The Luna Gypsy

Chapter 5

Amelia POV

This time, the pit seems colder than before; the nights seem darker and the days dull. A strange smell keeps drifting past, filling me with dread. It’s the smell from the forest. It makes my stomach twist and every fiber of my being screams at me to not be seen. I shrink back against the cold dirt wall so I’m out of sight, praying it passes quickly. Then there’s the noise that comes with the smell. It's like a strange whistle but it’s high-pitched and hurts my ears. Sometimes I swear it sounds like the green-eyed man calling me, luring me out of the pit. I’m thankful that I couldn’t get out even if I wanted to because I would easily allow myself to be manipulated if it concerned him.

When I was finally pulled out, my body felt weak. My legs shook and everything seemed fuzzy and my mouth was dry, but mother decided I had to do extra chores to make up for scaring everyone, but I didn’t mind. She’s not mentioned me marrying someone since.

She allows me a small glass of the elixir, which makes me wish I hadn’t asked for a drink before making me clean the whole village clearing. I have to sweep all the dirt away which is useless because the clearing is just dirt, it’s the earth open to the elements, when it rains it becomes a mud pit and when it’s hot, it becomes harder than rock, today it’s in between so every time I sweep some of the dirt away, it just creates more.

Once she’s satisfied I’ve moved the dirt from one end of the clearing to the other, I have to collect firewood. That I don’t mind, at least I can be alone in the forest whilst I collect it.

“Amelia, Luca will be going with you.” Mother sneers at me.

I’ve not spoken since I’ve been pulled out because I don't want to give her an excuse to throw me back in. I nod my head, but my skin crawls. Luca is mother's main guard. He’s like her eyes and ears and he gives me the creeps. He smells strange and looks at me like I’m his next meal.

I grab the basket and head off into the woods, making sure to keep my ears open. I don’t trust Luca as far as I could throw him. Something is telling me he is not what he seems.

After the firewood is collected mother allows me to eat a small meal but I can’t eat with everyone else, she makes me sit alone on the floor watching everyone else talking and laughing, what mother doesn’t know is I’m happy to be away from everyone else my throat is sore and I don’t have the energy to talk to anyone.

Once I’ve finished, she makes me clean out the main hut. It’s humiliating. Mother is giving a lesson inside and everyone is watching me. To be honest, I think I’m the lesson. I can see Kezia looking over at me, sorrow filling her big brown eyes. I give her a small smile to reassure her that everything is fine and put my head down so mother doesn’t notice me.

Once I’m done, I’m finally allowed to finish for the day, mother has a wicked grin on her face as she dismisses me but I ignore it, she wants a rise out of me, she wants me to fight back so she can throw me in the pit again. I look down at my dress and see it’s black with the dirt from today's chores, and my hands and legs are just as filthy. I drag my feet back to my hut, admiring the great job I did on the clearing and getting a clean dress, then make my way toward the waterfall. Not many people bathe under the waterfall because the water is ice cold, but I find it pleasing and refreshing. The water gushes down over the blue staggered rocks. Beautiful purple flowers frame the falls from above and climb down the rocks on either side. The water below is white and frothy from the water tumbling in and small fish swim around in the cold blue water around. I slip my clothes off and wade into the water. I can feel it replenishing my body as I get closer to the water cascading down. I scrub away all the dirt and clean my hair, feeling the water re-energizing me. It’s like it seeps into my body and gives my cells a boost.

I bounce back home, throwing my filthy clothes into a small basket for cleaning tomorrow, and drop down onto my bed. I fluff my pillow as I close my eyes and go to the one place I feel content and safe.

•••

“You look happy with yourself,” Kezia says as I sit up, brushing my fingers across my lips.

I don’t know what came over me, but I knew I couldn’t keep away from him anymore. As soon as my lips touched his, my world melted. All I could see was him. All I could smell was him and all I could taste was him. He had consumed me completely, and I was willing to give him everything.

“Kez, I think I’m in trouble.”

She holds her fingers to her lips and I stop. She points to her ears, meaning someone is listening to us.

“I broke one of the belts for my dresses,” I say loudly, almost shouting.

Kezia winks at me.

“Don’t worry Amelia. You can borrow mine.”

I stand up and follow her to our small draw set. She opens it up and rummages through it.

“Meet me later by the river and tell me. Mother is listening to us.” She whispers, passing me the belt.

“Here you go.” She adds louder so whoever is listening can hear.

I put the belt around my waist and smiled at her.

“Thank you, sister.”

The bell rings outside, letting us know it’s time for food. We walk out and find our places. Mother must have forgiven me because I’m sitting beside Kezia again. Mother stands on the platform and clears her throat, getting everyone’s attention.

“Tomorrow will be a special day. It’s the day Amelia will pick her husband.”

My eyes go wide and I turn to look at mother. She has a smug smile on her face. I know not to say anything, so I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I can feel Kezia squeezing my hand under the table and I squeeze back, grateful for the comfort that small gesture gives me.

“Now drink up, everyone. Amelia, I have your drink here.”

