Page 19 of Daughter of the Serpent

She couldn’t let him expose her, not now, not here.

For a heartbeat, he held her gaze, his fingers wrapped around hers like a promise, or a threat.

But then, without a word, his grip loosened, and the warmth of his hand vanished, so suddenly it left her skin cool with its absence.

She stumbled back a step, caught off guard by his compliance. A moment hung in the air as they just stared at each other, the time marked only by the steady beat of drums and the raucous cheers of the crowd.

A man stumbled between them, a wolf hide draped over his shoulders, his voice rising in a wild, guttural howl that pierced the night air. Echoes answered from all around, mingling with the laughter and the clash of drinking horns. The sound shattered the fragile silence that had enveloped them, and Sylvie blinked, the moment slipping throughher fingers like sand.

She craned her neck, searching for the stranger with those haunting amber eyes, her pulse quickening with urgency. But as she scanned the space where he’d been - she found nothing. He was gone, as if the night itself had swallowed him whole, leaving behind only the lingering warmth of his touch, and the unsettling feeling that he had never been there at all.

Chapter Four

Silence ensued. For a brief moment there was nothing but emptiness, and she floated within it, untethered and weightless. There was no sense of time or space; she existed everywhere and yet nowhere, all at once. Her mind reached out, extending her awareness, probing into the depths of the new and strange place, eager to explore its secrets. The silence grew deeper, the emptiness more vast, as she stretched further and further, seeking what awaited beyond the shadow.

“Will she accept her given fate?”a voice whispered, soft but insistent.

Shrill, haunting laughter echoed in her ears.“Will she fall prey to her past - or her destiny?”

A tunnel of energy began to whirl toward her, a vortex of vibrant colors and chaotic movement. It spiraled like a tornado, wild and uncontrolled, engulfing her in an instant. A scream tore from her throat as she was swept up, spinning helplessly within the swirling maelstrom.

Then, as abruptly as it began, the tumult ceased.

Her feet sank into damp earth, grounding her. She let out a sigh, her hands clutching her heart to steady its frantic beat.

She’d landed, but she wasn’t sure where.

Opening her eyes, Sylvie found herself staring at her old family home.

The sight struck her like a forgotten dream, stirring memories long lost. Her gaze swept over the familiar wooden logs of the longhouse, weathered but steadfast. The thatched roof, crafted from layered straw and reeds. The worn wooden door, that had kept in the warmth even in the depths of winter, and the heat out from the summer.

She took in the surroundings. The lush green of summer blanketed the hills, the forest, and everything in between, warm rays of the sun danced on her skin, as she inhaled the pleasant scent of freshly cut flowers mingling with the salt sea breeze.

Nostalgia washed over her in waves.

Each detail was imprinted in her memory - revealing itself in a true picture of reality now before her eyes.

Movement in the garden caught her attention. There, in the muddied earth, a young girl played, her long unbound hair catching the sunlight like strands of spun gold. The girl's giggles rang out, her sweet voice filling the air with joy and magic as she chatted with the fairies and spirits of nature. Sylvie's heart ached with a penetrating pang of longing, the innocent delight of the child stirring memories she had buried deep.

“Sylvie!” her mother’s voice called out from the homestead, a mix of urgency and concern. “Come child, it’s time to come home.”

There was something strained in her mother’s voice, and as Sylvie looked on at the unfolding scene, her heart filled with dread.

Obediently the child made her way towards her mother, the joyous mirage quickly scattered as she sensed the unease of her mother, and unsettling tension in the air. Her father now stood behind her, a stoney expression on his face.

His voice broke the silence like a sudden clap of thunder. “It’s time to tell her the truth, Alma. She’s old enough now to understand. They will be here any moment.”

A tear glistened on her mother’s cheek as she shook her head. “I can’t.”

“You must,” he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Her father crouched down to Sylvie's level, his hands gently gripping her arms. “Sylvie, we have something to tell you.” His voice was soft but firm. “You know, your whole life you’ve been different.”

“Special,” her mother interjected, her voice quivering. “You’ve been special, Sylvie…”

“But because of that, you don’t belong here with us.” Her father’s words were blunt, cutting off her mother’s softer tone. His eyes bore into hers with an intensity that made her heart race. “You cannot stay here anymore - you must have a new family now.”

Confusion clouded Sylvie’s once - gleeful expression. “What do you mean?” she breathed, her voice trembling. “You’re my papa.”