NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: Sealed Passage
A faint light crept through the cracks in the cave ceiling as Elanor slowly opened her eyes. Rosella had wiped the blood from her face and clothes earlier, making sure her sister wouldn't be startled when she woke.
Elanor sat up wearily, looking around in confusion.
"Where… where are we? What is this place?"
Rosella replied in a quiet, careful voice:
"The villagers… they couldn't tolerate our presence any longer. They threatened to kill us if we didn't leave. So I took you and Arian… and we ran."
Elanor stared at her, a mixture of shock and disbelief on her face.
"And I was… asleep all this time? Why didn't you wake me? Why didn't we take any of our things?"
Rosella let out a soft sigh.
"There was no time… they burned down the cottage."
Elanor's eyes widened in horror.
"They burned it? What about Mr. Sadren? He gave us that cottage out of the kindness of his heart! We'll never find shelter again… We barely survived getting that one! Where will we go now?!"
Rosella lowered her head, a weight of guilt pressing against her chest… even though she hadn't done anything wrong.
But Elanor…
Elanor never saw it that way.
Aziel watched in silence. His cold eyes stared at Elanor, unmoved.
Why does Rosella bear all this alone? "The cursed witch"? Is that what they call… a girl who's barely holding back tears?
Just then, little Arian crawled beside him, resting on his arm.
Aziel narrowed his eyes.
Ugh… humans… Disgusting…
He hesitated… then thought again.
So why am I still here? Why haven't I left…? Why… I'm still …With her…?
Rosella noticed Arian reaching toward Aziel and gently picked him up. She smiled faintly.
"Don't bother Uncle Aziel, sweetheart."
Aziel looked away quickly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He didn't say a word.
Suddenly, Rosella turned to him.
"You should go back to your city, Aziel. It's too dangerous to stay with us."
He replied calmly, voice low but stubborn:
"I told you… don't worry about me."
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
Then Rosella looked at Elanor.
"We have to cross the sealed passage."
Elanor's eyes widened in shock.
"The passage?! But… they carry out mass executions there! That's the road of death, Rosella!"
Rosella's voice was quiet, but firm:
"That's exactly why no one will expect us to take it. The villagers won't think we went that way… We have to move. Arian's starting to get hungry."
Aziel stood up.
"Alright… let's go."
But Rosella grabbed his arm suddenly.
"Not you."
He flinched slightly, trying to hide the flush rising on his face.
"I told you… don't worry about me."
He gently pulled his arm from her grip, cleared his throat, and added, looking away:
"You need someone to protect you. And besides…"
His cheeks darkened.
"…We're friends, aren't we?"
Tears welled up in Rosella's eyes, and she tried to smile without letting them fall.
"Yes…"
Aziel looked away quickly so she wouldn't see the emotion in his eyes. He scooped Arian into his arms and said sharply,
"Let's go!"
Just to change the subject.