Chapter - 7

Shelly frantically searched all over the cottage until there was only one place left to look for Mylene and her father. The sitting room! When she entered the room, Mylene and her father were sitting on the settee having their evening cup of tea. The settee sat in front of the window which looked out to the dirt road, and an old worn out table sat in front of the settee. A tea kettle placed on a wooden tray sat on the table in front of her father and Mylene. Plaid teal and white curtains hung over the windows, and two wooden chairs with teal cushions sat against the wall to the left of the settee. The roaring stone fireplace made this room warm and cozy. Daniel and Mylene were sharing a few laughs when they noticed Shelly standing in the doorway. Daniel looked up at Shelly and knew by her expression there was something wrong. He placed his cup on the table in front of him and approached her.

He caressed her shoulders, “Sweetheart! Whatever is the matter?”

“It’s Austin…there’s something wrong with him,” Shelly blurted out.

Mylene placed her cup next to Daniels and got up from her seat and joined in on the conversation, “What’s wrong with him?”

“His fever has spiked, and he fell back to sleep,” Shelly replied.

Mylene didn’t waste any time at all. With a concerned look, she grabbed her skirts and headed upstairs with Shelly and Daniel behind her.

When they entered the guest room, Mylene immediately began checking Austin’s fever and the dilation of his eyes.

“How long has he been like this?” Mylene asked.

“I-I don’t know. I fell asleep next to him and when I woke, he was he was unconscious and his fever had spiked,” Shelly replied with tear-filled eyes.

Mylene approached Shelly and hugged her tight, “I’m sure he’ll be all right. His body reacted to how we treated him before. This only means he’s not out of the woods just yet. Why don’t you go out to the garden and fetch some cool water from the well, hmm?”

Shelly wiped her tears from her cheeks and gave a small smile. She wasn’t about to give up on Austin. Her aunt was right about him responding to the leeches. ‘He’ll get better. He has to!’ she thought.

Two days passed rather quickly while Austin lay in bed fighting for his life. Mylene and Shelly took turns emptying the bucket of water, refilling it, and wiping him don with a cool cloth in hopes to get the fever down.

Never once did he awaken or speak. He would shiver when the water streamed down his arms and chest, but it was the only response Mylene and Shelly received from him. His wounds were on the mend, but the fever was what Mylene worried about the most. ‘If only I could get that bloody fever down,’ she thought. Shelly sat at Austin’s bedside the entire time, other than going to bed late at night and taking breaks for lunch and dinner. She would sit beside him, hold his hand, and read to him. Her father would check in on her and the young man from time to time and find her singing a soft tune to him. He knew he would have to do some serious thinking about what to do with their relationship. The young man had saved his daughters’ life. Surely, he could reward the young man with his daughter’s hand in marriage. But then there is another problem. She's betrothed to his best friend’s son. Again, he still was unsure if he and his family could return to their kingdom. What if they couldn’t return home? It wouldn’t be fair to Shelly if he were to keep her from having a normal noble life. Then the lad proved Daniel could trust him with her life by saving her. He even went after that horrible creature, unknowing what it was capable of or what he was dealing with. 

On the third night, Shelly entered her rooms, once again getting to bed rather late. It wasn’t long after her head hit her pillow; she fell into a deep sleep. The night’s navy-blue sky turned to a light blue colour as the sun rose. It had the colours of blue and pink, and the morning sun turned the clouds into hints of orange and pink swirls. Shelly sat up on her bed, pulled off her covers, and draped her legs off to the side. She yawned, stretched, and got up and dressed for the day. She went down the hall and rounded the corner. Her shoes pitter pattered on the wooden panels of the stairs as she rushed into the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone. When she entered the kitchen and found her mother sitting at the table eating breakfast. Shelly’s heart sank. She had hoped she didn’t sleep too late and skip out on making breakfast like she had promised her father she would. Sybil took a sip of her tea and noticed Shelly standing before her.

“Good morning, sweetheart. I hope you slept well.”

“Yes, Mama. I did. I’m sorry I’m late to breakfast. I must have been more tired than I thought.”

“Nonsense child! You were up all hours of the night taking care of the boy. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Sybil took another sip of her tea and said, “Your Aunt Mylene took care of everything while you were catching up on your sleep. Come, sit. Have breakfast with me.” 

