Awakening in the Cottage
The air was damp and heavy, the faint smell of mold pressing against her senses as she stirred. Pain throbbed at the back of her head, a sharp, relentless pulse that made her vision swim. She blinked, the dim light of the room cutting through the haze as she took in her surroundings. The walls were wooden and weathered, patched haphazardly with planks of varying sizes. A single lantern flickered on a rickety table, casting shadows that danced like specters across the walls.Her wrists were bound, the coarse rope biting into her skin as she struggled against the restraints. A chair. She was tied to a chair. Panic began to rise, her heart racing as she tugged harder. The movement sent a jolt of pain through her ribs, and she stifled a groan, biting down on her lip to keep quiet.
Voices murmured nearby, muffled but growing louder. She froze, forcing herself to focus and listen.
"She's more trouble than she's worth," a gruff voice said. It belonged to a man pacing near the door, his silhouette tall and broad. "The boss should've just left her in the forest."
"And risk her bringing reinforcements?" Another voice, lighter and sharper, retorted. "You saw what she did to Fenn. We're lucky she's even breathing."
She tried to remember—anything that might explain how she had ended up here. Flashes of memory broke through the fog: the cold sting of rain as she crept through the shadows, the creak of a warehouse door, and Riven. Always Riven. His eyes, a strange mix of silver and green with a faint edge of violet, always unsettled her—she had seen them countless times before, but they stirred something deep within her, a feeling she couldn't quite place, though it never failed to make her uneasy, scanned her, eyes meeting hers with a look she couldn't decipher. Betrayal, desperation… fear?
Her breath caught as the door creaked open. Another figure stepped inside, and her stomach twisted.
Riven.
Her chest tightened, a bitter taste flooding her mouth. Of all the people—
"Let me handle her," Riven said, his tone calm but carrying an edge of authority. He stepped closer, his face illuminated by the lantern's glow. His eyes met hers, unreadable.
"You sure?" the gruff man asked.
"She's not going anywhere," Riven replied. "And if she does, it'll be on my watch."
The others exchanged looks before filing out of the room, leaving Riven alone with her. The door clicked shut, the sound echoing ominously in the quiet.
She stared at him, her lips curling into a snarl. "Traitor," she spat, her voice low but venomous.
Riven sighed, crouching in front of her. "You don't understand—"
"I understand plenty," she hissed. "You lied. You fed me false leads. And now you're working with them. Where is he, Riven? What did you do to my brother?"
His jaw tightened. "Keep your voice down," he warned. "Do you want them to come back?"
"Why should I care?" she shot back, struggling against her bonds again. "Let them come. I'll kill them all. Including you."
He leaned closer, his voice low and urgent. "Your brother is alive."
She froze, the words hanging in the air like a slap. "What?"
"He's alive," Riven repeated, his tone steady but insistent. "And he's in the jungle. I can take you to him, but you have to trust me."
Her eyes narrowed. "Trust you? After everything you've done?"
"You don't have a choice," he said, pulling a knife from his belt. Her heart skipped a beat as he cut through the ropes binding her wrists. "The others will be back soon. If you want answers, we need to move. Now."
She hesitated, her instincts screaming to attack, to flee. But the mention of her brother—the faint glimmer of hope—stayed her hand. Before she could decide, the sound of voices grew louder outside the door.
"Go," Riven urged, shoving her toward the window while handing her the knife he used to cut the ropes.
She glanced at him one last time before slipping through the opening and into the cool night air.