Keyra opened her eyes slowly. She held her aching head and slowly forced her body to sit up. Slowly she remembered everything. This was the house of someone Bella knew. Keyra stood up slowly and tried to balance herself. Keyra looked at the room. Sabrina was not there. Keyra walked towards the door.
Keyra heard a voice from the kitchen. She stepped into the kitchen. With heavy and staggering steps, her head still hurting, Keyra arrived at the kitchen. There was dim light in every corner of the room and there was also a fireplace that made the room warm. There was someone sitting in front of the fireplace in silence. There was a middle-aged man reading a book at the dining table.
"Honey, didn't we agree not to read books at the dinning table?" said a woman who was bringing food to be placed on the table.
The woman was wearing a long bright blue skirt and a long-sleeved blue and white checkered shirt. Her long blonde hair was tied back. The white apron she was wearing looked dull and dirty. The man smiled and put down his book. There was a ten-year-old girl helping to tidy up the dining table. Keyra wanted to go into the kitchen but she hesitated.
"Are you going to stay there or are you going to come in?"
A voice from behind her made Keyra surprised and turned her head. Behind her was a young man staring at her. The man then walked past her and into the kitchen. Keyra held her chest in shock then turned to the kitchen. In the kitchen people were already looking at her.
"What are you doing there? Come here and have dinner together." The woman replied kindly. Keyra stepped in and fell silent again when she reached the dining table.
"Come sit down." The woman replied again.
Keyra sat on one of the chairs, right in front of the old woman who was staring at the fireplace. Keyra looked to her right. There was already a man who had been reading a book. The man smiled kindly at Keyra. Keyra returned the smile thinly. Keyra looked at the food on the table. Everything seemed strange to her. She didn't know what the food was and where it came from. The woman put the plate on Keyra's plate and sat beside Keyra. The young man sat beside the old woman who had not turned her body to the dining table and the girl who had helped her mother sat beside Keyra. The girl smiled thinly at Keyra, barely a smile but a little sneer. But Keyra didn't mind it. She was awkward enough being in the middle of a family she didn't know.
"Would you like some soup?" the woman offered. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Audrey Farrer. That's my husband, Daylon Farrer. (pointed to the man beside her. Daylon smiled) That's my second son, Ben Farrer, and my only daughter, Amelia Ferrer."
Keyra smiled at everyone Audrey pointed to. Amelia only smiled faintly and Ben glanced at her then continued to take the bread in front of him.
"And your name is..."
"Aaahhh, my name is Keyra, Keyra Callania. Just call me Keyra." Keyra replied awkwardly. Audrey nodded.
"Okay, Keyra. Let's eat." Audrey took some soup for Keyra. Keyra thanked her and tried the soup. It tasted quite delicious.
"I don't know if you've eaten this before or not. But try it. The name of this soup is Cock-a-leekie. It's just a mixture of chicken and some vegetables. It's not fancy, but eat a lot."
Keyra nodded slowly and thanked her again.
"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" Daylon asked.
Keyra shook her head. "Nothing, I'm fine. Thank you." Keyra answered, lying a little. Her head still hurt a little but she didn't want to tell them. Keyra just didn't want them to worry.
"Adda, why are you still staring at the fireplace? Let's eat." Audrey offered.
But the old woman still didn't turn around. She just stayed where she was. Audrey stood up and went to the old woman who was called Adda and turned her wheelchair to face the dining table. Now Keyra could see what Adda looked like. Her face was wrinkled and looked very old, full of wrinkles everywhere. Her thin white hair was neatly tied up. She was wearing a long blue dress and had a blanket on her lap. Audrey put a spoon in her hand. Adda scooped up little by little the soup in front of her. Her movements were so slow. Keyra wanted to help but felt bad because the other family didn't help her. Audrey returned to her seat.
"She's Adda, my great-grandmother. She is hundreds of years old, but actually no one knows how old she really is, just very old. She doesn't want me to feed her. She will be very angry. She doesn't like it if anyone touches her food." Audrey explained. Keyra nodded in understanding. She was still watching Abba who was eating very slowly.
"How is my friend? Has she recovered?" Kerya asked about Sabrina.
"Your friend is still in one of the rooms in this house. She has gotten better, but is not yet conscious. Still in the healing period."