“Yes, Mama.”

She grabbed a plate and put a portion of berries, two slices of toast, and a piece of cheese on it. She then filled her goblet with milk, scooped up her plate, and took her place at the table, across from her mother.

“Any word on Austin?” Sybil asked.

Shelly shook her head, “I wanted to stop in his rooms before I made breakfast, but I had a feeling it was rather late in the morning hours. Instead, I came directly down here in hopes I could keep my promise to Papa.”

Shelly took a bite of her toast when Mylene entered the room. Her long gown flowed behind her as she walked. She looked over at Shelly and a small smile formed on her face.

“Good morning, ladies.” Mylene chimed in as she walked past the table.

“Has there been any improvement in Austin’s health since last night?” Shelly asked.

“Sadly, he hasn’t woken up yet, and there’s no guarantee that he will. I’m doing all that I can to ensure he wakens. His fever broke last night. He’s at least on the mend, but not out of the woods yet. I see no reason he wouldn't pull through.”

Shelly’s heart sank. She wanted so badly for him to wake up. At least then she would know he would be all-right. Even if her parents wouldn’t allow them to be together, she would rather have him as her best friend than not to have him at all. Although she knew deep in her heart, she couldn’t bear the thought of him courting another. All she could hope for is at least her father would see Austin is a good man. One she could see a future with. One she could give her hand in marriage and one she could give her entire heart to.

“You must excuse me, ladies. I have some work to do if I’m ever to help the young man,” Mylene said.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Shelly offered.

Mylene took a sip from her cup of tea and sighed, “Not at this very moment, my dear. I’ll let you know when I should need your help.”

With that, Mylene cupped her tea in her hands and left the room. Shelly sank in her chair. She wanted so badly to help her with Austin, but above all, she wanted her face to be the first Austin would lay eyes on if he should awaken. Shelly finished her breakfast and helped her mother back upstairs to her bed and returned downstairs to clean the kitchen. She cleared the table, washed the dishes and swept the floor. Next, she went outside, fed the chickens, and tended to the garden. By mid-day she had nearly finished with all the chores her mother had done every day. She had just finished weeding the garden when Marcus approached her on his horse. He wore his long black hair pulled back, and it flowed behind him until his horse came to a stop.

“Uncle Marcus! What brings you out here this time of day?” She asked.

He smiled, “Your father asked me to bring you to the village square with me. He said you can gather some supplies for the kitchen while I gather hay for the horses and cattle.”

Shelly crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, “What you mean is my father's worried about me and wants me to get out of the house.”

Marcus chuckled, “In not so many words, but yes. He figured it would do you some good to get away and take a breather from it all.”

She shrugged her shoulders, “I suppose he’s right. I have been focusing on Austin's health. I haven’t even thought about anything else. I just want him to be well.”

Marcus smiled and gestured for her to come over to him. She smiled slightly and headed over to his side. He dismounted his horse and helped her on to the saddle and grabbed the reins. With the reins in hand, he walked the horse to the barn and helped Shelly down. She then helped him unsaddle the horse and made sure the animal had fresh water in its stall. Meanwhile, Malcom harnessed two horses to the carriage and got it ready for Marcus and Shelly. Afterwards, the two made their way to the village square.

Shelly had never been to the village square before. As they neared the village square, the dirt path formed into stone, and Shelly could just make out the town market. Men were stumbling out of the lattice while women were gathering their items from nearby shops and merchant stands. Once the two came closer to the square, Shelly noticed how busy the market was. Fruit and vegetable stalls were stet up all around the middle of the square. Merchants were selling their jewelry and finest furs on each corner. Some were even selling goats, pigs, and cows.

Marcus handed her a parchment paper, “Gather the items on the list your mother made.”

He pointed to a nearby shop that sold hay and chicken feed, “I’ll just be in that shop over there. I’ll be outside loading the hay into the carriage after I pay for it. You can’t possibly cause too much trouble by gathering the items your mother had asked for. When you’re finished gathering the items on your mother’s list, head over to the shop. If need me, you know where to find me.” 

