Chapter 61: Memories
Fucking bitch!
Eira cursed in her mind as she breathed heavily, fury rising with each passing second. Her hands clenched into fists as the puzzle pieces began to click into place. That was why Ephyra’s memories were so distorted, and why Eira had gotten little to no recollection of Ephyra’s childhood. But now, she remembered—though not everything.
Those witches. They’d not only inflicted physical pain on Ephyra but also mental torment. The level of pain the little girl had endured was simply too much.
What enraged her even more was that she recognized exactly what those drugs were and what they did.
The one that caused pain was a type of cytotoxic agent used in chemotherapy, which induces nerve pain, while the one that made her lose her memories was benzodiazepines.
Eira’s chest burned—not from pain, but from a wave of anger so consuming it felt like fire coursing through her veins. She threw the covers off her body and glanced toward the wardrobe, where the hidden safe remained untouched. Elara’s diaries.
Eira knew that if she wanted to confirm whether everything she had dreamt of wasn’t simply a dream but truly Ephyra’s lost memories, she needed to see the safe her mother had left behind. Especially the diaries and the blue, glass-like folder. Whatever secrets they contained could hold the key to unraveling the truth of Ephyra’s childhood and Elara’s life.
Sliding out of bed, Eira turned on the light and padded quietly toward the wardrobe. The room was silent except for the faint rustling of her clothes as she reached it and crouched down. She grasped the handle and opened the lower compartment of the wardrobe. Pushing aside the neatly folded dresses, she revealed an inconspicuous black knob at the far end.
It wasn’t a dream. These really were Ephyra’s sealed memories.
Eira’s heartbeat sped up as she slowly extended her hand, placed it on the knob, and exerted force—which wasn’t even necessary. As soon as her hand touched it, the knob seemed to recognize her, and the hidden compartment slid open, revealing the safe. Leaning forward, Eira pressed the same set of numbers Ephyra used to unlock it.
The next moment, the safe opened with a soft click, revealing its contents exactly as Ephyra had left them.