Chapter 117

'Saru mo ki kara ochiru'

Even monkeys fall from trees

Japanese saying

Green eyes glow from behind a bookshelf. She’s the same girl from the cafeteria. Her nails dig into the hardwood and coarse hairs threaten to pierce through her skin, but she holds them back, pushing down the innate animalistic urge inside of her.

“Soon, we’ll get back what was ours.” She says.

“Are you okay? Yoru can you hear me?” A guy with orange hair pats her on the shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit overwhelmed with all this work you know. It’s making me hungry.”

“I know the feeling.” He replies, then returns his attention to scoping for books.

“You have no idea….” She mutters under her breath.

I knock on Ora’s door. Her voice sounds a little stronger today, “Come in!” She shouts.

Black candles are lit in her room, which is strange. I never knew she was into candles. It smells like the herb warthog’s foot. It’s a grass that grows near yellow ranked warthogs, these plants are oddly avoided by warthogs when they’re stampeding through the forest and it’s the shape of a pig’s foot. This herb is used to increase strength. You consume it in tea form. You shouldn’t drink too much as there are side effects to overuse.

“How are you today?” I question.

“Good, I’m getting better. I’m sure I’ll be able to make the scheduled date.” Her eyes are much brighter today. She looks happier.

“Oh? How so?” intrigued I try to see if there’s anything out of the ordinary in her room. However, I come up empty handed.

She snaps at me, “Nothing you need to worry about.”

I’m taken aback at the underlying tone of impatient in her voice. Ora’s eyes widen when she realizes what she’d done. “I-I’m sorry, I feel cramped from being stuck in this room all day, and it’s making me irritated. I didn’t want to snap at you, it was a-a reflex.”

I squint my eyes at her, my spiritual energy circulating in my eyes to see if there’s anything off about her aura, but I still come up empty handed. I guess being in this cramped room is enough to bore you to death.

“Huh?” Ora makes a sound.

I respond. “I didn’t say anything.”

Ora, pushes herself up in her bed, the movement rolls up one of her sleeves, there I see multiple small cuts that trail up, disappearing eventually.

“Is everything okay, Ora?” I ask concerned. I don’t want to think negatively, but my mind drifts to a dark place.

“Just peachy.” She notices my eyes on her arm. Uncomfortably she shifts away from my gaze and pulls down her sleeve.

“Those are because of the medicine I’m taking. It’s the only way it can enter my body.” A bright smile makes its way onto her face, but in my eyes, it looks a bit forced.

“Hun, if you want to talk about anything, you know I’m here for you right?”

“I know, don’t worry. I really am doing fine! I’ll see you on the scheduled day.” I give her one last concerned look before walking away. Deep down inside, I can not help but feel as if something might go wrong.

“You will be mine.”

Ora’s POV

Thank goodness she’s gone. I pull out the book I had been reading earlier from under my covers.

The pendant on my neck starts to glow dark violet. It needs more blood again. Elongating my nails, I make a small incision on my left arm. Melia’s already starting to notice so it’s time to switch bases. The blood slowly oozes out and I rub it on the charm. It absorbs the blood, and the light eventually stops.

This is the only way I can stop them from knowing my true feelings. It’s like a protective shield, however it is undetectable.

The pendant lifts off my neck and levitates in the air. The black candles in my room start to burn furiously. A woman starts to speak.

“Does the girl still trust you?”

“Yes”

“Good. Remember we’ve been planning this since before you were born. Do not mess this up for me Ora. Keep her wrapped around your thumb. I need you to always know her whereabouts.”

“I will. She’s beginning to get suspicious of the cuts on my arm…”

“Are you serious! How could you let her notice them! Figure it out yourself! All I know is, if anything goes off track, I will not hesitate to disregard our blood bond. Do you understand?”

“Yes Mother.”