“Hilariously funny, Uncle Marcus! I do not cause trouble. It’s you who instigates things,” She chuckled and nudged his arm with her elbow.

He laughed and handed her a tan pouch and a brown bag made of deerskin, “Here’s the shillings your father said to give to you for the supplies, and a bag to put the groceries in. Go on then. We’ll meet just outside of the shop.”

She nodded and climbed out of the carriage and watched him steer the horses over to the shop he had pointed out. She looked around the market thinking about where she should start and noticed some other villagers buying items.

Shelly glanced over towards the market and noticed a tall, thin, blonde woman, a little older than her, carrying a toddler on her hip. She was trying to get the merchant's attention, but he was a little distracted by all the other villagers gathered around his stand. The merchant was tall, slightly muscular, light blue eyes, a tan skin tone, and adorned short brunette hair.  The lady villager was getting a little frustrated as her little boy tried to squirm out of her arms. 

“I need a dozen eggs!” the blonde woman called out frustratedly.

Finally, she caught the merchant’s attention, and he gathered the eggs for her.

Shelly looked towards another merchant stand, where another man was selling farm animals. His jet-black hair was up in a ponytail. He had fair skin, gray eyes, and he wore torn up trousers and a dirty white long-sleeved shirt. Shelly could see why he was trying to sell some, if not all his animals. He looked as if he were broke and possibly needed to support his family. 

“Goats and cattle for sale! Only two shillings a piece! Come get ‘em before they’re gone!” the merchant called out.

At the bread stand, lots of women surrounded the merchant's stall. From first glance, Shelly really couldn't blame them. The Merchant was not only taller than most men, but also handsome. The merchant was flirting with a woman who wanted to in purchase a loaf of bread. His bleach-blonde curls rounded his egg-shaped face, and he quickly tucked a few strands behind his ears to keep it out of his light-green eyes. She quickly turned around, yelled at him, and slapped him across his face. The young woman then asked him how his wife was doing.

Shelly shook her head. She couldn’t believe the nerve of some people. ‘Why get married if you truly don’t want to spend the rest of your life with that person,’ she thought.

She finally made her way over to the produce stand where there was a lady merchant who was selling not only vegetables but also vegetable seeds. The merchant was slender and had the sides of her brunette hair pulled back in a braid. She wore a maroon dress adorned with a dirt-stained apron, and her dark green eyes lit up as Shelly approached her.

“Is there something I can help you with?” the lady merchant asked.

She glanced at the list in her mother’s own hand. The list contained Onions, Parsnips, fennel, parsley, watercress, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas, beetroot, apples, oranges, lemons, red currants, pomegranate, and apricots. She made her way down the list and informed the merchant of the vegetables needed on her list. The lady nodded and began gathering four of each item.

“That’ll be one shilling,” The lady merchant said and placed the items in front of Shelly.

Shelly opened the pouch Marcus handed her and pulled out exactly one shilling and placed it into the lady’s palm. She thanked her in return, and she put the items in the deerskin bag she carried with her. She then headed to the fruit stand where an elderly lady merchant was holding an apple. She wore a long dark-green dress with a long-braided belt with multi-colour beads weaved in the leather material, and she wore her gray hair up in a bun. She flashed a friendly smile when she saw Shelly had noticed her.

The elderly woman called out, “Apples! Get yer fresh apples here!”

As Shelly started walking towards the elderly merchant, two other merchants tried to stop her.

First, a man with tan skin and dark brown hair who was selling his fur stopped her. He held out a fine but expensive deerskin cloak with rabbit fur sewn in the neckline.

“A fine cloak for a beautiful lady,” he said.

Shelly smiled in return, “No, thank you. It looks expensive. I couldn’t possibly accept.”

Shelly then tried to sneak past the second man who was selling his finest jewelry, but he caught up to her. He held out a beautiful golden necklace with three red rubies embedded into the chain. A fine piece of jewelry, a piece only a royal could afford. 'More than likely stolen,' Shelly thought.

Again, she replied, “No, thank you,” and continued on.

The elderly woman then noticed Shelly approaching her. A smile spread across her face as she held up the fruit towards Shelly, “Apples for the pretty lady?”

Shelly grinned in return, “I need apples, oranges, lemons, red currants, pomegranate, and apricots.”

