern. Feeling uncomfortable that theres so many people in this small tavern.

Aaron notices me looking around. He leans closer to whisper, "No ones going to hurt you. Eat."

I slump like a child and poke at the turkey leg. I start peeling the skin off and tear off a piece of meat before popping it into my mouth.

"So why do you two need to come to Kaaesa so badly?" Uncle asks as he leans back in his chair. Unsatisfied that he didn't get my plate.

"To find a gift for my sister," Aaron answers without missing a beat.

Uncle squints at him, "Why did you had all that equipment in your wagon? That didn't look like itll interest a child."

Aaron stares back, "It was for a family member on the way here. To make a trade for a horse."

Wow, he's good. I think to myself. It was difficult to hold back the surpise look on my face so I force myself to look down at my plate.

"All that for a horse, huh? But be a rare breed," Uncle pushes, trying to get more than what Aaron was giving.

"Its a very rare breed," Aaron states as he continues eating his food, but he doesn't take his eyes off of Uncle.

Suddenly a specific smell catches my attention. Its like everything freezes as I try to remember the scent's source. And then it hits me.

I grasp Aaron's arm, "They found us," I whisper, "We need to leave. Now."

He nods in understanding. Our chairs scrap the wooden floor loudly as we stood up quickly.

I look out the window to see Jasper from before and another werewolf following close behind. They're in there human form as they walk calmly thriugh the mass of humans.

"We'll sneak through the back," Aaron says as he grabs my wrist and leads Uncle and I behind the kitchen. The cook yells angrily at us as we burst through the back door leading to an alleyway.

"Wheres the lake?" I ask as I look both left and right on the lookout for the two men.

"East of town, come on!" He pulls me along and we rush behind buildings. Jumping over piles of trash left to rot.

"Wait!" Aaron stops abruptly and pulls me back before I could run out into the open. He peeks around the corner, "Okay, clear," he whispers before we race into the woods.

"Can we slow down?" Uncle asks breathlessly before he kneels over. "Im too old for this."

Aaron reluctantly nods, "Okay, I think we're far enough. We can walk from here." His hand drops from my wrist and rests on his sword's hilt.

"You know that wouldn't really do much right?" I ask, eyeing the steel weapon.

He draws it out and reflects it in the afternoon sun rays. "I seem to recall that I drove it into one of the wolves Axel sent after you."

As swift as a fox he pins Uncle to a tree and holds the sword up to his neck. "So imagine what it'll do to a human body. How did you keep in contact with Axel? Are there more coming? Talk!" He commands, anger burning into his eyes that I have never seen before.

"I have left the pack," Uncle replies, he grimaces when Aaron presses the sword deeper.

"And yet two of your kind just happened to be in the same village as us. What are you? Their spy?"

"No! They must've followed your scents," Uncle turns his gaze towards me. "You know that when a wolf finds its prey, they'll always find it."

Aaron glances back at me and I nod. He lets Uncle go, but quickly snatches his hands and bounds them in the cuffs he kept in his pockets.

He shoves Uncle foward, "Lets keep moving."

What felt like hours, the sound of rushing water soon greets us along with an amzing view of a small waterfall filling up a lake that flow into a river.

"How do we know this is Lake Tristan?" I ask, examining the lake. It didn't look mystical or anything.

"The sign here says, 'Welcome to Lake Tristan. Offer something valuable to you and the truth within yourself will be revealed.' I'm pretty sure this is Lake Tristan." Aaron replies as he forces Uncle to the ground and stands guard beside him.

Uncle turns his gaze to me, disbeliefin his eyes. "Lake Tristan? This is where you wanted to come all along? Don't you see that you are a werewolf. Its who you are! The lake will do nothing for you."

I glare at him, "I am not a monster," I say as I untie my cape. I fold it up neatly with trembling hands. I look up at the sky looking for some sort of answer or comfort as I whisper, "Please work."

Taking in a deep shaky breath, I place the cape on the lake. I watch anxiously as it soaks in the water, becoming a darker shade. Slowly it starts to sink until it was fully gone.

We wait in silence for something to happen. Maybe for a burst of light or some sort of sign that means the curse was broken.

But nothing.

"Did it work?" Aaron asks slowly. "Do you feel anything?"

I shake my head, "No, I don't feel any different... am I suppose to feel different?"

"You're not going to feel different cause theres nothing to change," Uncle says as he stands up just as two figures creeps forward from the shadows.

Aaron draws his sword and points it at Jasper, but he swipes it aside and kicks Aaron to the ground. His sword is knock out of his hand leaving him defenseless. Aaron grunts as Jasper plants his foot on Aaron's chest and digs out the keys from his pockets. He throws them to his partner who unlocks the cuffs on Uncle.

"You see Rieka, you were born a werewolf," Uncle says with a playful smile, that did not quite reach his eyes, "Whether you like it or not, you're one of us."