Chapter 6

“Fine, we can go together.” Cordelia announced with a sigh and a roll of eyes as soon as Zeak had returned from the town with a bag full of food. She wasn’t too happy about it as she preferred to work on her own and didn’t trust this Zeak person. There was something strange about him. She wasn’t sure just what it was.

The meal they ate comprised meat and bread, with fruits for dessert. Nothing fancy, but it did the job of filling their stomachs. Zeak didn’t forget about Kropka either, he got her some tasty apples and carrots.

They sat by the fire, full and preparing for the journey. “So, should we move out tomorrow morning?” He asked as he was chewing through one of the blue apples he bought.

“There are some things I still need to handle. Give me one more day.” He looked at her with a question in his face for a while until Cordelia grew tired of his expression and exclaimed. “What! Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked in a raised voice.

“Nothing. Never mind. I will ask more questions once we are on the road.” He smiled widely at her and they continued to talk about their plans.

After another hour, Zeak has fallen asleep by the fire. He was pushy about staying here with her. Cordelia, physically and mentally exhausted, ended up here with him. He claimed Fernicus’ captor might return. So she gave in and allowed him to sleep on one of the half burned blankets.

She waited in her bedroll for what felt like an eternity, but finally she stood up from her seat on a spare bedroll, ensuring his slumber with a wave of her hand. With no sign of movement from him, she stood and proceeded to the nearby lake.

Her shoes came off one by one, then she let her hair down. Her faded blue hair. Cordelia usually had it up in a high ponytail as she hated looking at the color. The mere fraction of the vibrant color she used to have.

Step after step she made her way into the lake, then she swam deep into the belly of the lake. She reached the bottom of the lake and sat down on a flat stone and relaxed. The small scars that are covering both sides of her neck opened up, revealing gills. The gills allowed her to take a deep breath, a much deeper breath than when she was on dry land.

Calm took over her instantly, and she felt at peace. Every emotion that was running wild in her head became muffled under the sound of the water moving around her. A small tunnel ran to the sea, providing salt water.

Cordelia closed her eyes and allowed her mind to be taken away. The small gills enabled her to breathe, and her blue faded hair became slightly more vibrant. However, it wasn’t the same deep dark blue she had before. Now it was ashy and dull.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

But there was never a tail where it used to be when she was in the water. The legs were now constantly there, with no sign of the magnificent tail she once owned.

She sat there thinking and contemplating for what felt like an eternity. When she finally emerged from the water, the sun was peeking over the trees. The new sunrise brings hope for a better day.

The birds were chirping happily, a small gust of wind brought with it the scent of the ancient forest. With her mind free from demons, Cordelia felt the magic in the air and was ready.

Emerging from the lake, she lost her hair’s color and her gills disappeared, leaving only small scars on her neck. Fear no longer consumed her thoughts about what might happen. She knew now that Fernicus was alive, what her next step will be. Everything was going to be alright. She repeated that sentence in her mind a few more times to ensure she believed it before she went to find Zeak.

“Where have you been? If it wasn’t because your horse was still here, I would have thought that you have left me.” Cordelia walked closer to the remnants of the fire and grabbed some dry clothes from her bag. “I went for a swim, if you must know.”

She turned around and walked to the small shed that housed feed and tack. Once she changed, she fed Kropka and groomed her. “Why must you roll in the greenest grass?” Cordelia asked the horse, who nickered with food in its mouth.

“I think what she is saying is that she enjoyed the groom afterwards.” Zeak was standing near, resting on a tree. “I wouldn't lean on that tree if I were you,” she advised him.

“And why would that be? Is something big and scary gonna jump at me from the top of the tree?”

“Not exactly.” The answer came just a second before an angry bermonky jumped from the black branch on top of Zeak’s head, causing him to scream.

Bermonkeys were small animals with long bushy tails, sharp teeth and even sharper claws. Their black, which allowed them to camouflage on the black tree’s trunk. Eyes big and round and they were the most territorial in the blue fairy forest.

Cordelia laughed so hard that she bends over at the sight of Zeak running around with the small bermonkey pulling on his hair.

“Take it off! GET IT OFF!” He screamed and ran in circles, trying to catch the little thing that kept on biting and scratching at the sigh of his hand getting near him.

“Please stop laughing and take this off me!” He was getting furious and irritated now, so Cordelia picked up an apple from the basket and threw it at the small animal. It caught the apple and jumped off his head and up the black tree trunk to its safe place in its nest.

Cordelia laughed again at the hairstyle that the bermonkey gave him, which only created an unimpressed face expression on Zeak. “Are you finished laughing now?” She laughed for a few more seconds before she calmed down.

“What was that thing?” He asked as he was brushing his hair down with a comb. “It was a bermonkey. Have you never seen one?” And that was when it hit her. The reason for her uncertainty about him became clear. How could she not see it earlier?

“You are a human.” She blamed her not seeing it in her emotional state. The pain of losing Fernicus was overwhelming. Yet she should have been more observant. She was a hunter! Yet she missed the fact that the stranger promising to help her was human. The worst breed of the creatures, the most destructive and selfish. Humans, the purest of filth, Cordelia thought to herself as she was looking him up and down. Certain of her identification of him.

In a flash, Cordelia brandished a small dagger, ready to defend herself. “Took you a while to realize that” He smiled wickedly and raised his sword up.