"My wife is very skilled in magical healing so don't worry. Your friend will recover." Daylon added then put food into his mouth. Keyra nodded.
"How long have I been here?"
"About two days." Audrey answered.
"How many days are you planning to stay here?" asked Amelia, Audrey's daughter.
"Amelia." Audrey scolded.
"Mom, she used my room. I want my room back." Amelia whined.
"Ame..!!" Audrey scolded again. This time a little harsher. Amelia pouted.
"It's okay." Keyra calmed Audrey down. "I will leave as soon as my friend recovers and is strong enough to walk."
"No, you can stay here as long as you want. Don't be shy." Daylon offered.
"Dad!!" Amelia protested loudly.
Daylon smiled. "Okay, okay. Stop talking and continue eating."
Dinner was over, Keyra wanted to help wash the dishes but Audrey forbade her and instead told Amelia to do it. Amelia whined again but finally did it with a sullen face, more sullen than before.
"Come on, I'll take you to your friend's room. Wash it clean, honey." She ordered Amelia.
Amelia snorted in annoyance at her mother. They arrived at the door of the room they were headed for. A small room on the second floor. Audrey opened the door and invited Keyra in. Keyra entered the room and found Sabrina lying on the bed.
"I'll leave you guys. Don't force her to wake up. Just let her be. Later when it's time to wake up, she'll wake up on her own." Audrey left Sabrina's room.
Keyra came to Sabrina and sat on the edge of the bed. She stroked Sabrina's hair. Sabrina's face was not as pale as when they arrived and she looked like she was sleeping soundly. She wanted her friend to wake up soon. Keyra looked at the clothes she was wearing. She just realized that she was not wearing the clothes she had worn when she left the city of Disprea.
Keyra wondered what was happening in the city now. And Darius, how is he? Is he alive or dead? How is Sabrina's family? Keyra's mind was full of questions that were difficult for her to answer. Keyra stroked Sabrina's hair once again and got out of the room.
Keyra headed to the room she had used before, Amelia's room. Keyra opened Amelia's room door and sat on the bed. Keyra was silent for a long time looking at the whole room. Full of dolls and story books. It was clear that this was a little girl's room. Keyra looked at her backpack in the corner of the room. Keyra took the backpack and unpacked it. She remembered what Jim had given her before they left. Keyra checked the small pocket next to the backpack. She found Darius's letter that Jim had given her.
"Dear Keyra...
If you read this letter it means you have left Disprea and it means you are safe. I will be very relieved and it also means that we got an unexpected attack and of course it was all my fault. I'm sorry if I couldn't protect you well. And I hope you'll forgive me.
There are a few things you should know. The necklace I gave you through Jim Nicolau is a necklace to keep you free from Vampire and Werewolf bites. The poison they inject through the Werewolf's fangs will not affect you if you wear the necklace. So do vampires. Vampires will not drink your blood because your blood will become poison. Both vampires and werewolves will die after being exposed to your blood. So, whatever happens, don't take it off. It is a legacy from Bella, your ancestor.
About your family and friends. You should go to them as soon as possible. Meet them and say goodbye. After you meet, you must cast a spell so that they forget and never remember you. So that they feel like you never existed in this world. I know this is a very cruel request and I apologize. But this is the only way for your family and friends to be safe from the Darken. Because the Darken will look for your family and use them as bait to get you. Only in that way can you protect your family. It is hard, I know. But I hope you are willing to do it, to protect your family because I know you love them.
There's one more thing. Find where Bella's spell book is. In that spell book there are not only great spells but also release spells, I think. Destroy the spell. The Darken are looking for that spell too. So you have to be faster than them. And find one more book. That book is also kept by Bella. That book is Bella's research book on how to kill Darkness. And of course, the Darken are looking for it too.
Be careful. Be careful of the decisions you make and be careful of the people you meet. If time is on our side, we will meet again. I hope you forgive my mistakes and selfishness.
Best regards,
Darius
Keyra closed the letter. She sighed and started to cry. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore. Everything that happened made it hard for her to breathe. Magic, vampires, spells, Darken and Aeshu, the curse. She couldn't handle it anymore. She wanted to leave, wanted to run. Keyra lay down and cried even deeper.
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