“Sure thing, Miss. How many would you like?”

 “I’ll take four of each, please, and thank you.”

The Elderly woman nodded and quickly turned her back towards her. Shelly thought there was something off about the woman. Something just didn’t feel right. In fact, her gut was strongly suggesting something was very off about her. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head and looked up. It was the same stranger she had seen in the forest. The same man that had turned into a hideous beast just a few nights ago. The man looked down at her. His eyes, a dull yellow colour and he wore a crooked smile. 

“Don’t scream and I won’t hurt you,” The man said.

“W-what do you want?” She asked.

“You took something from me, and I want it back.”

“What exactly did I take from you? I have nothing of value except for the rest of the shillings my father had given me.”

She held out the tan pouch, “Here, take the rest. I have nothing else to offer you.”

He rolled his eyes, “I don’t want your money. I only want what you took from me.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I have taken nothing from you!”

The gentle afternoon breeze blew through Shelly’s long auburn hair. The man took a deep breath of air and he grinned. He then turned his head and leaned his face into her hair, taking in her scent.

“You don’t smell like any mere human from this village. You smell different… Your scent… it’s nothing like I have ever smelled before. I’m finding it very difficult not to sink my teeth into your flesh right here in public. What are you?”

Shelly gasped, “What in the world are you talking about? You’re crazier than I thought!”

The elderly woman finally finished gathering the fruit Shelly had asked for and placed it in front of her. Her eyes flashed from a hazel green to yellow when she gazed up at Shelly and smiled. Shelly grabbed the fruit from the counter and put it into her bag. She knew she had to get away from this crazy man somehow. She jerked her shoulder away from him and turned to run.

He grabbed her arm, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you! Now, tell me where you put my dagger and I’ll let you go!”

“I don’t have your dagger and even if I did, I wouldn’t give it to you!”

Shelly then glanced towards the shop where Marcus said he would load the hay in the carriage. Sure enough, there he was with two of the villagers loading the hay just like he said.

“Uncle Marcus!” Shelly screamed.

The man quickly grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth so she couldn’t scream. She tried to wiggle herself free, but his grasp only grew tighter. She knew he was stronger than her, but she still had to at least try to get away from him. She opened her mouth and sank her teeth into his middle finger. The man let go of her and screamed out in pain, frantically waving his hand around.

Shelly ran towards the shop screaming, “Uncle Marcus! Marcus help!”

This time she got Marcus’s attention, and he came running towards her. When he reached her, she was shaking in fear with blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. He pulled his sleeve over his hand and wiped her mouth off and held her close and hugged her. 

“What happened?” he asked.

“A-a man attacked me by the fruit stand just over there,” she shakily pointed out.

 “Where is he now? Do you see him?”

Shelly looked towards where she was buying fruit from the elderly woman. Not only did the crazed man disappear, but so did the woman.

“I don’t see him now. The woman isn’t there now either. Uncle Marcus, I’m scared!”

“Shhh. It’s all-right. I’m here now. The man who attacked you, what did he want?”

Shelly thought for a moment to recall what the man had said, “He was the same man who attacked me and Austin in the forest. He said we took something of his and he wants it back.”

“Did he want the money? Shel should have just given him the rest of the shillings in the pouch.”

“I tried. He said it isn’t money that he wants. He says we have his dagger, and he wants it back.”

“You mean the dagger you found in the abandoned cottage?”

Shelly shrugged her shoulders, “I’m not sure. He was talking weird. He said something about my scent and how it was hard for him not to feed on me in public. He also said I don’t smell like any human from our village. He’s crazier than we all thought!”

Marcus held his hand out, “Come. Let’s get you home to your father. I’ll send Malcom after the rest of the hay.”

Shelly agreed, and the two headed to the carriage. Marcus informed the men he would send his brother to gather the rest of the hay. The men agreed and Marcus helped Shelly into the carriage. She moved closer to Marcus’s side, and he put his arm around her. She felt safe, but she was still worried. The man who nearly killed Austin was still out there, and her gut told her it was only a matter of time before he would strike again. Half an hour into their journey home, she fell asleep and when she woke, Marcus was leading the horses up the dooryard. She sat up, yawned, and stretched.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. Guess I was more tired than I thought,” she said.

