Page 65 of Eldritch
I didn’t bother to explain the nightmarish manner in which I’d seen Uncle Riftyn die. “When we found you, you were lying on the floor of the pantry. As if Elowen had put you there.”
“Elowen?”
“The Crone Witch.”
“Yes. She did put me there.” Her face twisted into a malicious expression. “The evil, old witch tried to kill me.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure. She started out nice enough. When I left Moros?—”
“You left Moros?”
“Yes. Well, technically he left me first. Trapped inside one of the bedrooms in his mansion.”
“He tried to hurt you.”
“No. He left rather abruptly and locked me in the room—about the time those creatures had made their way to the village. I suspect he was trying to protect me. He never came back, though.” She continued tapping her fingers to her thumbs. “I assume he became one of them.”
“So, you managed to escape.”
“Yes.” She frowned, rubbing her temple. “I’m certain that’s what happened. And, somehow, I ended up here.”
“You said The Crone Witch started out nice. She took you in?”
She lifted her nose in the air and closed her eyes, as if breathing in the scent. “Is that rabbit I smell?”
“It is. It has a bit more time to cook.”
“I’m exceptionally hungry. I’ll take some now, if that’s all right.”
“It’s not fully cooked, Aleysia. Don’t you recall the last time you accidentally consumed raw meat?”
She tipped her head. “No.”
“You were sick. Heaving most of the night. You rarely ate much meat, at all, after that.”
“Well, we can’t exactly be fussy about food these days, can we? I’ve developed a tolerance, I suppose, after the world went to hell.”
“It will be ready soon. In the meantime, there are other things. Canned apples. Some stewed tomatoes.”
Her shoulders sagged with disappointment. “I’m starving for meat. Just a little, Maevyth,” she whined. “I’m so famished. I don’t even remember the last time I ate.”
“I promise, Aleysia. It’ll only be a few?—”
“Maevyth!” The quick vexation in her eyes slowly softened when she diverted her gaze toward the door, where I was certain Zevander stood watching. “I didn’t mean to yell. Forgive me. I’m out of sorts.”
I nodded, backing my way toward the door. “I’ll get some food.” As I slipped alongside Zevander, who didn’t take his eyes off Aleysia, I rested my hand on his arm. “It’s okay.”
While the rabbit wasn’t entirely pink, I knew it hadn’t cooked long enough to be done, but I ladled some of the soup into a bowl, anyway, and tore away a few tough pieces of the rabbit meat that didn’t appear entirely raw.
“You’re sure everything is okay?” Zevander asked, as I passed him again on the way to her bedroom.
“Yes. She’s just very hungry, is all. And cranky,” I added under my breath as I kept on.
After carefully handing it over, I sat on the chair across from her, watching her gracelessly shovel the soup into her mouth. The broth spilled down her chin, and she practically buried her face in the bowl for the meat.
“Careful, Aleysia. It’s very hot.”
