Who is Shilhi?
CALLA’S POV
I wandered through the bushes, unable to find my path. Where am I? I thought fearfully.
The sky was getting dark. I needed to go before it got too dark. I needed to go back to my pack. But how?
“There you are!” A voice said from behind, and I was startled to a stop. Slowly, I turned around, looking for the owner of the voice. “You thought you won didn’t you?” She smirked, hands akimbo.
“Did you think I would not find you?” My body jittered with fear. “Did you think I would not find you in this forest?”
“Leave me alone,” I said, stepping back. “I don’t know who you are.”
“Of course you don’t!” The woman roared, and the grounds beneath us shook. “You destroyed my face! This is a glamour to cover the wickedness you have done!”
I felt like I needed clarification. I didn’t remember doing anything of the kind. She must be mistaken.
“You’ve got the wrong person!” I said, stepping backwards. “I did not do anything so please let me go!”
The woman laughed, so hard I wondered if I said something funny. “You didn’t do anything bad?” She said, stepping forward. “Did you just say you didn’t do anything bad?” She scoffed, “Your existence is an offence!” She roared. “You shouldn’t be alive. You should have died in the dark forest!”
“What? W-what dark forest?” I stuttered, and my body shivered at the sound of that place.
Goosebumps covered my skin and I wondered why. What and where was that place? What did it have to do with me?
“This dark forest!” She roared, and I was horrified.
“T-this is the d-dark forest?”
“What did you think?” She said, gesturing to the environment around us. “This is your destiny. You were supposed to die here, Ithra. But no, you had to alter destiny and put me in this hell!”
The woman advanced towards me and I stepped back, full of fright. Unknown to me, there was a tree root, which I tipped over and fell on my butt.
“You’ve got the wrong person!” I said, “My name is Calla! Not Ithra!” I defended myself but it was useless.
“You think you can fool me? You think a switch of name will save you?” She said in a threatening manner.
I shook my head. “No! Please! No!”
My eyes enlarged when I saw her bring out a butcher knife. “Look at this, who do you think this belongs to?”
I stared at the blade, fear-stricken. For some reason, it seemed familiar. I just couldn’t place my fingers on where I’d seen it before.
“I-I D-don’t know,” I stated after much trial.
“You don’t know anything, do you?” The woman asked, with her head corked to the side. “I will come back for you Ithra.” She suddenly said and a large scar appeared on her face, shocking me further.
What was going on with her? I thought as she suddenly lost her strong body, appearing old and worn like a glitching toy.
“I will find you and come back for you.” She vowed, “Even if I have to come out of the depths of hell to do it! For now, this will do.”
The woman touched me and I suddenly saw flashes of a woman exploding before my eyes. I woke up with one word in my mouth.
Shilhi!
I jumped on my feet, filled with fear, and breathing heavily.
“Shilhi.” I muttered with wide eyes, “Shilhi.”
I must have screamed because immediately, Scar rushed into the room, with searching eyes.
“Luna!” She said with a worried look etched on her face. “Are you alright? Sit down.” She held my hand, directing me to sit but I couldn’t.
My entire body shook and I couldn’t shake off the feeling of fear and anxiety that rocked through me. Shilhi. She was coming for me. Her words repeated in my head.
I needed to hide, run, anything! I couldn’t sit still. My body shivered and all I could think about was how to run.
“Calm down, Luna! We’re here. Nothing would happen to you.” Scarlett said into my ears, resisting me from moving. “The Alpha will be here any moment from now.”
I remained restless, struggling to go, and almost having my way until Cole stepped into the room with a serious expression.
His countenance broke when he saw me and hurried to my side – stopping me from leaving.
“Let me go! She’s going to kill me!” I cried, “Please! Let me go! She knows I am here! I have to leave now!” At this point, I was hysterical.
“Scar! The potion! Now!” Cole said but I was too occupied with my horror to wonder what he was talking about.
Scarlett left me and searched the drawers beside my bed with a speed I couldn’t describe. She brought out a little black bottle, took a syringe and withdrew its contents.
Before I could say a word, she injected me and I felt its effects immediately. My eyes felt droopy and my strength failed.
“What is going on?” I asked, breathing heavily. “What have you done to me?!”
“Sleep, my Calla.” That was the last thing I heard before I succumbed to the darkness around me.
******
I sat on my bed, surrounded by concerned gazes. I didn’t blame them, I hadn’t uttered a word since I woke up.
A vast difference from the last time I got up.
“How do you feel?” Scar was the first to speak, while Cole watched me in silence.
I made to speak but there was a bile in my throat. “Fine.” My voice came croaky and I cleared my throat and tried again. “I am fine.” This time, it came out better.
Scar wasn’t convinced. She followed up with check-ups, checking my pulse and overall well-being.
“Is she alright?” Cole finally asked after Scarlett finished her round on me.
“Everything seems alright.” She said and turned to me. “Do you feel pains anywhere?”
I shook my head, negative. “I’m fine,” I said for the nth time.
“What happened?” Cole asked immediately. “Why were you so afraid.”
My body shook, as I relived the dream I had. The first one was terrifying, but the second one I just woke up from took the cup. I couldn’t even put the horror I saw into words.
“Who is Shilhi?” I asked for lack of an answer.
Cole and Scar shared a knowing look.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
“What happened?” That was Cole, his tone was fierce and left no room for refusal.
If I wanted to find out what these dreams that felt so real were about, I couldn’t sit on them. There goes nothing. I thought, took a deep breath and told them my dreams.
When I finished, their eyes were wide and shell-shocked.
“So please, tell me, who is Shilhi and what is the dark forest?”