Forbidden Darkness (Whispers Prequel #1)

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Fleeing from the room, Thyatira could feel all eyes on her, watching her with a mixture of curiosity and horror. At this moment though, she didn’t care. She didn’t care if her family gave her lectures or if the town whispered and spread rumours about her. There was just no way she could stay in this room anymore.

As Thya left the walls of her castle, she could sense that there was no one following her. Heightened senses were just one of the perks of being a Kitsune. Even if someone did come after her, they wouldn’t be able to catch her.

Embracing the fox that lurked inside of her, Thyatira felt her body begin to change. Before she’d fully transformed into a fox, she was running. There was a sense of urgency behind it, as if there was something chasing her.

As Thya ran, dark auburn fur rippled across her flawless skin, her bones finished moving and re-joining to form the slim, strong legs of a fox. No longer was she confined by the clothes that she’d worn, they were left in shreds at the front entrance of the castle. Letting her instincts take over, Thya tried to push away the questions and all thoughts of Tanoan and the Whispers.

The thrumming of her heart beat pounded in her ears and the faint thud of her paws crackling over the sticks sounded throughout the night air. The night was still only young, only a few stars peeked out of the darkness and a crescent moon hovered above her. The faint outline of giant oak trees loomed in front of her, but she could sense where they were without having to see them.

Aimlessly, she ran. Thyatira didn’t know where she was going or for how long she’d been running for, she just had to run. To be able to feel the wind fly through her fur, the ground beneath her feet. To be able to run and run without having any responsibilities or restraints holding her back.  She could go anywhere.

‘Maybe I won’t come back.’ The thought weaved through her head like a poisonous snake, but Thya quickly quashed it. ‘No. I will not abandon Tanoan. There’s no one else that will help the Whispers.’ All of her worries came rushing back to her and she realised that no matter how far and how long she ran, she couldn’t out run her responsibilities.

The beating of her paws across the ground began to slow and soon Thyatira came to a halt. She felt so incredibly tired; there was nothing she wanted to do more than crawl up in her bed and fall asleep. Peering around Jerrawah forest, she could only see a never ending sprawl of trees. The towers of her castle peaked out of the canopy.

Calculating the distance, Thyatira realised that she wasn’t as far away as she’d thought she was. ‘I must’ve backtracked.’ She decided. ‘At least the run home won’t take too long, my paws are already aching.’ Thyatira hadn’t noticed that she’d cut her front paw on something, the anger and frustration that fuelled her had now worn off.

Noticing her front leg for the first time, Thya discovered that the bracelet Nadir had given her was still clasped to her leg. It hadn’t broken during her transformation into a fox. The bracelet really was beautiful; she’d never seen anything like it before.

Crunch…Crunch….Crunch!

The sound of sticks and branches crackling had Thyatira whirling towards the noise. Gradually the noise grew louder as the creature came closer to her. Scrutinising the oak trees in front of her, Thyatira could only see darkness, but she could sense somebody or something coming towards her.

A low growl escaped from Thya’s snarling lips and her pointed ears stood end. Her tiny wolf body tensed in anticipation, ready to pounce on whatever threatening creature came out of those trees.  It had been a few weeks since she’d attacked anything. ‘Maybe it’s a deer.’ She thought hopefully, visualising tearing into the animal.

The shadows that the oak trees were immersed in began to quiver and move, forming the silhouette of a man. The snarl instantly dropped from Thyatira’s face and she relaxed her stance. As the shadowy silhouette emerged from the trees, she could see the distinctive shape of her Whisper.

“I saw you fleeing the castle…” Tanoan began, shifting uneasily under her penetrating stare. “I just wanted to see if you were okay.” Eyeing the tiny, dark auburn fox in front of him, realisation crossed his expression when he saw that she couldn’t answer him in that form.  “Um, uh, could you please change back?” He asked her, nervously. He’d never talked to a fox before.

Hesitantly, Thyatira considered his request. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to him because she did. It had been a whole day since she’d been able to talk to him. But it was the fact that she hadn’t thought of bringing any clothes with her when she’d left the celebration.

‘I mightn’t get another chance to talk to him for a while though…’ Thya reminded herself. When she got home she knew that she’d be lectured and have a watchful eye over her for the next few weeks and then she’d be Nadir’s wife. The opportunity to spend time with Nadir was dwindling.

Deciding to change back to her usual form, Thyatira turned her back on him a padded behind an enormous oak, hoping it would conceal her. Transforming back to a girl was always quicker and easier for her then the change into a fox. In a matter of second, Thya’s fur had retracted back into her skin, her bones broke and reconnected and her face changed back into the shape of a heart.

“Um, Tanoan?” Thya asked uncertainly. The thudding sound of the Whispers footsteps walking towards the oak tree that she was hiding behind caused a rush of panic to flood inside of her. “No! Don’t come any closer!”

“Why? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Tanoan questioned, Thya could hear the concern wavering in his deep voice.

“No, no, I’m fine.” She reassured him. “But could you, ah, pass me your coat?” Thya asked him, fervidly hoping that he was wearing his coat again today.

“Oh…s-sure.” He stuttered, realising what the problem was.

Tanoan’s shadowy arm holding the black, button down coat appeared in front of her. Snatching the coat from his outstretched arm, Thyatira hastily through a thank you over her shoulder before slipping the coat over her slim figure. It was a good thing that Tanoan was over a head taller than her, his coat fell just above her knee, effectively concealing her body.