Mother points to the table in front of her and I walk closer. I don’t know why she keeps giving me this stupid concoction. My memories are still gone, so it clearly isn’t working. I squeeze my eyes together before drinking the vile drink and make my way back to the table. I can feel mother's eyes boring into the back of my head. I lift my hand up and rub as if I can rub away her glare. When I sat back down, she turned away to talk to her lapdog, Luca, but his eyes bore into mine, making that sick feeling return.

•••

“What am I going to do?” I cry.

Kezia is rubbing my arm in soft smooth motions, but it’s not helping. I’m finding it hard to breathe.

“Amelia, relax. We can deal with this. We just need to think.”

I look up at her, waiting to hear her plan, but she doesn’t say anything else.

“I think I’m in love with him,” I whisper.

I hear Kezia sigh at my words.

“Amelia, maybe we can ask someone to help us?”

I look at Kezia again, waiting for her to tell me the plan, but she doesn’t say anything else. What is up with her tonight?

“Who Kez?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I’m thinking.” She says, scrunching her brows together.

I roll my eyes and throw myself back onto the soft grass and look up at the stars. Me and Kez have been sneaking out at night for as long as I can remember, which isn’t long. My mind drifts to the handsome man I can’t stop thinking about. I wonder if he does this. If he looks up at the stars and thinks of me.

“We can ask one of the guys to go along with it but ask him to delay it as much as possible,” Kezia exclaims excitedly, looking down at me.

“No, I don’t want to do that. The thought of even pretending to marry someone is making my skin crawl… Let’s run away!”

I sit up now and grab Kezia so she’s facing me.

“We can do it Kez. Me and you. We will plan it out properly. I will ask Nineve to help us. All the others tried to leave through the cave. What if we left through the water?”

Kezia’s eyes went big, but then a smile spread across her face.

“Do you think we can do it?”

For the first time since I can remember, Kezia looked happy. She looked hopeful.

“Yes. We will do it Kez, we will make it away from here and go and live somewhere where we can be free. No more punishments and no more mother.”

“When can you talk to Nineve?”

That would be trickier. She came by every now and then, but she never had any set dates.

“I don’t know,” I answered.

“Amelia, go to her. You could do it tonight. No one would know that way. I’m sure the fairies tell mother things.”

I quickly look around to make sure none of the small Fae are around.

“Kez, that’s a great idea,” I whisper.

We both lay back down, looking up at the stars. This time, the stars held a different meaning to me. Usually, when I look up at the stars, it’s in wonder. Now I was looking up at them with hope and determination.

“What was that?” I asked Kezia, sitting up and looking out into the forest.

It was the strange whistling sound I heard when I was in the pit. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and I know we need to get home now. I pull Kezia up and start our walk home. I keep looking back to make sure we’re not being followed and I’m sure I see something standing in the tree line watching us. I can see a pair of yellow glowing eyes on a tall and skinny figure. The body looks unnatural though, like it’s too long and it bends in an odd way, and the stench of death flows from it.

“Come on Kez. Faster.” I say, practically pushing her home.

•••

I closed my eyes and pictured Nineve in my head. When I opened them, I was standing on a sandy riverbank surrounded by large trees, the stars hidden by the canopy of leaves above. I turned around to see her sitting on a large rock, her back was to me and her arms were supporting her as she leaned back, her head was back as if she was looking up at the stars, her long hair brushing against the rock she was sitting on.

“Nineve, I need your help.”

I walked over to her but stopped when I noticed a young man who was sitting on the floor naked. His head was between Nineve’s legs. Her dress was scrunched up around her waist. Nineve smiled at me and shrugged.

“He wandered into my territory, and this was his payment.”

Nineve was a water iele and very territorial. She looked beautiful and sweet, but she was fierce and took no prisoners. I’m glad she was my friend and not my enemy. I often wondered what went on with her and mother for them to hate each other so much, but Nineve wouldn’t tell me and I couldn’t ask mother.

She pushed the young man away and pulled her dress down so she was covered up now. I avoided looking at the young man, who looked up at me with a large grin on his face.

Nineve swung her leg around so she was now sitting facing me.

“What do you need me to help you with?” She asked.

The man reached his hand up to her and started to stroke her inner thigh. I quickly turned away from the intimate gesture.

“Why don’t you join us, Amelia?” Nineve asked, her voice seductive.

I could feel myself being swayed by her and shook my head.

“No. And please don’t try that on me again.”

“What?” she asked innocently.

“Your siren call. I know what you're doing.”

“Fine. Go and wait for me over there.”

She turned to the man and pointed to the river over her shoulder. The man stood up and walked over, walking into the river and washing himself.

“Sorry. It was worth a shot.”

I sat beside her, taking a deep breath before I asked.

“I want you to help me and Kezia escape. We can’t leave through the cave, but maybe you can help us escape through the water?” Her eyes sparkled at my request.

“I would love to help you and Kezia. I will need to get some things ready, but on the next full moon, I will be waiting at our normal spot. That’s less than two weeks' time.”

