"Will you remember what this is?" Her mother's sweet voice drifted towards her in a familiarly excited tone.
Eve scrunched her brows, making little folds appear on her tiny forehead as she concentrated on the form of the plant. The stalk in her mother's hand was green and slender. It had toothed leaves and a few leafless spikes on which were delicately small, pale, lilac-colored flowers stood.
It was much lighter in color than its darker variety that her mother had shown her the other day. The lighter ones were harder to find But her mother had once again managed to find some at the edge of the jungle. And just like the other five herbs that Meredith had put into the white pouch in her hand, Eve knew that she'd have to guess this one's name as well.
After all, this was one of her mother's ways to keep her well educated, at least according to her.
"Is it Vervain?" Eve asked, taking a wild guess.
"Good girl!" Meredith exclaimed, flashing a wide grin at her.
Eve laughed, waiting for her mother to seal the pouch with wax before rushing in for a hug. Meredith was warm, she thought, smiling to herself. The smell of herbs that hung on her mother's clothes made her giddy with a strange sense of happiness.
"Come," Meredith said, gently patting the top of her head, motioning towards the small window to her right, "let's hang them by your window."
"But why are we hanging them?" Eve asked, stepping aside as her mother made her way towards her small bed. "Will it repel the creatures from your stories, mother?"
Her innocent eyes became wide as she remembered the strange creatures from her mother's stories, waiting for her in the dark, haunting her nightmares every now and then- creatures with blood-red eyes and a never-ending thirst for blood, creatures who could transform into wolves at will, creatures who could make thunder and storm out of thin air.
Meredith smiled, shaking her head. "Don't be afraid. One day you will remember it all, Eve." She said, stepping away from the window to admire her work. A lone tear slipped down her cheek as she said, "Until then, know that they're not your enemies."
She could feel the wetness of the tear on her own skin. Eve sighed, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand as her eyelids fluttered open. The bright green of her eyes looked almost black in the cold dark room that she shared with several other slaves.
She didn't think much as she slipped off the hard plank of wood that served as a bed for the night. But her eyes darted to the neatly folded blankets on the one next to hers, suddenly remembering that she hadn't seen Litty after last night's events.
There was hardly anyone left in the room. Most of the girls had already left for the kitchen like they were instructed by the matron before the feast the night before. Eve sighed, tying back her hair in a high bun before following the others out the long winding corridors that led towards the bathhouse.
Her gaze kept searching for the tailor's daughter among the busy palace slaves and servants that rushed in and out of the large hall, their murmurs sounding like the buzz of bees in a beehive as it echoed the hexagonal curve of the high ceiling. But the girl was nowhere to be found.
Eve licked her lips nervously. She could hear hushed murmurs about drained bodies thrown casually over the wall. Apparently, someone had seen the matron and her servants carry out the work early in the morning, followed by strange guttural sounds and from the other side of the structure.
With every passing moment, she was worried for her newly found friend. Surely, Ivan wouldn't kill her now, would he? She wondered, uttering a silent prayer as she quickly washed her hands and face.
As soon as she had left the crowded bathhouse, Eve saw the matron, waiting at the end of the corridor with the young servant called Asya. They were talking in hushed tones, watching the workers bow and pass them by as they headed for their daily chores.
"Matron." Eve said, bowing at the older woman quickly eager to get slip away from her presence.
"Eve." The witch's voice was devoid of any emotion as she addressed her. "I was waiting for you."
Eve looked up at the older woman, surprised at the comment. "Me?" She asked, pointing her finger towards her chest in confusion.
What was it about? Was she now going to get singled out and thrown down from the wall as well? She wondered, nervously licking her lips as she stared at the woman, unblinking. The matron ignored her, turning towards her little pet with a slightly softer expression.
"Asya, hand out the instructions to the newcomers." She said, nodding in the direction of the kitchen. "I trust you can handle this much?"
"Yes, matron." The servant replied, bowing deeply as she tried hard to hide her shy smile.
The witch nodded, looking at the servant turn and walk away with her shoulders held high. Eve watched the two with raised brows. There was something about these two that seemed to be quite far from what they appeared. The thought crept into her mind even, mixing with the thoughts of being thrown off of the palace wall.
"Come with me." The matron called, glancing at her impatiently from the edge of the corridor where it snaked out into two directions.
Eve blinked twice, then rubbed her eyes as she stared at the woman. She had clearly been standing right next to her only a second ago. How did she magically...Eve rolled her eyes, shaking her head before walking towards the woman. Of course, the woman was a witch. How could she forget that?
She slowed down as she approached the matron, another question pushing into her mind.
"But the kitchen is that way." She said, pointing towards the adjoining path.
"And?" The matron asked, her purple eyes flickering bright for a second.