BETSY

board a ticket once they got to Brooklyn, but no she was wrong, they

orests, where the trees seemed to whisper ancient

ara, had offered Bett a dark cloak to shield her fr

t couldn't quite place. Elara's gentle demeanor and thoughtful gestures made

nge, unsettling behavior. Twice now, she had seen Elara tearing into somet

the gnawing discomfort lingered. The sound of Elara's teeth sinking into the substance echoed in Bett's min

did. Something was unsettling about her, a certain coldness i

and emotions ran wild as if she could hear her every unspoken fear. It made her ski

strange, hungry eyes, their mouths practically salivating,

t was her fear, her confusion, or something darker-it remained

ed-it made Betsy terrified. She couldn't shake the fear that she was walking into something far more dangerous than s

ore like an inn, Elara said the

n". Though barely visible, the sign creaked

ere covered in moss and the windows appeared to

brown cloaks came out to welcome them. The smell of misty wo

ink. One was tall, lean, broad shoulders with grey colo

scrutable l, Bett hopes s

em in with so much respect that Bett thought if the

receptionist had handed the men keys an

e cold eyes of the hotel staff boring deep into her bac

led her privately to a room, w

t stepped in almost immediately, she turned to tell the huge ma

t so strange, she doubted if she would be able to relax t

ow covered by heavy dark curtains. The mirror on the wall caugh

, someone was standing right behind her, their features obscured b

e lodged in her chest like a stone. She moved quickly away from

room, loud and deliberate, breaking the sile

in". Her pulse r

y Elara now clothed in a red shinin

et you dinner," Lady Elara

aching out to her hands swiftly and then usherin

ared at her with eyes filled wit

ared at her with eyes filled wit

ow. "But don't worry; I promise you will be fine, my son is not that bad

mother, but nobody told her. Betsy c

ut she had to promise anything, Anything that would make her feel at ease

t she had to promise anything, Anything that would make her feel at ease

ted with a smile. "All I need from you are chi