Chapter 3 Whispers in the Shadows

Chapter 3: Whispers in the Shadows

Leah's POV

"Leah, you really ought to stop asking questions."

The bartender handed a cup of tea over the counter while speaking in a low, almost secretive manner. His gaze strayed to the window, where silvery rivulets of rain were streaming down the glass.

Even though my skin was tingling, I said, "I don't scare easily," maintaining a steady tone of voice.

Joe leaned in, his wrinkled face etched with a mixture of anxiety and worry. He had eventually revealed me his name after I had pressured him hard enough. "Fear is not the issue here. The goal is to survive. You and other outsiders don't stay long in places where you don't belong.

I wrapped my hands around the cup for warmth and said, "Perhaps I belong more than you think."

He laughed without amusement. "They all believe that."

After the chaos of the night before, the tavern was more subdued than normal, with most of the tables deserted. Word had gotten around about the wolves, or whatever they were. Everyone seemed tense, but nobody dared to talk about it honestly.

I made the decision to go further. "Are you aware of the attacks?"

Joe's eyes jerked to me, warning and piercing. "You mean the ones that aren't recognized by the government?"

I leaned forward and nodded. "Yes, those."

He let out a deep sigh and looked about as if the shadows themselves were listening. "They began many years ago. A few animals here and there, followed by pets, then... His words trailed down to a whisper as he paused. "People."

Despite the tightness in my gut, I persisted. "What sort of creature does that?"

Joe's mouth became thinner. "I've never seen one. And I've spent my whole life here.

I waited to ask the following question because I was afraid of the response. "What about the wolves? The ones from last night?

His face became serious. "They're not wolves." Not totally.

I felt a chill go through me. "What is meant by that?"

"It means you'd do well to keep your head down and stay out of it," Joe said, standing up straight.

I said, more to myself than to him, "I can't do that."

After saying something under his breath and shaking his head, Joe retreated to the rear of the pub.

I looked around the room, trying to find someone who would be open to conversation. The majority of the customers avoided making eye contact, instead focusing on the fire or their beverages. A lady with gray strands in her black hair, however, was watching me closely from the distant corner.

I went to her table after getting my cup.

"Will you mind if I join?" I inquired.

She pointed to the chair across from her. "Aren't you the one residing at Moonshadow Manor?"

I lowered myself into the seat and murmured, "Yes."

Her voice was deep and a little gruff, as if she had spent her life stating things that no one wanted to hear. "You've got nerve, I'll give you that," she added. "Or perhaps you're just stupid."

"Most likely both," I conceded.

She gave a little grin. "Margot is the name. You're Leah, too.

Surprised that she knew my name, I nodded. "What can you tell me about the events that have been taking place here?"

Margot took a long look at me while leaning back in her chair. "The answers will not please you."

"Try me," I responded resolutely.

Before she spoke, she took a drink from her glass. There are mysteries in this community that have been held for ages. Whether they like it or not, the Blackwoods are a part of it.

"The Blackwoods?" With my pulse pounding, I inquired.

She gave a nod. This location has long been associated with their family. Some claim to have been cursed, while others claim to be the ones preventing the curse from happening. Trouble always seems to follow them, in any case.

I recalled Ethan's enigmatic remarks and how he had vanished into the storm. "What sort of trouble?"

Margot looked out into the distance. "The type that is ambulatory during the day and transforms into something else at night."

The tavern door creaked loudly open before I could push her any further. Ethan was standing in the doorway as I turned around, his black eyes darting over the room before settling on me.

"Leah," he stated in a voice that was a demand wrapped in a warning.

Margot's fingers tightened around her glass as she stiffened. "Talk about the devil," she whispered.

Ethan's presence was both captivating and unsettling as he strolled across the room. He paused next to the table and looked directly into my eyes.

With an unarguable tone, he said, "We need to talk."

I pointed to Margot and said, "I'm in the middle of something."

"No," he responded in a stern yet hushed voice. "You're accompanying me. Right now.

I rose reluctantly and gave Margot a pitying look. She nodded slightly, but her face was cautious.

The rain had subsided to a mist that hung like a veil in the air when Ethan led me outdoors. The hamlet was disturbingly silent, and the roadway was deserted.

"What's happening?" As he led me to the edge of the woods, I made a demand.

With a clipped tone, he said, "You're asking too many questions."

I said, "Perhaps that's because nobody is answering my questions."

He turned to me and stopped suddenly. "Are you even aware of what you're getting into?"

"No," I said. "But until I do, I'm not going anywhere."

Ethan's jaw tensed, and I briefly believed he was going to protest. Rather, he sighed while stroking his black hair.

"You should leave Moonshadow," he said finally. "While you still can."

"I'm not going anywhere," I said, crossing my arms.

A spark of something unreadable passed across his eyes as they sought mine. "You don't understand what you're dealing with."

"Then explain it to me," I said.

Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden, guttural growl cut through the silence. It came from the woods, low and menacing, and far too close.

I turned toward the sound, my pulse pounding in my ears. Shadows shifted between the trees, and for a moment, I thought I saw a pair of glowing eyes staring back at me.

"Get inside," Ethan said, his voice sharp.

"How about you?" I asked, panic rising.

"I'll handle it," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Another growl echoed through the night, closer this time. Ethan stepped forward, his body tense, as if he were readying for a fight.

"Go," he said without looking back.

Reluctantly, I turned and ran toward the tavern, my breath hitching with every step.

As I reached the door, I glanced back just in time to see Ethan step into the shadows.

And then, impossibly, he disappeared.