“Really?” I asked in disbelief.

I couldn’t believe it was that easy. In less than two weeks me and Kezia will be free from Mother and her iron fist and I will be free to do whatever I want with whomever I choose.

“Yes. I’ve got to go. You need to remove your bells. You can’t leave with them on. 11 days, remember.”

Nineve jumped from the rock and sauntered towards the water. She took the man’s hand and led him away with her. I sat there a moment longer, admiring the view. It was beautiful. The sound of the river and the insects made it relaxing. It felt familiar here, but I had never been outside of Sohesis. I closed my eyes again, but this time I went to see the handsome man.

•••

I walk into the main hut and see mother watching me. I hold my head high and stride toward her.

“Mother, I have made a decision. I will marry, but I want the best husband, so I propose we have a tournament. We will have tasks and quests that will take place over the next two weeks, and I will marry the winner.”

She ćocks her eyebrow up and stares at me for a moment. It feels intense, and I can’t help but fidget on the spot under her gaze. Her mouth twitched before she threw her head back and laughed at me. The sound ricocheted off the walls.

“I don’t think so, Amelia. You will do what I say.”

She rubs the amulet on her necklace, making me stop what I was about to say.

“Mother, we're under attack!” Lash sćrėams as he runs inside the hut.

Mother stops looking at him, waiting for an explanation, when the whistling sound echoes around the village. I can see the fear in mother's eyes. Seeing this evil woman terrified sends a chill up my spine. If she’s scared, it must be bad. She stands up and runs out, stopping in the doorway of the hut. I almost crashed into her back. Thank Devla, I have fast reflexes and I’m able to stop myself before I do.

The first thing that hits me is the smell. It smells like an animal's rotten corpse. A gaunt creature that looks like it’s not had a meal in years stands looking at us. Its skin looks dried out like it’s been removed from its body and left laying out in the sun for the last 10 years making it dry up and shrink from the heat then stretched to fit over a body that is larger than the skin suit it’s trying to squeeze into. I can see bones pushing through the skin. Its hip bone juts out and I can see every single rib bone running down its scrawny chest. Its skin is an ash-grey color with eyes that look like they have been pushed back inside of its skull, but they glow yellow. Two large antlers reach up into the sky, looking like they belong to a mighty stag.

Men from the clan are all running toward it. One tries to jab at it with a spear, but it flicks the man like he weighed nothing across the clearing. Another one runs toward him, but he lifts him up, biting his face. I can see and smell the blood. It spurts out, covering the creature's dead-looking skin. The sound of the man’s muffled scream is just audible. His legs are frantically kicking around. The creature drops him and I have to hold back the vomit. His face is completely gone. It’s like the creature bit into the man’s face like an apple. I have to turn away. I can’t look at the large bloody hole.

A woman runs over, her scream filled with agony brings tears to my eyes.

It’s Lennor.

She has just had a child only last month, and now that poor baby will grow up without a father.

The ground vibrates as Mother starts to chant in a strange language. She grips onto her amulet as the roots from the trees burst through the ground and wrap around the creature's legs. It stumbles and crashes to the floor. More roots and vines come from beneath and wrap around the creature, cocooning it and trapping it inside. The vine cocoon shakes and the whistling sound gets louder, but mother snaps her fingers, making it vanish.

“What..how did you do that?” I ask her.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What was that?” Lash asks now.

“A shapeshifter!” She quietly says.

I look over at Lash and he looks back at me. I can see he has no idea either.

“See! This is why we must stay inside. Someone left without my consent. Who was it?”

Mother glares at me. I step back, trying to get away from her gaze, but I bump into someone standing behind me. I turn and see it’s Luca. My skin prickles, and my stomach drops. He grabs me and throws me to the floor. I land in front of mother's feet.

“Amelia, why do you always fight me on everything? Have I not treated you well? Do I not give you all you need?”

I stood up and looked mother right in the eyes.

“I’m sorry, mother. I didn’t leave, I promise.”

It’s true, technically, I didn’t physically leave.

“It’s true, mother. I have been with Amelia and Kezia all evening.”

Lash defiantly said, stepping forward. I released the breath I was holding and felt my body relax.

“Very well then. Everyone back to their own huts. Except for you, Amelia.” Mother shouted, stopping me in my tracks.

The hairs on my neck bristle with fear. Mother walks around me slowly, making the nerves in my stomach squeeze tighter together.

“Since you choose to defy me, you leave me no choice. You will marry Luca when the moon is new.”

The blood drains from my body. My knees feel like my body is too heavy to support now.

“That’s in less than a month.” I whimper, trying to hold the tears in.

I know I shouldn’t be worried because I will be out of here in 10 days now, but deep down in my stomach, something is telling me I will never leave here with Nineve and Kezia in 10 days' time. Luca steps toward me, his arm winding around my body, pulling me toward him. I feel sick from his touch. My stomach twists into a giant knot at his proximity.

“I can’t wait.” He whispers and I feel him pressing against my body, something poking me from below his waist.

“Mother please.”

WHACK!