Marcus shrugged, “Quite all-right. You had an eventful day.”

Shelly frowned and rolled her eyes, “Yes, quite eventful. Surely my father won’t ever let me out of his site again.”

Marcus commanded the horses to stop and hopped down from the carriage. He held his hands out to Shelly to help her down. She accepted and Marcus gently helped her down from the carriage. She thanked him and headed inside of the cottage. Instead of going to her father and informing him of what took place at the market, she headed upstairs to the guest room to sit with Austin for a bit. After everything that took place today, their love for one another was the only thing that made sense to her. She opened the door and found the bed empty and Mylene changing the linens on the bed. Shelly stood, mouth agape, shocked to see Austin wasn’t in bed resting.

“Where’s Austin?” Shelly asked.

Mylene finished making the bed and turned her attention to Shelly, “He woke an hour after you left for the market. He was doing better, but still had a slight fever. I left him alone long enough to gather some fresh water from the well, and when I returned, I noticed he had gone. Naturally, I informed your father of his disappearance at once.”

Shelly folded her arms, “Gone where? Surely he was in no condition to just up and leave.”

“The lad went home, silly! Your father checked in with the young man’s parents to see if he had returned home. His parents invited your father inside and he saw the young man sitting at the kitchen table. Where else would he go exactly?” Mylene said.

“I…don’t know. I figured he would still be here when I returned. He wasn’t exactly stable when I saw him last. I thought he would at least say goodbye before he left,” Shelly said downheartedly.

“Did he at least leave a note?” Shelly asked hopefully.

Mylene smiled slightly, “I’m sorry dear. He left nothing for you. Is there something else I can help you with?”

Tears rolled down Shelly’s cheeks as she shook her head and left the room. Had Austin forgotten about her? She went to her room and plopped on her bed. She began thinking about every moment they had together. Had he been playing on her feelings the entire time? No. She knew what they both felt was very real. Even if it has been a short amount of time. He told her he loved her since they were children, and she believed that. A knock on the door disturbed her from her thoughts. She got up and cracked open the door to see who might be on the other side, but there was no one there.

“Huh?” She thought.

She opened the door and stepped out of her room and heard footsteps down the hall and saw Mylene rounding the corner, heading downstairs. That’s when Shelly decided she had to go over to The Hawthorne’s herself and find out exactly why Austin left without leaving a note for her. She went back into her room and grabbed her cloak and pulled the hood over her head and sneaked downstairs. She grabbed the lantern off the table in the foyer, stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind her.

It was a short walk to the Hawthorne’s. They lived across the dirt road, next door to Rain and Erick, just two acres apart from each other. A long ragstone fence surrounded the old Tudor style home, with a small dark-wood gate enclosing the property. Flowers hung from the outside of every window, and a stone walkway led to the stairs of the front porch. Shelly turned the handle of the gate, gently opened it, and walked down the little stone walkway. Slow and quietly she went up the steps. She peered through the window and the door opened. Mrs. Hawthorne’s eyes widened, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. The hood of Shelly’s cloak slid off of her head when Mrs. Hawthorne startled her.  

Shelly gasped, “I-I’m sorry, Mrs. Hawthorne. I don’t mean to intrude.”

Mrs. Hawthorne slowly shut the door and folded her arms, “Yet, here you are. What can I do for you, Lady Bradford?”

“I-I came to see Austin. I want to make sure he’s all-right.”

Mrs. Hawthorne tightened her shawl around her shoulders, “I wouldn’t know. My son has been staying with his uncle to help him with the farm. I will let him know you were looking for him.”

Shelly thought back to the vision she had the night prior, to what her father had done to the Hawthorne’s in his study. She knew there was something wrong. She had that terrible gut feeling telling her so. How could he replace their memories with new ones, and just how did she know her father was bringing them to the guest room to see Austin? That isn’t even remotely possible… or was it?

Shelly got lost in her thoughts, and her mind was racing. She was trying to piece everything together, but nothing was making any sense.

“Is everything all-right child?” Mrs. Hawthorne said with a concerned tone.

“Yes. I’m fine, thank you. I’m sorry. I appreciate your kindness. Please ask Austin to write soon. I miss him so much,” Shelly said downheartedly.

