Chapter 3
Betrayed by Blood~
The first thing I noticed was the cold.
It wasn't like the normal cold of the night, nor was it like the cold you'd feel from a rainy day. No, this cold seeped into my bones, like the very breath of death itself. The sound of rushing water filled my ears, and when I opened my eyes, the blurry lines had me blinking.
For a long moment, I thought I was still falling. My body felt like it was suspended in the air. My body ached—every movement sending sharp pain through my abdomen and limbs, and I hadn't even moved yet. I forced myself to look around, only to find that I was by a river.
The river. I had fallen into a river.
I lifted my hand to my face, feeling the wetness of my skin. My hair clung to me, tangled and heavy with water. Every inch of my body felt bruised. I ground my teeth together, forcing my body to work with me.
I tried to push myself up. My stomach throbbed from where I'd been stabbed. It was only then that I noticed how still everything was. No guards chasing me. No Uncle Hugh's face hovering above me. Only the sound of the water rushing by, too fast for me to keep track of. The last thing I remembered was the cliff, the cold air, and my scream.
But now, I was... somewhere else. A different place entirely. For a moment, panic surged in my chest. Where am I? The thought echoed in my mind. I glanced down at the wound on my stomach, where the blood had begun to clot around the stab. It wasn't as deep as it felt at first. I pressed my hand against it, gritting my teeth against the sting. How could I have survived this?
I forced myself to my feet, stumbling at first but got my balance. I looked around, but I was still in the woods, only that it wasn't as crowded as the one back home. Home. I shuddered internally at the thought of my home. I had none now. Not after I was betrayed by the ones I considered family. Uncle Hugh's words rang in my ears again. He murdered my parents and will now inherit everything that belongs to me. How cruel can the goddess be to me?