Vione’s emotions were in turmoil. The uncertainty made her restless. She was uncomfortable and many questions were running through her mind. If it wasn’t Garth, then who?
Vione closed her eyes and shook her head. A name came to mind, but she pushed it away as far as she could. Not Usher, it couldn’t be him.
Unfortunately, there was a part of Vione that insisted on convincing her that it was Usher. She said that it was Usher who had been secretly visiting her all along, and that he was the one who had often given her warm clothes, favorite foods, and special medicines.
Vione struggled with herself. Her wolf spirit clung to the belief, while she refused to sink into the illusion. She reminded herself that everything she was experiencing now was because of Usher. So, it was highly unlikely that Usher was secretly watching her like this.
Vione’s wolf spirit howled sadly. She cried, and so did Vione.
But Vione refused to concentrate on her grief. She reminded herself that there was something more important than crying, and that was finding out who the mysterious visitor was.
Vione devised a plan. Armed with the fact that the mysterious visitor always came at night, she decided not to sleep. Night after night, with her senses alert, she closed her eyes. She pretended to be asleep and hoped that the mysterious visitor would come.
Vione’s plan didn’t work out as expected. She stayed awake night after night, but the mysterious visitor didn’t appear. She was almost desperate until one very cold night.
Vione suspected that it was raining heavily that night. She didn’t feel the raindrops or hear the thunder, but the cold became more pronounced and made her shiver.
There were footsteps just as Vione was about to fall asleep. So she stayed awake, sharpening her senses. She waited, and then the footsteps stopped.
Vione acted so naturally. She looked like a sleeping princess. Her breathing was regular and her face looked peaceful. Then suddenly she rose like lightning.
A muffled gasp was heard as Vione successfully grabbed the mysterious visitor’s wrist. They tried to escape, but Vione cleverly used the iron bars to lock the mysterious visitor’s hand.
“Vione.”
Vione’s eyes narrowed in anger. It wasn’t the darkness that prevented her from seeing, but the mysterious visitor wore a mask and a hood, making it impossible to see his face. She also noticed that the mysterious visitor changed his voice. “Who are you?”
“Let me go, Vione.”
Instead, Vione tightened his grip on the mysterious visitor’s hand. “Answer my question. Who are you?”
They both insisted. Neither would give in.
“Don’t expect me to let you go,” Vione threatened with determination. She was not afraid. “I don’t mind keeping you locked up like this until the guards come and bring me food.”
The mysterious visitor gritted his teeth. “I’m sure you won’t do that, Vione.”
“You want to see proof? I have no problem with that.”
The mysterious visitor fell silent. So did Vione. They attacked each other, and their targets were their own determination.
Time passed. Vione could see the restlessness in the eyes of the mysterious visitor, and-wait!
The mysterious visitor quickly looked away. They avoided Vione’s gaze and said, “I’m sure we’ll both be in trouble if you don’t let me go.
Vione growled, “Why should I care? My life can’t get any worse than this.”
“Vione, you-”
“On the contrary, you don’t want to get caught, do you?”
The mysterious visitor’s body tensed. “Let me go.”
“I will let you go, but not now,” Vione said, trying to find an opening to look into the mysterious visitor’s eyes again. But the mysterious visitor continued to avoid her gaze. “Before that, tell me. Who are you?”
The mysterious visitor remained silent.
Vione did not give up. “Why have you been visiting me all this time? What is your real purpose?”
The mysterious visitor still did not answer.
Vione frowned and considered a possibility, which she finally voiced: “Do I know you?”
“No.”
This quick answer suggested the opposite to Vione. Coupled with the fact that the mysterious visitor had a familiar appearance. Her eyes widened and her body shivered. Her spontaneous reaction was clearly felt by the mysterious visitor, causing him to involuntarily turn away.
“It’s you.”
The mysterious visitor shook his head. “Vione.”
“It is you,” Vione repeated, her voice shaking. Her lips grew instantly pale and dry. “It is you. You who always visit me in The Palace.” She was shocked and deeply shaken. “Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?”
Vione wanted to remove the hoodie and take off the mask, but if she did, she would have to release the lock. She couldn’t take that risk. She didn’t want to lose the chance to catch the person responsible for all the disasters that had befallen her and her family.
