Silverton's Journey

Chapter 20

Ophelia woke up in the middle of the day and found Grace sitting beside her. The woman slept, resting her head on the bed.

Just as Ophelia sat up, her back ached. She winced but did not care to look behind. She said, nearly whispering, "Miss Grace? Hello, Miss Grace?"

Grace opened her eyes and looked at Ophelia. She smiled warmly and said, "Finally, you're awake."

The girl rubbed her eyes and asked, "What happened to me?"

"Look behind," said Grace with a hint of excitement in her voice.

Ophelia turned her head and was shocked by the sight. Two flaps of skin and bone extended from her back. She stammered, furrowing her eyebrows, "What are these things!"

"These are your wings, dear."

The girl's face turned pale. "My wings? Is that why my back hurt so much all these days?"

"You're right. We couldn't give you any pain-reducing medicine because it would harm you," said Grace as she stood.

"But... but why are they like this? Sir's wings are so beautiful and majestic..." muttered Ophelia with disappointment. She looked at Grace, who was grinning.

"Don't you worry, young lady, they will grow feathers soon."

Ophelia was somewhat relieved. She looked behind once again and found that the back of her nightgown was ripped because of the wings. Startled, she said, "Miss Grace! My dress..."

"Oh, right. Let me help you get changed."

Grace brought a dress for her and helped her change into it. Ophelia found that the back of the dress was vacant, especially for the wings. When they were done, the woman sat on the bed and yawned. "Eat your breakfast. There is a bottle of blood in the cupboard. And don't try to move your wings."

"I wonder where they get this blood from..." whispered Ophelia.

"That's a story for another time." With those words, Grace lay down and drifted off to sleep.

After washing her face, Ophelia searched for the bottle of blood in the cupboard. She did not like the thought of drinking vampire beverages, but she needed to get used to it.

As she sipped the carmine-coloured liquid from the bottle, she could feel her pain fading. All these days the blood did not help it, but now that her wings were out, she finally got rid of the uneasiness.

Ophelia avoided looking at her new wings. She did not like how they appeared. However, the thought of flying over the clouds again filled her with exhilaration.

Feeling a new surge of euphoria, she rushed out of the back door of the house. I'll finally be able to fly like him!

The woods were dark; a few rays of dull light entered through the spaces between leaves. She ran around the crimson woods, chuckling.

Since she had her eyes closed while running, she did not see the person in front. She stumbled upon him.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at the man. He was Leon and he had his hands on her shoulders. "Ophelia, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be running like this... it's dangerous."

Gasping, she took a step back. She realized roaming around the woods alone could get her caught by the king's men, or even worse, Nathaniel. With a sheepish grin, she spun a strand of hair around her finger and said, "I'm sorry, Sir. I'll try not to do it again."

Leon put his hands down and said with a sigh, "You can run, only when I'm around." Ophelia nodded.

As Leon walked on the path back home, Ophelia said, "Sir, can I see your wings?"

"Why, are you disappointed with yours?"

"Yes, yes indeed."

He chuckled, looking at his feet as he walked. "Then I would rather not show them to you than make you resentful." Saying so, he received a punch on his shoulder.

Ophelia stretched her arms out and whined, "What am I going to do today? I can't practice, I can't even learn to fly..."

"When we get back home, let's take a look at The Foretelling of Destruction, shall we?"

"Aye, Sir," she said with a slightly hollow voice. Home?

Home was something she felt she did not have. She was the last of her kind, destined to be the fall of a kingdom. Her home was long gone. What was left of it was all in ruins.

The thought made her feel heavy. "Sir, what do you mean by getting back home?" she said under her breath.

"Did you say something?" asked Leon, slightly raising an eyebrow.

Ophelia gasped, wondering if he had heard it. "No, no, it's nothing."

By that time, they had returned to the place where Grace lived. Ophelia rushed to the bedroom where she kept her tote bag, and she opened it with haste. She looked through the books only to find the Foretelling missing.

She began sweating when she could not find it even after checking thrice. The girl remembered she never took it out once she came out of Isabella's place.

That could only mean one thing: she forgot to take it.

When Leon saw her taking a long time searching for it, he went to her. "What is taking so long?"

Panting and nearly panicking, she looked at him. "I can't find it..."

Leon lowered his head and sighed. He brushed back a few strands of stray hair from his face; his voice laced with a grim tone. "I knew you would lose it."

Ophelia fell on all fours; her face became pale and her eyes widened. "I-It can't be... I promised Cuseiphin I won't let anything happen to the book..."

She felt the man walk closer to her and saw him crouch, giving her a mocking smile. She frowned and squeaked, "Why are you smiling?"

"You are so foolish, Ophelia."

"Hey, stop it!"

Leon stood and walked to the table in the room. He pulled out a drawer and took a book from there. Holding it in his hand, he waved it at her. "It was with me the whole time."

Ophelia's jaw dropped. "How in the world? Since when?"

"Since the beginning. You never had it with you. I switched the book covers."

The girl felt her face become hot; she knew it was as red as a tomato. She waved her arms in the air and moaned, "Why do you have to do this?"

Leon did not answer. He walked out of the room and beckoned her to follow him.

The first thing Ophelia did after getting up was look in the mirror. Her face was still red, and she did not want him to see her like that. She washed her face in a rush, hoping the cold water would help.

When she was done, she hurried to Leon.

"What took you so long?" asked Leon as he flipped through the pages of the book. He was seated on the couch.

"Nothing!" she squeaked and sat beside him. Noticing her coming so close, Leon moved a little farther.

Ophelia rolled her eyes seeing his reaction. She stretched out her arms, leaning against the couch.

Just as her back touched the coarse fabric, she reflexively jolted forward and winced. The pain was still there.

"When will this end?" she groaned.

"You are being too loud. It is still daytime."

Turning her head to Leon, she shot him a glare. Seeing his unwavering poker face, she sighed and leaned towards the book. "So... what are we going to do?"

Leon took out a page that was folded at the corner. He pointed to a line that said: The last daylight vampire will destroy a kingdom...

Reading it, Ophelia said, "I already know that..."

The man shook his head and revealed the next part which he had hidden with his thumb.

...to save another.