CHAPTER 11
A GENTLE BEAM OF SUNLIGHT stirred Lenore awake. Her body shifted around slowly, groaning quietly as she wriggled around on a hard surface. Soreness burned through every muscle. Her eyes fluttered open.
The recollection of last night caused her to release a sad sigh.
She didn’t bother to move from where she lay, not caring that she was on a floor that was shared with dust. She was still dirtied with grime herself.
One hand touched her face, feeling the unpleasantness of an unwashed face, amplified from her dried tears and snot.
It still wasn’t enough for her to spring up onto her feet.
Five more minutes. Then I’ll get off the floor.
There was no clock to rely on to make this thought accurate.
Lenore simply continued to lie there as long as she wanted, only moving at times to shift into a more comfortable position.
Eventually her body complained against the hard flooring, no matter how many times she tried to will herself to ignore the growing discomfort that flared up in her.
Letting out another sigh, she pulled herself into a sitting position. Her unwashed hair hung limp.
It was then that she noticed a smell in the air that wasn’t there before. She stared blankly at the kitchen area, head frozen in place until she mentally shook herself out of her stupor. Hoisting herself up, she stood and walked toward the source of the smell.
A plate of untouched food eventually greeted her. A slab of seared meat along with small roasted birds, their skin perfectly browned and glossy. Next to the plate was a small note.
Lenore took the note into her hands, eyes skirting across each word.
Dear Lenore,
I didn’t want you to feel confused about food suddenly showing up so I decided to leave this note. I feel guilty to leave you on the floor, but I didn’t think it would be wise to wake you.
I don’t know if you’ll wake up at any time throughout the night, but if you do, I hope you eat.
Charie
Lenore’s heart warmed at the caring gestures Charie had done for her. A smile, albeit tired, appeared on her face. If there were any positives so far, it was the care Brynn and Charie had shown her. Gratitude lightened her features.
... And I suppose Edmund too. Sort of, Lenore thought.
An uncomfortable ache stirred within her, a soft pulse just beneath her ribs, that disappeared as soon as it came.
The paper creased slightly between her fingers.
But then he went and reinforced the idea that I need to be trained as soon as possible.
Lenore grimaced. She did agree to it. Only time would tell if she had chosen to dig her own grave. Her thoughts went back to Auden and Arisa, their grace sharply contrasting Edmund’s. Their kindness reassured her and gave a glimpse to a future that wasn’t so horrible.
But the memory of her body seizing in that icy grip, along with the thoughts from last night, resurfaced—unsettling her.
Lenore quickly pushed her worries aside. She laid the note down against the table, taking a moment to ground herself. Her eyes flitted down to the meal.
The food looked so appetizing, seeing as she had gone all night without a morsel.
But as guilty as she was for not eating what was provided, Lenore wasn’t sure if she wanted to add food poisoning to the list of negative things ailing her so far.
It had been hours, most likely, since the food had been left out.
“Ughhhh…” Lenore dropped her head against the table. Last night’s cry barely made her feel any better.
Her muffled voice mumbled to herself. “First, I’ll shower—”
A distant knock at the door startled her.
She didn’t move, staying as still as a mouse for a good second.
Another knock forced her to move forward, silently creeping through the house and to the small entryway until she reached the entrance door.
Another second passed before she peered into the eyehole.
Her lips tightened, and she took a quick breath before she opened the door.
Edmund’s aloof expression greeted her. His brows furrowed when he noticed the state of her outward appearance. “I thought you said you looked forward to actual rest once you got it. Not fester in rot through the night.”
Lenore’s eyes closed as she let out a defeated sigh. Why did Auden have to assign him to train her? “Good morning to you too,” she said. “Did you sleep well?”
Edmund paused, almost surprised by the question she asked. “... I slept fine,” he said. “It was a usual night for me.”
“And what about the Caernith?”
“After another dose of medicine, he was in better shape.” Edmund narrowed his eyes. “We all got ushered away by the doctor and Arisa before anything else happened.” He crossed his arms. “But never mind that, do you have any more questions, or are you still gonna guard the doorway?”
“Well, a guard makes sure to ask questions to see if the other person is alright or a threat,” Lenore joked. “So I might have another question or two.”
Edmund stared at her, an eyebrow subtly raised. But he remained silent, which Lenore took as allowance. She smiled.
