264
~Lisa’s POV
When I opened my eyes, everything felt blurry. My head hurt, and my body felt heavy, like I had been asleep for a hundred years. The air around slled strange, like smoke and old wood. I blinked a few tis and sat up slowly, groaning.
"Where... where am I?" I whispered, rubbing my head.
The place was small, just one room, with a roof that looked like it would fall apart if the wind blew too hard. The walls were made of mud and sticks, and there was a mat under , rough against my skin. My heart started to pound. The last thing I rembered was darkness.
"Hello?" I called softly, looking around.
No answer. The hut was empty.
I pushed myself up, my knees weak, and that was when I slled it, smoke. It was faint at first, then stronger. I coughed, waving my hand in front of my face. It was coming from sowhere behind the hut. My throat burned, and my stomach made a small growl. I hadn’t eaten in, how long? I didn’t even know.
I stepped out slowly, the ground cold under my bare feet. I followed the trail of smoke and stopped when I saw her.
An old woman sat near a fire, stirring sothing inside a black pot. Her back was bent, her grey hair tied into a ssy bun. The sa woman I saw the previous night. She wore a long, faded gown that brushed the ground. The sll of the food was strange but not unpleasant. Sothing like herbs and grains mixed with smoke.
Before I could say anything, she turned her head slightly and smiled at . Her eyes were sharp, bright, and full of sothing I couldn’t explain, wisdom, maybe... or danger.
"Ah," she said, her voice rough but warm. "You’re awake."
I froze, taking a step back. "Where did you bring ? Where am I?"
She chuckled softly, as if my questions were silly. "You are safe, child. Go back inside. Breakfast will be ready soon."
"Safe?" I repeated, my voice trembling. "How did I get here?"
She didn’t answer that. She only waved her hand, her bony fingers glinting with strange rings. "Go back in, little one. You look frightened. I won’t hurt you."
Her tone was kind, but sothing about her made my skin crawl. I had heard stories about old won like her, those who lived deep in the forest, mixing potions, talking to spirits. So said they could see the past and future. So said they could steal your voice.
I didn’t want to test which kind she was.
So I did as she said. I turned and went back inside, my heart racing.
The hut looked even smaller now that I was standing. I started walking around, touching things carefully. There were odd objects everywhere, dried herbs hanging from the ceiling, small wooden bowls filled with colored powders, and strange carved stones that glowed faintly.
I picked one up, and it humd in my hand, making my fingers tingle. I dropped it imdiately.
"What is this place?" I muttered, looking around. "What is she?"
Just then, I heard footsteps. The old woman ca in, holding a wooden tray with a steaming bowl of food and a cup of sothing that looked like water but slled like herbs.
She smiled again and set it down in front of . "Eat," she said simply. "It will make you strong."
I stared at the bowl. The food looked plain, just porridge with so green leaves on top. My stomach turned.
"I don’t want food," I said sharply, crossing my arms. "I want to know who my parents are."
The woman sighed again, her wrinkled face softening just a little, though her eyes still held a sharp glint.
"Eat first," she repeated slowly, her tone calm but firm, like she was used to being obeyed. "Then we talk."
"No!" I shouted, my voice breaking as I stepped back. "I don’t care about food! Tell who my parents are! Did you take here just to feed ? What do you want from ?"
My hands trembled, and I could feel my heart beating so loud it hurt. I was scared, confused, and angry all at once.
Her eyes flickered. For a second, the gentle look she had vanished. She reached out, picked up her wooden spoon, and without warning, tapped lightly on the head.
"Hey!" I yelped, holding the spot. "What was that for?"
She frowned, her brows knitting together. "You have no manners, child," she said in a tone that was almost scolding. "When an elder gives you food, you show gratitude. You eat. You do not shout like a wild creature."
I clenched my fists, tears stinging my eyes. "I don’t care about manners right now!" I snapped. "I want answers! I want to know where my parents are!"
She looked at for a long ti, her spoon still in her hand, her gaze heavy and unreadable. The silence stretched until I could hear the fire crackling outside. Then she spoke, her voice low but steady.
"That," she said slowly, "is why you cannot even control your power."
Her words hit like cold water. I froze, staring at her.
"What... what do you an?" I asked quietly.
She lifted the spoon again and pointed it straight at . "You look weak. Thin. Shaking like a leaf," she said, her tone sharp but not unkind. "You think power grows in hunger? You think strength cos from shouting and fear? No. Power cos from calm. From balance. And you have none. Eat, Lisa, and I will tell you everything concerning you."
I froze. "You... you know my na."
She chuckled softly. "Of course, I do. I have been watching you since you were born."
A chill ran through . "You’re lying."
"Am I?" she asked, tilting her head. "Then how do I know that when you were six, you fell into the river behind your father’s house and almost drowned, but your father pulled you out, crying your na like his life depended on it?"
I stared at her, my lips parting. "How...how do you know that?"
She smiled faintly, stirring the porridge again. "Eat, little one. Then we talk."
My legs felt weak, and I sat down slowly. I didn’t trust her, but she knew too much. My stomach growled again, and I picked up the spoon hesitantly. The porridge slled strange, but when I tasted it, it was warm and soft. It lted in my mouth like sothing I’d never eaten before. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until I found myself eating every last spoonful.
She watched the whole ti, her eyes calm.
When I finished, I pushed the bowl away. "Now talk," I said quietly. "You promised."
She nodded, placing the bowl aside and sitting across from .
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