Chapter 3
Three
Kalyndi
The rays of early morning sunlight slipped through the canopy of trees as I tested the strength of the fence. My fingers wrapped around the metal, cold and unyielding. Like my new reality.
"Third perimeter check this morning," I muttered to myself, wiping sweat from my brow.
I'd been circling the property for hours, looking for weaknesses in the boundaries. The fence seemed to stretch endlessly into the forest, disappearing among the dense foliage. Ten feet high with smooth walls that offered no footholds. Whoever designed this place knew what they were doing.
My prison was beautiful, I'll give them that. A sprawling woodland cottage nestled in a clearing, surrounded by ancient trees that whispered secrets I couldn't understand. But a prison is still a prison, even if the bars are invisible.
I moved along the eastern boundary, my thin cotton dress catching on brambles. A small tear formed at the hem. I didn't care. This wasn't my home. This wouldn't be my life. I just needed to find the weak spot.
That's when I saw a small gap where the fence met a massive boulder. Heart racing, I squeezed my body against the rock, testing whether I could slip through.
"Not wide enough," I sighed, slumping against the stone. My fingertips were raw from testing every inch of the perimeter. I'd have to find another way.
As the sun climbed higher, I reluctantly returned to the cottage, resigned to exploring the interior more thoroughly. Maybe there were resources I could use.
I pushed open the heavy oak door and stopped dead in my tracks. How had I missed this yesterday in my panic?
A massive greenhouse extended from the back of the cottage, glass walls gleaming in the sunlight. Inside, rows of plants stretched in neat lines. Herbs, vegetables, flowers, a veritable paradise for someone with my skills.
I approached cautiously, afraid it might be some kind of trick. The door opened with a soft creak, and warm, moist air enveloped me. The smell of soil and green things filled my lungs, and for a moment, I forgot my circumstances.
My fingers reached out, touching the delicate leaves of a chamomile plant.
Next to it grew valerian, lavender, and a dozen other medicinal herbs I used daily in my work.
Against the far wall, vegetables grew in tidy rows with tomatoes turning red, cucumbers climbing trellises, and peppers in various stages of ripeness.
"They know," I whispered, my throat tight. "They know exactly what I am."
The realization sent a chill through me despite the greenhouse warmth. This wasn't random. They had prepared this space specifically for me, which meant they had planned my matching with Redmon well in advance.
A sound behind me made me whirl around. Redmon filled the doorway, his massive frame blocking the light. His red-brown fur caught the sunlight, almost glowing. His face, a strange mixture of human and beast, was unreadable.
"You've found it," he said, his voice a low rumble that I felt more than heard.
I crossed my arms. "Did you think I wouldn't?"
"I hoped you would." He stepped into the greenhouse, and I took an instinctive step back. "Breakfast is ready."
Without waiting for my response, he turned and walked back toward the main house. His casual confidence irritated me. As if we were just any couple starting our day together.
I followed him after a moment, hunger overriding my desire to spite him. The smell of eggs and fresh bread filled the kitchen. Two plates sat on a wooden table by a window overlooking the forest.
Redmon pulled out a chair for me. I ignored the gesture and sat in the other chair. A small victory, perhaps, but I needed whatever wins I could get.
We ate in silence. The food was good, eggs with herbs, crusty bread, and fresh berries. I refused to acknowledge this, keeping my eyes on my plate. When Redmon spoke, I didn't respond. When he asked if I wanted more bread, I simply reached for it myself.
His giant hands, more paw than human, gripped his mug with surprising delicacy. The claws that could tear through flesh carefully handled the ceramic without leaving a scratch. I hated I noticed these details.
"The greenhouse is yours," he said, breaking the silence. "I thought you would want to continue your work."
I viewed him coldly, then returned to my food.
"Kalyndi." My name in his mouth sounded strange. Almost tender. "I know this isn't what you wanted."
I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. Without a word, I took my plate to the sink and walked out.
I spent the next hours in the greenhouse, familiarizing myself with what was available. Despite my resentment, I found comfort among the plants. They didn't care that I was now property of a monster. They just needed water, light, and care.
A knock at the cottage door pulled me from my work. I froze, listening as Redmon's heavy footsteps crossed to answer it. Then I heard her voice.
"Naya?" I gasped, rushing through the greenhouse door.
My sister stood in the entryway, her eyes wide and uncertain as she looked between me and Redmon. A simple bun held back her dark braids, and her face appeared thinner than when I last saw her a few days prior.
"Kaly!" She pushed past Redmon without a second glance and threw her arms around me.
I held her tight, breathing in her familiar scent of lemongrass and mint. Tears stung my eyes as I pulled back to look at her.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" She inspected me, turning my face from side to side.
"I'm fine," I whispered, suddenly aware of Redmon watching us.
He cleared his throat. "I'll give you privacy." He stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
The moment he was gone, I collapsed into Naya's arms.
"How did you find me?" I asked, wiping tears from my cheeks.
"They told us where." Naya looked around the cottage, her eyes wide. "This is not what I expected."
She set down the large basket she'd been carrying. "I brought your supplies. Your mortar and pestle, dried herbs, tincture bottles. I couldn't bear the thought of you without your tools."
Fresh tears spilled as I opened the basket, running my fingers over the familiar implements of my trade.
"The community is in shock, Kaly," she said, sitting beside me on the sofa. "Everyone's talking about it."
"About my being matched with a monster?" I spat the word.
Naya bit her lip. "About your match percentage."
My blood ran cold. "What about it?"
