Islinda finally got out of her bed and the inn. No one told her heartbreak hurt like hell. She had loved too much and fallen too hard. And while Valerie promised to co back for her, he didn’t explicitly detail "when".
Islinda was not a fool and though her love for Valerie was not weak, anything could happen within days or weeks, depending on how long it took him to return for her. Her stepmother failed to marry her off to Ryder and he was dead, but Islinda had a feeling Madam Alice wouldn’t fail the second ti.
And that is why she was leaving this ti around. Islinda had her savings with her and while it was still not enough to rent a cottage and stay all by herself, she would move to the next village first and think of a solution. That is why she has to get Eli, she was not leaving without him.
Fulfilling her promise to Eli had given her the strength to stop wallowing in solitude. So Islinda dressed up and took everything she had knowing she was not returning. She would have to break into her ho and steal Eli from them - hopefully, it goes well.
However, she had to et Belinda first. If there was soone that could find her a good place to stay in the next village, it had to be her. The woman had all the information that one could need. Not to ntion, there was a second reason she had to see her.
"Are you leaving?" The innkeeper asked when Islinda returned her keys to her.
Out of the magnitude of their heart - more like guilt - the villagers had paid for her lodging and told her she could stay as long as she could stay and kept her away from her stepmother and daughters. But it was not a permanent solution and Islinda knew that deep down.
"Of course not! I have been cooped up in my room for days and need to have a bit of fresh air." Islinda lied.
The thing about a small village was that everyone was nosy and right now they probably thought she was still heartbroken over her family abandoning her. If only they know.
"You know you are welco here at any ti, Islinda?"
"I know." Islinda smiled at the woman, hoping that would ease her suspicion, "Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon." She hoped not.
With that being said, Islinda left for the marketplace. The place was bustling with activities as usual since outsiders ca in to trade and no one paid her much attention as she followed the trail to the at market.
"Belinda...." Islinda made her arrival known.
Belinda was as usual bargaining with a patron when she called her na and the woman looked up, her eyes widening a little.
"Islinda...." She acknowledged her presence.
However, Belinda first finished her sale before giving her the attention she needed.
"You’re finally here. You should co in -" She gestured to the inside of her store but Islinda shook her head and lifted her hand in a polite turndown.
She said, "I don’t have much ti left."
"Very well, then. How may I help you?"
Looking around, Islinda checked to see if anyone was eavesdropping on their conversation before walking to her and said, "I need to leave the village today with Eli..."
"What?" Belinda glanced up at her upon hearing her statent.
She elaborated, "I need to get away from my family for real and settle down sowhere else. Then, I would find Eli’s parents and he would be united with his family while I carry on with my life. You’re the only person that I can trust with this and surely, you can find a cottage I could share with a neighbor, I can pay rent."
Belinda was from a neighboring village yet traded here and that gave her the advantage Islinda needed.
"This.... " Belinda breathed, "Is sudden."
"I know, but I can’t stay here any longer. It’s suffocating..." Islinda did not tell her the mories with Valerie haunted her the most than her family’s maltreatnt.
He was everywhere.
It was too much.
She needed to breathe.
Last night, Islinda could have sworn Valerie ca to her room but when she woke, it was a dream. Perhaps, she was thinking too much and that is why she had to leave before she lost her mind.
Moreover, staying here was too risky. Bernard has still not given up on finding the Fae and Islinda was getting scared he might find incriminating evidence - that shouldn’t exist - that would link her to Valerie.
It was better to leave all of this behind and start a new life sowhere without all of the problems. If Valerie cos back for her, he would find her wherever she went. He said it himself. So she had nothing to worry about, everything would work out just fine. She hoped.
"Fine, I would help you," Belinda said and Islinda released the breath that she had been holding in. Everything was going well.
"Thank you," Islinda was still saying when Belinda asked her,
"What about Eli? I don’t see him anywhere."
"He should be with Remy. Madam Alice is supposed to be out by now. Lillian too, probably to learn a skill she would never use in real life. Remy is the only one I cannot account for her schedule, but rest assured that I’ll bring Eli here and we can plan our way out of here. "
"Fine, hurry up then. I would need to get in touch with my contacts and get you out of here before any of the villagers notices."
"Good." Islinda nodded her head in agreent. The least she wanted was for a nosy villager to pay her a visit to her new place. She needed to leave everyone and everything behind.
"Now go. Get Eli." Belinda urged her to leave and Islinda had taken the first step when it hit her.
"The Fae..." She turned to her, "How did the rumor about the Fae co about?"
"Huh?"
"Co on, you must know sothing, Belinda?"
But the woman gave her a blank look, "What are you talking about? Shouldn’t you know that more?"
"What do you an by that?" Islinda was confused, "I don’t understand."
Belinda told her, "Eli was the one who told about the Fae."
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