So, Vione could only rage. She struck the mysterious visitor repeatedly. Her rage echoed, causing the mysterious visitor to panic.
“Vione.” The mysterious visitor didn’t want to take the risk. Vione’s rage might attract the attention of the guards. So, they abandoned the idea of freeing themselves from Vione’s grip. Instead, they tried to calm Vione down. “Vione, calm down. You can get the guards to come here.”
Vione continued to rage. “I don’t care.”
“You don’t care, but I do. I don’t want you to suffer any more because of me.”
Vione’s rage stopped. The mysterious visitor closed his eyes dramatically, seemingly regretting what he had said. A moment of silence. Vione and the mysterious visitor seemed to need time to calm down.
Vione took a deep breath. Then she smelled a familiar aroma that made her hold her breath. Her lungs roared. Her wolf spirit suddenly awoke. “Who are you really?”
“Forgive me, Vione,” the mysterious visitor replied weakly, as if completely powerless. “I can’t tell you.”
A sudden bitterness clogged Vione’s throat. Her wolf spirit howled. As much as she tried to bear it, she couldn’t. “Why are you doing this? Why did you come to me at The Palace? Why did you visit my parents?”
The mysterious visitor closed her eyes again, trying to hide the turmoil inside. But Vione could catch a glimpse, if only for a moment.
Confusion, anger, regret, and hope struggled within, leaving Vione stunned by a possibility she tried to reject. It could not be.
“I’m sorry, Vione. I wronged you, but I never meant to hurt you. I swear,” the mysterious visitor said, gasping for breath and trying to control the turmoil in her chest. “Forgive me.”
Vione shook her head. Unconsciously, tears streamed down her cheeks. “Do you realize what you’ve done to me all this time?”
Vione’s tears made the mysterious visitor jump. Instead of trying to free her hand from Vione’s grip, she touched it gently, caressing Vione’s hand with her thumb.
“Shh. Don’t cry, Vione. Please.”
Vione closed her mouth tightly. She tried to hold back the tears, but the sadness and anger shook her to the core. Her body trembled and she accused, “You have been cruel to me. What have I done to deserve this? Do you know? Because of your actions, I’ve been humiliated by everyone! People are accusing me of betrayal. I’m accused of betraying Usher.”
The comforting touch of the thumb stopped instantly. The mysterious visitor squeezed Vione’s fingers, then said, “You never betrayed me, Vione.”
Something felt strange. Vione and the mysterious visitor both recognized it.
“What did you say?”
The mysterious visitor shook his head. “No, Vione.”
“What?” Vione demanded as she pulled at the mysterious visitor’s hand. They remained close together, only the iron bars separating them. “What did you just say? You never betrayed me? What do you mean?”
Again, the mysterious visitor shook his head. Then they changed the subject. “Forgive me, Vione. It seems I must leave now.”
“No,” Vione tried to keep the mysterious visitor trapped. But the lock had been broken. “You can’t just leave without answering my questions. Why are you doing this to me? Why did you accuse me, but also watch over me? And who are you to say that I never betrayed you?”
The mysterious visitor clamped his mouth shut, trying not to say anything he shouldn’t. “Forgive me, Vione,” he pleaded in a hopeful tone. He withdrew his hand from Vione’s grasp and then cupped her cheeks. His thumb caressed her skin. “I promise, this will all end. Until then, I hope you take care of yourself.”
Vione froze. She no longer tried to hold on to the mysterious visitor. Instead, she stood motionless, her body completely stiff.
“I’m leaving.”
The mysterious visitor left. Vione was left alone.
The underground prison returned to its usual state. Silent and still. As if there was no life there.
Vione was still standing in front of the iron bars. She didn’t move at all until her body finally fell to the rocky ground.
Vione’s fingers squeezed the iron bars. She bit her lower lip and her wolf spirit howled inside. No. It couldn’t be.
Vione closed her eyes. She tried to push the possibility away, but this time her heart and her logic told her the same thing.
Only Usher. Only Usher strokes gently with his thumb. It is Usher’s habit.
*