Mrs. Hawthorne smiled, “My pleasure.”

With that, Shelly pulled her hood up and left the Hawthorne’s. She began walking back down the dirt road and got enveloped in her thoughts once more. ‘What if Papa could somehow give the Hawthorne’s fresh memories? Would he have done something to Austin even after he saved my life? No. He wouldn’t do that. Papa always said Mr. Hawthorne was a respectable man. Replacing his parent’s memories and seeing Papa escorting them into the guest room must have been a dream, or at least a coincidence. He wouldn’t hurt anyone,’ She thought. Before she knew it, she was already heading up the dooryard. She entered the cottage and slowly closed the door, so it only made a little ‘click’ sound and headed upstairs to get ready for bed.

The following day after school, the bell tolled, which signaled school was out for the rest of the day. Shelly slipped her cloak around her shoulders and approached Rain, who was taking her basket off the shelf. Rain turned around and gasped when she noticed Shelly, who was now standing in front of her.

Rain put her hand over her heart, “Don’t do that! You gave me a fright!”

Shelly chuckled, “Sorry, Rain.”

Rain smiled and hugged her tight, “I haven’t seen you in two days. I do hope everything is all-right at home.”

“Uncle Malcolm found Austin and I in the barn and informed my father of our whereabouts. The hobo we all saw in the woods attacked Austin and me. Moments later, I tried to escape my father and ran into the strange hobo who turned into a horrible beast of a man. Luckily, Austin found me, and then my father, just moments after that. Later that night, Austin ran off to kill the creature and it gravely injured him. He had a high fever and was in terrible shape.”

“Bloody hell! I thought I had it bad because of my parents trying to rush me off to finishing school. I bet your father doesn’t want to let you out of his sight. How is Austin now?”

"Hence why my father had my Uncle Marcus follow me to school and wait outside. Here’s where it gets rather odd. I have been having some weird dreams. Two nights ago, I was sitting at Austin’s bedside, tending to his wounds. There was a knock on the door and my father went downstairs to answer the door. Before I knew it, I was in some kind of trance, and I could hear and see my father arguing with Austin’s parents. The night before last, I had another dream. Austin and I snuggled on the bed and I fell asleep. I could hear and see my father in his study with the Hawthorne’s. He had somehow wiped their memories of Austin being at the cottage and implanted new ones."

“Blimey… I couldn’t imagine going through what you have endured in just two days. Are you all-right?”

“I’m fine, but I just can’t shake the feeling my father is hiding something from me.”

“What makes you think your father is hiding something from you, and why would he?”

“Yesterday, it seemed as if he couldn’t get me out of the cottage fast enough. He sent me to the market with Uncle Marcus to pick up some things my mother had requested. While I was there, I met a strange elderly woman who was selling fruit. After I placed my order, the strange hobo approached me and threatened me. He told me how it was hard for him not to feed from me in public, whatever that should mean. He claimed I had a strange scent. The man was crazy! After Marcus came to my rescue, we headed back to the cottage. When I returned home, I went upstairs to find Austin had gone without as much as leaving a note. Aunt Mylene said Austin went home to his parents, but when I went to their home and spoke with Mrs. Hawthorne last night, she claimed he is still with his Uncle helping with the farm. Just seems rather odd that he had returned to his parents, but his own mother knows nothing about him being home. I’m not sure why he would hide anything from me. As far as I know, he never has, but everything within me is telling me he is hiding something. I just have to figure what he’s hiding.”

Rain gasped. She couldn’t believe how much her best friend had endured over the past few days. She placed a hand on Shelly’s shoulder and said, “Bloody hell! You know what I think? I think you should follow your father just to see what he’s been up to. If he is hiding anything, you’ll have proof and can confront him on his lies.”

Shelly sighed. She wanted to believe her father, but everything within her says he’s lying. “You’re right! I’ll be on the lookout and if he should leave the cottage for strange reasons, I’ll follow him! However, I will feel like an arse if he’s been telling the truth all of this time.”

Rain hugged Shelly tightly. Her heart hurt for Shelly. Shelly’s eyes filled with tears and she broke their embrace when she noticed her uncles staring through the window, waiting for her to come outside.

