Children of Night and Snow

13. When Summer Turns Into Fall

"Here," Lucia stood above me handing me a bowl with what seemed to be a soup and a piece of bread. "It's not much, but it should make you feel better," she added leaving the food in my hands. She walked over to Demi and sat down on the floor next to her. With the men sitting together in the opposite corner. Only then I realized they were giving me my distance. They could have all sat on this couch, which was big enough to seat good 6 people, but they didn't. I felt guilty for taking over pretty much the only piece of furniture they seemed to have here and so I tried to shift to the side, when a searing pain in my thigh reminded me exactly how I got here and why I ended up unconscious for an unknown amount of time.

"Oh no, you shouldn't move too much! Luc and I cleaned the wound and stitched it, but it was still badly infected and caused by silver. It will take a few days before you'll recover," Demi said as she watched me with what seemed like a concern on her face.

"How did I... shift back?" I asked, still confused and trying not to think too much about how these people saw me disgustingly dirty and naked.

"We induced it with Wolfsbane. We needed you in human form in order to properly treat your leg," Nolan explained to me. I nodded. I had no idea Wolfsbane could be used for anything other than mixed with liquid silver into the lethal injection that was used for execution back in the Summerlands. Injection which I barely escaped.

Seeing them all eat their food, I dug into mine. Lucia may have said it wasn't much, but to me, this was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten as the first spoonful hit my stomach and reminded me just how hungry I was after three days of starvation and near death experience. It was hard to process how I was still alive. That of all people under all the different circumstances there happened to be a group of them who seemed to think I was somehow useful as a thief enough to let me live a little longer. It seemed far too good to be true. There was a catch there. I was no longer the naive girl who thought she could make a life for herself here. No, I knew by now, I was on borrowed time. The moment they realized I wasn't a good enough thief or I filled my purpose in stealing whatever they needed me to steal, I was as good as dead.

"Would you like some more?" Demi asked when she saw me finish my food significantly faster than anyone else. I looked around, trying to decipher the five people in front of me as if looking for permission. "Here, let me take this," Demi crossed the distance between us and took my bowl. As she left, everyone else returned to their food wordlessly. She came back faster than I expected, handing me another portion.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice so foreign to me now, with how little I spoke in weeks. How long have I been here? Down under, in those tunnels, time didn't matter. It was always dark, even darker than up here. There were no calendars, no clock, no way to count the days that went by. People spent their lives there never knowing. There were no celebrations, no holidays, no birthdays. Nothing. Demi gave me a small smile, an acknowledgment that she heard me, despite how silently I spoke.

"What day is it?" It took every ounce of courage I had to ask that question. I didn't want to upset them. Maybe if I could heal here, I'd have a running chance when they inevitably decide to get rid of me. But I needed to know. I had to regain at least some footing in this cruel and dark World.

"Last day of August," Connor was the first to reply. "Well, for another three hours or so. There is a clock behind you," he added pointing behind me. I turned around to look at the said clock. It was 8:58pm. August 31st. I went quiet as I stared at the clock, watching it tick away towards 8:59. There was a strange feeling of relief. In this World so very different from everything I ever knew, at least something was the same. And then there was the realization that it's been two months since I came here. Two longest months of my life. And in another less than two, I'll be eighteen.

Turning eighteen was a big thing back at home. We were considered adults on that day. Usually that would mean a massive pool party that would last the whole weekend at least. I had big plans for mine. I planned for it for years. It was going to be the best birthday party of my generation. And before Lilian happened, it was also going to be a big celebration of Colin and I. In my head anyway. To Noyla Brook, that party was the most important thing in the World. To the person I was now, to this... Freya, it seems so utterly insignificant. Stupid even.

...

"Look at her, she may be a wolf, but her senses are worse than a human. How is she going to be in any way helpful?" I heard a voice from the kitchen. I was still lying on the couch where I fell asleep shortly after we all finished eating. I didn't know how long I was out of it, but I did know that someone threw a bunch of blankets over me while I slept. Now they were clearly talking about me, which meant maybe I would have a chance to learn what they planned to do with me, so I kept my eyes closed, waiting for the conversation to develop.

"She's also really tiny. How old is she even? She is smaller than an average pup," another voice added, this one sounded less annoyed and more fascinated. It was also a female, Lucia I assumed.

"Just trust me, she has potential. We just have to teach her some tricks," Demi replied. It was her and her brother, Devan, whom I had the easiest time remembering and recognizing.

"Some tricks? You'll have to teach her more than just some tricks if we ever want her to be helpful. Her abilities aren't developed, she has the skill of a rogue raised by rabbits," another voice spoke,I guessed Nolan. His words for some reason stung. Was I really that useless.

"Besides, what about Az and Aaron? What do you think they'll have to say when they find out we brought someone in without their input?" the same voice added and I wondered who Az and Aaron were.

"Leave the twins to me," Devan's deep voice stepped in. "And her training too," he added in a way that left no room for discussion. That was even more enforced by the fact that shortly after I could hear his footsteps pass by me and disappear into the distance somewhere behind me.