Beneath the Serpent Shrine

as over

fussing over Leland, asking his needs. She even brought out the smoked po

ped myself around him, and kept going until he finally passed out from exhausti

and whispered, "Sweetheart, we really owe you for t

Mom, this is what I

him up the moun

ht to the Serpent Shrine. Sorry you had to go through this tonight, but I prom

eft me with mi

iven up

was far more than

od daughter and went back to the room. Out of caut

as beg me to take him around the village, saying how peacefu

g we had to go up the mountain and

repared everything-offerings for Lady Serpent-and the

such a good man, and that the village woul

t help bu

wkwardly, as if he thought the

rs surrounding us, we made our way u

around the shrine. That was the sign that Lady Serp

the villagers praying with such devotion and whispered

ming back with me was

e chance to ask more. As soon as we finished pr

lowed us in. They all stayed out

save him if anything went wrong. But since Leland was an o

ound, confused, and asked wha

s truly be together forever. He clearly didn't understand, but with me and my mom gently pushing hi

sed behind him, he started

Let me out! I

led out the phone I had swiped from Leland earlier, opened his contacts, and sent a message to