“One more question then,” she said. “You’ll have mercy on me today, right?”
“I don’t have high expectations in the first place,” he said. “Satisfied?”
Lenore wasn’t sure if his low expectations had an ounce of mercy either, but she obliged, stepping aside to let him in. She didn’t expect to be reprimanded as soon as he walked into the cottage and looked around.
“On top of not cleaning yourself off, you didn’t eat?” He stopped in the kitchen, frowning immediately. “Are you trying to die of starvation? Or giving yourself new diseases?” Edmund’s voice burned with annoyance. There was a pause before he added, “You just slept on the floor?”
“Don’t read the note!” Lenore cried out. It was obviously too late, but she snatched the note away from the table anyway. “I was too tired to move by the time Charie and I got here, okay?” She tried to pout at him, but she looked more like a sad, beaten puppy.
“All that talk of wishing for a comfy bed and a hot shower,” Edmund said as he shook his head. “You really are helpless.”
“My body needed sleep over everything last night!” Lenore retorted. She turned away, overly aware of her appearance. “Everything just... caught up to me. It was hard to do anything after all that happened…” She dragged her fingers through her hair, trying to detangle it as best as she could.
Edmund’s eyes flitted away. His face fell. “... I just thought you’d at least get some proper recovery in. Why did I even suggest doing this?” He glanced down at the food. “You’ll fall over before you even catch a mouse.”
“I’m sure if we open a cupboard, we can catch one in the corner,” Lenore said. “That’ll fulfill my quota, right?” Her quip earned her an amused snort from Edmund.
“It would give you a quick breakfast snack, at most,” Edmund answered. He picked up the plate of food. “Get yourself cleaned up. I’ll come back with food you can eat.”
Lenore stared at him. Edmund frowned.
“What?” he asked.
“I just thought you’d make me go outside and chow down on random mushrooms.”
Edmund scoffed. “I’m not so cruel to have you forage for your own sustenance. I don’t think you can even do it.”
“Well, no.” Lenore was certain that if she had to forage for food, she would’ve inevitably met her doom.
“Exactly,” Edmund muttered. “Besides, nobody would be keen to instruct a barely alive, starving runt.” He headed toward the entrance. “You can consider this my mercy toward you before I turn you into a proper werewolf.”
Lenore wished that Brynn were her guide instead. A light huff escaped her. “By your own words, I’m a runt. A whelp, or whatever else you called me.”
Edmund paused at an open doorway. He nodded to himself. “All of that is true,” he agreed.
“Which means, I hope you go easy on me and don’t weigh me down with your Vesren expectations,” Lenore said. She clasped her hands tightly beneath her chin. “Go lower than whatever low you have in mind. Please go easy on me?”
“Hm.” Edmund hummed in thought, mulling over her words briefly. “Allow yourself some extra shower time.”
There was a lull in the air before Lenore burst into laughter at the terrible compromise, but she appreciated it nonetheless. “Pfft... Yay!” she cheered. Her complexion brightened as she beamed at him.
A loud thud resounded when Edmund accidentally slammed his hand hard against the frame, cutting the moment short.
“Edmund? Sorry—Vesren—” Lenore corrected herself as her face changed with concern. “Are you okay—”
“I’m fine.”
Not another word could be said when Edmund promptly left, shutting the door close behind him. Lenore blinked a few times, then lightly shook her head.
Well, if he says extra shower time, then I’ll take my time. Lenore headed toward her belongings, grabbing what she needed for what might be the longest shower of her life.
By the time Lenore had finished freshening up, she was certain that at least an entire hour had passed.
It was an hour well spent, with every minute used to vigorously scrub down the layers of grime stuck to her hair and skin.
She remembered the murky water running down the drain and the small clumps of dried algae that fell from their stubborn grip on her hair.
The dried bits of blood under her nails were finally cleaned out.
Best of all, the heat of the water soothed the aches in her body.
In some ways, it felt as if yesterday’s burden had been lifted—peeled away, layer by layer, from washing herself clean.
The weight of Lenore’s silver hair was far lighter, the natural loose waves now giving off a rejuvenated bounce with each step.
Her bangs regained their gentle curve, complementing the delicate frame of her face.
A bloom of color in her cheeks brightened her fair complexion.
She finally felt almost normal when she spared a glance at the washroom’s mirror.
Until she saw the uncovered scarring across her lower right arm.