Shelly grabbed her basket from the top shelf and downheartedly said, “I’ll see you at school tomorrow. My uncles are getting a little impatient.”

Rain gave Shelly a quick hug and soothingly said, “I’m sure everything will be all right. If you need me or Erick, you know where we live. You’re more than welcome to come over at our house for tea if you would like. Do you think Erick and I can walk home with you?”

“Thank you. I’m sure my uncles wouldn’t mind if you walked with us. It has been so hard, and it has exhausted me. Not only have I encountered someone who wants to hurt me, I have also nursed Austin back to health. Now, I have to sneak around and follow my father because he can't be honest with me or Mama. I’m at my breaking point, Rain, and I don’t know what to do.”

Rain caressed Shelly’s shoulders soothingly, “Hey, everything will work itself out. You’ll see.

“She’s right, you know. Sorry I didn’t hear the entire conversation, but Rain gives amazing advice. I’m sure everything will work out,” Erick chimed in.

“I suppose you’re right. We should start heading home before my uncles get their knickers in a twist,” Shelly said.

Erick nodded and followed Shelly and Rain outside to greet her uncles. Marcus and Malcolm smiled and gestured towards the dirt path. Shelly nodded and walked ahead of them with Rain and Erick.

A half hour later, the group of five arrived in the village. The first stop was to make sure Rain and Erick made it safely inside of their home. When the group stopped in front of the fence that separated the dirt path from their house. Shelly and her friends said their daily goodbyes, and she headed to the cottage with her uncles behind her. Once inside, they went their separate ways. Marcus headed into the study to inform Daniel his daughter had returned home safely, Malcolm went to tend to the horses and cattle, and Shelly to the kitchen to get dinner started.

Later that evening, after dinner and after Shelly had cleaned the kitchen, Shelly sat in the sitting room with her parents and Aunt Mylene. She sipped on her tea and gently put her teacup onto the tea table, while Sybil and Mylene chatted away about her pregnancy progress. Daniel smiled and lovingly rubbed Sybil’s slightly swollen belly. He then sat back into the settee and became awkwardly quiet.

Daniel stood up and tucked his brown locks behind his ears, “I’m sorry ladies, but I have to cut our evening short. I have to repair the locks on the barn. A few of the villagers had informed me earlier about their stables being broken into and their horses and livestock being stolen. Earlier this evening, Marcus informed me about our locks being broken and needing repair. I meant to replace them earlier, but I’m afraid I have completely forgotten all about them. I will return as fast as I can.”

“Repairing the locks at nightfall? Darling, are you sure it can’t wait until first daylight when you can see what you’re doing?” Sybil curiously inquired.

Daniel shook his head, “I’m afraid not, my love. We can’t afford for our horses or cattle to get stolen. Besides, Marcus and Malcolm will be there to help with torches and lanterns to give me plenty of light. I would ask them to replace the locks, but those two dimwits couldn’t even replace the wick in the lantern.”

With that, Daniel placed a kiss on Sybil’s forehead and headed to the foyer to grab his cloak and left the cottage. Shelly thought for a moment and found it rather strange that her father would repair locks in the middle of the night. More so when he was tending to the horses and livestock while her Uncles Marcus and Malcolm escorted her to school and waited for school to let out to walk her home.

“I’m afraid I need to have a lay down. I feel a little tired, and frankly I haven’t been getting a lot of rest lately because I have been taking care of Austin,” Shelly said.

“All-right sweetheart. Goodnight and we shall see you in the morning,” Sybil replied.

Shelly placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek and hugged her Aunt Mylene goodnight. She headed out of the room, but she lied about being tired. She wasn’t remotely sleepy. In fact, she was more curious about what her father was up to. She crept into the foyer unnoticed, slipped her cloak on, and put the hood over her head. She then went to the back door and quietly opened it and closed it behind her again. She went to the far wall of the cottage and peered her head around the corner. There is where she had seen her father heading up the hill towards the barn. She knew if she hurried, she could catch up to him. For the past few days, she felt something was off about him and now she took Rain’s advice to follow his every move so she could figure out exactly what he has been hiding. She went through the tall grass so her father wouldn't detect her, but she would have to move cautiously, so he wouldn’t hear her coming in his direction.