"The officials let it slip. Ninety-eight percent, Kaly. Nobody in the records has ever matched that high with a non-human. Most human-monster matches barely hit sixty percent."
I shook my head. "That's impossible. There must be some mistake."
"That's what I thought too." Naya leaned closer. "But then I heard the elders talking. Remember those old stories about special bloodlines? People who could bridge the gap between humans and monsters?"
"Children's tales," I scoffed.
"Maybe not." Naya squeezed my hand. "Your match is unprecedented. The Magnus Terra officials are watching closely. You're some kind of experiment now."
As if summoned by her words, a sharp knock echoed through the cottage. Redmon reappeared, opening the door to reveal a tall, thin man in a crisp blue uniform. The symbol of Magnus Terra, a globe with a handprint, gleamed on his breast pocket.
"Routine inspection," the man announced, stepping inside without invitation. His cold eyes swept over me, then Naya. "Ah, the sister. Your visitation period ends in ten minutes."
Redmon's fur bristled. "We weren't informed of any inspection today."
The official smirked. "Surprise inspections are standard for high-profile matches." He pulled out a tablet. "I need to interview the human female. Alone."
Redmon growled, a sound that vibrated through the floorboards. "You can speak to her here. With me present."
"That won't be necessary, mapinguari." The man's tone dripped with disdain. "Standard protocol… "
"Your protocol means nothing to me." Redmon stepped closer to the man, towering over him. "This is my home. My mate. You will respect our boundaries."
My heart skipped at the possessive words. My mate. As if I had any choice in the matter.
The official's face paled slightly, but he held his ground. "Ms. Kalyndi, has he harmed you in any way? Has he forced any intimacies?"
Heat rushed to my face. "No."
"Has he prevented you from accessing food, water, or necessary facilities?"
"No."
"Are you being coerced to provide these answers?"
I almost laughed. "No, I'm not being coerced. But I'm also not here willingly. I was taken from my community and delivered here like a package."
The official made notes on his tablet. "Adjustment period is expected. The matching system has proven to be highly accurate. Your compatibility score suggests… "
"I don't care what it suggests," I snapped. "I want to go home."
"This is your home now." He said it so matter-of-factly, as if my feelings were irrelevant. "I'll need to see the living quarters."
The inspection continued for another thirty minutes. The official took notes on everything, the food supplies, the bedroom (which I hadn't used, choosing instead to sleep on the sofa), the greenhouse. Naya had to leave before it was over, our goodbye cut short by his impatient clearing of throat.
"Satisfactory conditions," he finally announced. "We'll be monitoring your integration closely. Your case is of particular interest to the higher levels of Magnus Terra."
After he left, the cottage felt both emptier and somehow less safe. Redmon stood by the window, watching the official's vehicle disappear down the forest road.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"For what? Claiming me as your mate? Keeping me prisoner?"
"For all of it." His shoulders slumped, making him seem smaller. "I didn't ask for this either."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I said nothing.
Three days later, my opportunity came. A delivery truck arrived with supplies – food, some clothing, books. The driver, a young human man, left his truck unattended for just a moment while bringing boxes to the door.
I slipped out the back door and made a dash for the vehicle. My heart pounded as I reached for the passenger door.
"Going somewhere?" Redmon's voice froze me in place.
I turned slowly, expecting anger. Instead, his expression seemed almost sad.
"I can't stay here," I said, my voice shaking. "You must understand that."
He looked at the truck, then back at me. "The northern boundary is less patrolled."
I blinked, certain I'd misheard. "What?"
"If you're determined to leave, the northern fence line has fewer sensors. Between midnight and two in the morning, the guard changes shifts."
He turned and walked back toward the cottage, leaving me standing there in shock.
I didn't take the truck. I couldn't process what had just happened. Why would he tell me how to escape? Was it a trick? A test?
That night, I watched him from across the living room as he read by the fireplace. The flames cast shadows across his strange face. Not fully human, not fully beast. His deep amber eyes with vertical eyes moved across the page of his book.
Why would a captor help his captive escape?
"Why did you tell me about the northern boundary?" I finally asked.
His eyes lifted to mine. "Because you're not a prisoner, Kalyndi. No matter what Magnus Terra says."
"Then what am I?"
"Someone I'm supposed to protect. Someone I'm meant to..." He paused. "Someone I wish had come here willingly."
Something shifted in my heart. Something uncomfortable and confusing.
An urgent knock came at the door. Redmon opened it to find a breathless messenger as a young monster from one of the nearby settlements.
"Emergency message from the North Terramares," he panted, handing Redmon a sealed note.
My heart dropped as I read over Redmon's shoulder. A strange illness was spreading through my former community. Children were the most affected. High fevers, rashes, respiratory distress. The illness overwhelmed the community healer.
My people needed me.
I rushed to the greenhouse, then to my room, gathering supplies. Herbs, tinctures, my diagnostic tools. I threw everything into a large bag.
When I returned to the living room, Redmon stood watching me.
"I have to go," I said, my voice steady. "Those are my people. Children are sick. No matter about the rules or boundaries or whatever punishment they'll give me."
I waited for his resistance, ready to fight my way past him if necessary.
Instead, he nodded once. "I know."
He walked to a cabinet and pulled out a backpack, then began filling it with supplies. Water bottles, food, a first aid kit.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. "Getting ready. The northern trails can be dangerous at night. We should leave within the hour if we want to reach your community by morning."
"We?"
"Yes, Kalyndi." He slung the pack over his shoulder. "We. You're going to help your people, and I'm going with you."