The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 2

Although she had offered to come help me pack, she wasn't doing much.

Myrnah stood silently and forlornly in the center of the room, watching me throw clothes in a duffel bag with her bright red eyes worriedly. After several minutes of this, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Myrnah, what's on your mind? You're creeping me out a little bit."

She looked back at m seriously. "It was not my intention to creep you out, my dear."

The phrase "creep you out" rolled off her tongue strangely; the American phrase didn't belong on her Russian lips. She sounded like a little old lady trying to sound hip. The thought made my heart melt a little bit.

"Then what's wrong then? Tell me." I straightened up, a handful of bras in my hand.

She began twisting her hands, a trait I'd come to realize she did habitually when she was nervous. "I don't think you should accompany Apollo to Feloix Felaii."

I was quiet. Unlike "creep you out", the name Feloix Felaii rolled off her lips perfectly. I guess I wasn't surprised that it did; Myrnah was of magical origins, and Feloix Felaii was a magical place.

"It sounds amazing." I told Myrnah. "A hub where different magical parties can come and go? I'll be like a kid in a candy store."

I smiled reassuringly at her, but she still looked worried. She strode toward me and took my hands in hers, bras and everything. Her hands were strangely cool, and my hands felt almost as hot as Apollo's in hers.

"I have been there once before." Myrnah told me sombrely. "Jannosh wanted to go after Apollo told him of an elvish theatre that was visiting there. They only visit every a hundred years, so it was natural that they want to go. It was beautiful there, and there was no shortage of amazing and mystical creatures there."

"So what's the problem? If it's so nice - "

"It was nice to me because I belonged there." Myrnah cut me off firmly. "There is an abundance of shifters that live there, so no one looked at me twice. However, there was one thing that was extremely obvious."

"What was it?"

"There are no humans there." Myrnah said quietly. "None at all. Feloix Felaii is completely hidden from human eyes with a thousand different spells cast by witches to protect it. They want desperately to keep humans out; before I told you that humans are destructive - I'm not the only one who thinks that. The people there wouldn't think twice of killing humans who get in their way."

A chill ran down my spine, but I ignored it. "I'll be with Apollo though, and Ildor and Isidre."

Myrnah shook her head. "That may not matter. One can't predict how the population there will react to you, and I can't help but be afraid they will react violently."

"Oh Myrnah." I laughed lightly and kissed her cheek. "I'll be fine, I promise! I'll be back in no time, so have lots of food waiting for me when I get back."

I turned away and threw my bras into the duffel bag, ignoring how Myrnah didn't look comforted at all. She opened her mouth to say something else, but a knock on the door interrupted her.

"Are you almost ready, Lilah?" Jannosh was smiling, but his eyes were tight. For the first time, I realized that the two of them really were wound up about me going.

I smiled back at him cheerfully. "I sure am! I'm gonna have the adventure of a lifetime."

I zipped my bag up before walking over to take Jannosh's outstretched hand. Myrnah walked quietly behind us as we made our way down the stairs. I hoped this wouldn't worry her too much; Apollo had promised it would only take us a couple days at the most.