Finally, she reached the edge of the tall grass and peaked out to see the view of the barn. Her father was just heading inside. Now was her chance to hide on the side of the barn and try to listen in on the conversation between her father and uncles. As soon as she saw her father enter the barn, she quickly hiked up her skirts and ran to the side of the building and stood just outside of the window, out of view from anyone inside. She could hear the wood flooring creak under Daniel’s feet as he walked.

Suddenly, he came to a stop, and Shelly could hear another door open, one she didn’t know even existed. Daniel proceeded down a flight of stairs, and Shelly peered into the window. She didn’t see anyone around. She headed inside of the barn and found a cellar door open inside of one of the horse stalls, where she could hear her father talking with Marcus and Malcolm.

“Has there been any change in the young man’s behavior?” Daniel questioned.

“Sir, I believe the young man will turn during the next full moon. His fever broke, but then it returned along with the sweat. During this process, his pupils flashed to the same repulsing golden yellow colour of those creatures we faced back home. He was also calling out a name while he slept. A name I haven’t heard in an exceptionally long time.”

“And just what name would that be?” Daniel inquired.

“Seth… he was mumbling he needs to find Seth!” Malcolm informed.

Daniel gasped, “How is that even remotely possible? The creature merely scratched the lad. Luckily, it didn't bite him. I can’t keep this hidden for much longer. I believe my wife and daughter are becoming suspicious of my actions, and just what am I supposed to tell my daughter?”

“With all due respect Sir, I suggest we take a course of action. We can ditch the body by the river, which isn’t too far from the abandoned cottage,” Malcolm suggested.

Daniel furrowed a brow, “What you’re talking about is murder! I compelled the lad’s parents to believe he’s off helping his uncle with the farmland. There has to be something else we can do. There just has to be a cure! Shelly loves him, and it would devastate her if something happened to him.”

Shelly stood, mouth agape, and clasped her hands over her heart. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘Could they really commit a murder and get away with it? How could her uncles even think about taking an innocent life? What did they exactly mean by Austin turning into a creature like they had faced back home?’ she thought. Willowdale was the only village she knew as home. She had lived there her entire life. The more she thought about what she just heard, the more confused she became.

“I am sorry, Sir, but we don’t see any other way. Unless, you know of a magic spell to cure the curse, there’s nothing we can do to prevent him from turning during the next full moon,” Marcus said downheartedly.

Daniel’s expression turned from anger and fear to more solemn and a sadness filled his heart. He had grown to like the young man.

Daniel sighed and folded his arms, “Make sure he can’t break the chains. I will speak to Mylene about this. She might know of a spell to cure the lad. I can’t have his blood on my hands. More so, I can’t have the villagers asking questions when or if someone should find his body. Let’s give it a few days. Hopefully, we can come up with a cure.”

Marcus and Malcolm nodded and headed up the stairs. Shelly heard their footsteps on the steps. She ran outside and hid on the side of the building and heard them step onto the landing on the main floor of the barn. They closed the cellar door and began spreading hay over it to hide the hidden room. Afterwards, she heard them walking to the entrance, and she quickly hid in the tall grass where she watched them walk down the hill towards the cottage. Once the group of three were out of sight, she went into the barn and entered the horse stall where she found the cellar door her father had opened earlier. She hiked her skirts up to her knees and kneeled. She began pushing the hay to the side. When she finally exposed the door, she stood up, grabbed the handles, and pulled the double doors open. Afterwards, she hiked her skirts above her ankles and made her way downstairs.

When she made it to the bottom of the stairwell, the smell of mold and mildew filled the air. The room was dark, cold, damp, and was lit only by torches. Shelly adjusted her eyes to the darkness. When she placed her feet on the stone floor, she rounded the corner and found Austin. His arms hung above his head in iron chains, which hung from the ceiling. A bucket of water sat on the floor with odd purple flowers floating on top of the liquid. Four orange, thick rags soaked with water tied to the chains, two on one chain, and two on the other. The water trickled from his hands down to his arms. The trails of water left behind odd burn patterns. 

She placed the torch in a sconce and rushed over to him, “My love, what have they done to you!”