Castle in the Forest

Part 2 Chapter 14: Leave.

Deliah, purred Inigo in the darkness. Deliah's eyes briefly stirred. She felt as though she were being cradled by Inigo or maybe it was just the void. She wasn't too sure.

Yes? Deliah said groggily.

Are you tired?

I want to do nothing but sleep, Deliah confessed. She felt more than tired.

Why?

Because then I can be here and forget. she felt a gentle hand rest against her cheek and she leaned into it.

What happened?

I fought my brother. He hates me for what I am. She felt the space around her stiffen as did the gentle hand on her cheek.  Sometimes I think I should just leave.

No.

Either that or everyone dies, Deliah said with a heavy sigh.

Maybe everyone should die. Maybe it is time for this miserable forest to end.

Deliah broke away from the embrace and her blood ran cold. Whatever connection she had built with Inigo started to crack and splinter. She could feel it as her heart seemed to fracture with anger and hurt. 

No. I want to save them. All of them. Even...if it kills me. Deliah confessed.

You can't save something that refuses to be saved, chided Inigo and Deliah bristled with anger.

 I can't alone but, maybe it is time the Wolf god walks among us once again.

Aren't you scared of him? 

No, Deliah said and it was the truth. She had never been afraid of the Wolf god just afraid of what would happen if the story her mama told her was true. If the Second coming of the Saint of Wolves really did have something to do with the Wolf god. If She would...be something to him. Whenever she thought of that it made her feel like she was teetering on the edge of a great cliff. Not really sure if she would be safe or if doom would befall her.

I----

Whatever Inigo was going to say got lost in the swirling blackness of the void. Their connection was growing thinner and soon Deliah was left to face the void by herself.

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"Wake up. We have to go sweety," Granny said gently shaking Deliah. The girl grumbled from underneath her quilts and burrowed further into the warmth and far away from the old witch's voice. All Deliah wanted to do was sleep. Ever since the battle at the Fae colony and her enter with Colton a deep weighted tiredness had eaten at her bones. Granny had just barely managed to drag Deliah home because of this looming tiredness. It had only been a day but somehow it felt like eons. Ironic considering, she lived with an eons old being. The very one that was now striping her bedding and all but dragging her out of bed. Deliah rubbed a heavily sleep crusted eye and blinked a few times as the old woman bustled around her room. Her very few prized possessions were shoved into a cloth sack and tossed to the floor. Then her old quilt was expertly tied into a larger sack and her scant wardrobe and shoes were stuffed there. Deliah watched all of this in a sleepy haze. At one point shrugged and tried to crawl back into her bare bed. Granny's chilly needled claws yanked her back.

"Can't you clean my room another time?" Deliah whined.

"Deliah. We need to leave now. They're coming."

"Who?"

"The Fallen."

Those two words jolted Deliah awake. Her tired stupor was replaced with jittery fear, because now she could sense something terribly wrong. Despite all the noise Granny was making the whole forest was quiet. Quieter than it had been the morning after the battle at the fae colony and even after her parents' funeral. It felt as though something very, very, very terrible was coming. Not for Granny but...for her alone. Something filled and fueled with nothing but anger and burning hatred. It was quiet but intense. It had silenced the forest completely. This angered and terrified Deliah.