Chapter 9: Freedom
940 Words
-Amber-
Fearing King Ronan wouldn’t keep his word, I used what little strength I had left and ran until I could barely breathe. Leaning forward, I slowed down before resting my hands on my knees, heaving. As I began calming down, I took in my surroundings, seeing I was stranded on a lonely little road, completely isolated from everyone and everything. What am I supposed to do now? All my belongings had been taken from me. I didn’t even have any money.
“We’re free,” I whispered and resumed walking.
Perhaps, but I don’t think we thought this through, my wolf admitted.
“Didn’t you hear me? We are free!” But the moment I said it, my stomach growled violently.
I told you, we should have eaten the food the king offered!
“No! We are not accepting anything from him. It’s false security!”
Even if it was, without food, we won’t get far!
“I will find us a place to sleep. Okay?” I inquired.
Where?
Stopping, I looked around, hoping to find an abandoned house or maybe even a cave to rest in.
Car! my wolf suddenly exclaimed.
I turned my head, seeing a car was coming our way. I smiled and placed myself in the middle of the road, hoping to stop the driver. The person luckily slowed down, and I walked over to the window, seeing it roll down. An old lady came into view.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Can you give me a lift to the nearest town?” I inquired.
“Sure, but what has happened to you, dear?”
I glanced down at myself, seeing how dirty I was, but I just shot her a smile, knowing a human wouldn’t understand.
“I was in an accident,” I said.
“Well, then we should get you to a hospital.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. Really. Just... I just need to get to the nearest town.”
The lady didn’t look reassured, but she told me to get in anyway. I climbed into the car and buckled my seatbelt before she pulled back onto the road. A gentle warmth filled the space, and nothing about her presence felt unsettling—my senses would’ve caught it if it were.
“I don’t like leaving a young woman alone in a dark town,” she said. “Why don’t you come home with me instead, at least until morning?”
I turned to her, surprised, catching the deep worry in her eyes, the kind of look you give someone you care about, someone you want to protect.
“I… don’t know,” I whispered.
“You have nothing to fear from me, dear. It is just me and my son who lives in that place, and he takes such good care of me.”
The woman looked to be in her late sixties, so she likely had an older son. But should I really accept what she was offering? Humans had never caused me any trouble before. Still, could I trust a stranger?
“I’ll get you some food and some nice new clothes,” she promised.
As she focused on the road, I studied her, searching for any sign that she might mean me harm. But nothing about her set off alarm bells. And honestly, food and fresh clothes sounded heavenly.
“Thank you,” I replied.
She waved her hand through the air, as if it were nothing. “Don’t thank me. You look like someone who has had a terrible night.”
“I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
She smiled, glancing at me with such sympathy. As she turned back to the road, I slumped lower in my seat with a deep sigh. It felt like I had barely closed my eyes before the car suddenly stopped. The jolt snapped me awake, and I turned to see the older woman getting out of her seat.
“I’m Ruth,” she said as we left the vehicle.
“Amber,” I informed her.
“Well, come inside, Amber.”
We stopped in front of her house, and she quickly unlocked the door before stepping inside first. She started chatting right away, as if we’d known each other forever, while I lingered outside, still a little uncertain. Glancing around, I saw that the house sat in a quiet little neighborhood. It looked like nothing bad ever happened here. A small cat suddenly came running toward us, rubbing against Ruth’s legs, but the moment it saw me, it hissed.
“So sorry! She usually doesn’t mind strangers,” Ruth apologized as the cat ran off.
Not wanting to make myself look suspicious, I hurried after her into the house. We went upstairs and entered a room filled with old boxes. Ruth began digging through them until she found some clean clothes for me.
“These were my daughter’s,” she informed me.
“Were?” I questioned.
“Sadly, she isn’t here anymore,” she whispered.
“Then I probably shouldn’t—”
“No, no, take them. They don’t get used otherwise. Now just go down the hallway. You will find the bathroom there.”
“Are you certain?” I inquired.
She nodded, looking almost longingly at the clothes, before shaking her head and walking toward the staircase.
“I will be in the kitchen!”
Strange lady, my wolf murmured.
“Or lonely,” I whispered before looking at the clothes, something clicking. Maybe there was a reason why Ruth insisted on not leaving me alone…
- Writer
