The Priestess' Affair [Books 1 &2]

𝐈𝐗. 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡

-HER-

As I descended further to the dead mountain's foot, thick woods surrounded me. I didn't stop until the forest floor replaced the stone stairs beneath my feet.

This part of the island's rim was quite rocky, and the water currents were rugged at this time of the day, sending the waves bashing on the rocks. The sound of the water drowned the other noise of the woods. 

I was still trembling with the rage, blinking tears, but my vision was comparatively more clear now. Briefly, as I stood at the end of the stairs and stared at the rocks, I was tempted to go running towards them and surrender to the furious waves. 

Vittoria would be so happy if I ever did that. 

I didn't want to make her happy; thus, I edged towards the rocks carefully and watched the waves while waiting for the rage to die down before I could do something foolish. I needed to stay here and do some thinking. I needed to think of something... I needed to have a defence; otherwise, if I went to the shrine next, Vittoria would send me to my brother's kingdom again, trapping me in this vicious cycle.  

Though my rage was too potent and overwhelming for my reasoning to work properly. Vittoria's words were ringing in my ear repeatedly to worsen my situation. After making sure that no one had followed me here, I sat on a boulder facing the sea and broke down into tears. I remained there for the rest of the day, weeping until I had run out of tears, and the only thing left behind was the salt of vengeance searing my wounds.

With my last tear, I saw the sun disappearing behind the horizon, plunging the woods behind me into steely shadows. 

Somewhere in the distance, I heard the sky growl, hinting at the possibilities of rain tonight. I wasn't ready to go back just yet because my head was still empty. Of all the time I'd been here, the majority was spent wiping my tears, glowering at the sea and abhorring Vittoria's existence.

My thoughts were scattered. I didn't know where to start. The only thing in my head at the moment was vengeance— make Vittoria pay for the humiliation she caused me today. So, I sat there and thought about everything for a while, mainly about Vittoria. She was currently competing with Herren on my list of most hated people in my life. The third position would always belong to my brother. 

As I sat there in the dark woods, submerged in my thoughts, I heard something which made me sit up straight. At first, I decided to ignore it, but then I heard it again. It sounded like someone was calling my name in the distance.

Did the Matriarch send someone to call me back? 

This seemed very unlikely. As I was thinking about it, I heard the voice call out for me again. This time, it was eerily clear, sending shivers down my spine. I dismissed it, thinking it to be just a figment of my imagination, but I heard the noise again, and this time, it sounded like several voices were calling my name in a chorus.

I got up from there and decided to leave when I noticed the small hut on the dead mountain for the first time. I hadn't seen it when I came here in the daylight. Something about that dark hut seemed to be calling me, but I decided to turn and go back to the shrine. Staying here for longer would be ridiculous. 

There were countless nooks in the shrine to hide for the day. I could think there without worrying about Vittoria sniffing me out but staying here at this hour didn't seem safe. As I was getting up to leave, the sky cracked open in half by a thunderbolt, and it started raining heavily. I

Within seconds I was surrounded by white sheets of rain, and the only thing visible was the hut on the foot of the dead mountain. Other than that, there was no other shelter available in proximity. I had to go to the hut. I could have given this idea a second thought if it wasn't for the rain coming down in torrents. I was soaked within seconds, and it would have been more dangerous to climb a hundred slippery stairs in the dark while the rain pounded down on me.