Golden

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four
Quinn

            Quinn comes to consciousness, mind foggy and eyes dry. His throat feels swollen, as if it has been completely closed off and any attempt at swallowing his saliva is in vain.

            What happened? He manages to think with his disoriented mind. His body feels stiff, his ankles and wrists sore as if something had been bound tightly around them.

            When he opens his mind, the first thing that comes to sight is a fragile ceiling. Moonlight that streams in through the closed, thin curtains sheds dim light in the room he appears to be in. He licks his cracked lips and sits up, noticing the hard mattress and withered sheets that are underneath him.

            The walls that encase him are brittle, similar to many of the smaller homes in Procratus. Taking in his surroundings, Quinn finally manages to break through the haziness of his mind, realizing that this is not his room.

            Unexpectedly, the door opens, causing Quinn to flinch back in surprise. A dark figure emerges through the doorway, and his eyes fall upon an unfamiliar face. “Good,” the female says. “You are awake.”

            Clearing his throat, he asks, “who are you, and where am I?”

            A small chuckle leaves her lips as she sits in a nearby chair. The sound of her laugh is enthralling, capturing Quinn’s breath in a quick moment.

            “My name is Vera,” she says. “I am truly sorry for startling you. Do you not remember what happened last night?” she asks.

            He shakes his head, frowning. His heart beats faster at the sound of her musical voice, and he quickly finds himself latching onto her every word the more she speaks. He wants to know what she looks like – he cannot see her properly in this light.

            “You had knocked on my door, asking for a place to stay,” she answers.

            “Why?” he asks, more so to hear her speak again. Her voice, he thinks, his heart heavy with an emotion unbeknownst to him.

            “I should not say,” she trails off. “You were devastated, not knowing what else to do but seek a place to stay. You wanted to get as far away from your problems as possible, and that is why you left the city. Your mind must have repressed the memories because they were so gruesome; if I tell you, you will feel the pain all over again.”

            “Tell me why,” he murmurs, his head becoming sluggish. Her voice is beautiful…

            “Alright,” she sighs. “You had gone to visit your family in Rolaun, and their house is where you found your ex-wife standing over the bodies of your parents and your younger brother,” she tells him. “At the sight, you ran and fled the city, and came knocking on my door.”

            Quinn’s eyelids droop as Vera stands from her seat and moves to sit beside him on the bed. She rests her palm over his hand, and for a moment he is electrified by the feeling that courses through him.

            “She had murdered them,” Vera whispers.

            With a closer view, Quinn can see her face more clearly. He is awestruck by this blonde-haired, dark eyed beauty that sits before him. She is gorgeous, his hazy thoughts manage to conclude.

            “What is this witch’s name?” he mutters, tracing his finger down her cheek in a motion that arouses a wildfire in his chest.