Chapter Seven

I awoke with a start. My heart was pounding in my ears, adrenaline still coursing through my veins. 

What the hell kind of dream was that? 

With an incredible amount of effort, I slowed my breathing and attempted to regain control of my body and mind. It was just a dream. What happened with that boy last night probably just messed with my head. There was no use in worrying about it.

Once my heartbeat slowed down enough, I looked out the unbroken window of my home. Sunlight was streaking in, casting the warm rays of the afternoon into my quaint living space. I slept for longer than I'd intended. 

My growling stomach pulled me from my thoughts. Oh, right. I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. Standing up, I stretched my stiff muscles and walked over to my little kitchen area. I may say kitchen, but in reality, it was just a coal stove and a long table that acted as a counter. The only upside was that the cabin did have a well-fed wash basin. So, unlike the majority of the people who live on the edges of town, I had running water. To most, it was only a luxury that could only be afforded in the capital city.

Grabbing a palm-sized loaf of bread, I started nibbling on it as I prepared for what was left of the day. I pulled on a clean pair of trousers and a thick sweater. The sun may have been warm, but a light coating of snow still covered the ground. Only a fool would venture out in less than this. 

I decided to leave my hair down. Usually, I would tie it up out of fear of being ridiculed for the color. Yet something was telling me to leave it down today. So, with the long red strands hanging well below my waist, I gathered up the bundle of sheets I had taken off the bed last night and began what seemed to be an ever-growing list of chores. 

***

As the sun started to set, I sat back and heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, everything was done. The sheets and towels used last night were hanging by the fire to dry. The needle was disinfected. The mattress was as clean as it could be. And, of course, my home no longer reeked of blood. 

With what little energy I had left, I decided to step outside and pick some of the more common herbs that lingered at the edge of the forest. As I was about to descend the few steps at my door, something caught my eye. At the edge of the woods, something glinted in the fading sun. 

This was odd. No one came out this way except to use my services or to torment me. In all my years, no one had entered the Forsaken Forest from this spot, or very much at all, except for myself. Why would there be something on the ground then?

I slowly approached and cautiously investigated. Whatever it was, it had the glimmer of gold. Wait, what the hell!? It was actually gold. To be specific, two gold coins lay in a deliberately neat stack at the edge of the forest. They can't have been there long, either. They weren't wet with melted snow. I picked them up. They were still warm. 

I stood abruptly and looked around. If they were warm, they couldn't have been there for more than a few moments. Surveying the snow, the only footprints I saw were mine. From the looks of it, not even any animals had ventured over here. I peeked into the forest to find more of the same. There were a few small tracks here and there, but nothing that could have done this. 

Now, I was confused. Why in the world were these here? What was I supposed to do with them? If I left them here, someone else would pick them up. If I took them, though, and the owner came looking for them, they would probably accuse me of stealing. A slight shudder ran up my spine. I didn't want that to happen. Where did that leave me then? 

As I struggled to decide what to do, the hairs on the back of my neck rose on end. The feeling creeping up my spine distracted me from my dilemma. I looked around again. It felt like someone was watching me. I could feel their eyes boring into me, but no one was in sight.

I stood perfectly still and listened. I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary, either. There was no breathing, no puffs of air indicating someone nearby, no shuffling footsteps. And yet, I could still feel the eyes creeping across my skin. It was hard to describe the feeling, but the intent was clear. Something was watching to see if I took the coins. That could be the only explanation. If that were the case, then my mind had been made up for me. 

I placed the coins precisely as they were, and instead of going to the woods to gather herbs, I turned around and headed toward town. If someone or something wanted me to pick them up, then that was even more reason not to. 

As I walked into the village, I could still feel the eyes lingering on me. Was it following me, or was I being paranoid? Years of experience have taught me how to tell malicious intent from genuine care. And this feeling wasn't either. It's more like an intense curiosity. 

That thought made me sick to my stomach. Why would anyone be curious about me? Everyone already knew that I was practically cursed, that I had no destiny or fate. Even if someone new had come to live here, the villagers would be quick to tell them to stay away. 

By the time I strolled through the whole town, it was well past nightfall. And the feeling of being watched still lingered. If I stayed out any longer, though, the villagers would think I was up to no good. I couldn't risk a mob forming. That would surely be the end of me. As tired as I was of this life, I didn't want to die a violent death. 

Without much other choice, I went back home. If something was stalking me, thinking me it was prey, then let it. Being attacked by a beast would be better than a lynching.

A beast...? The word lingered in my mind for a moment, an odd sense of familiarity pulling at me, almost like something from a dream. A whole new wave of nausea and apprehension washed over me. Could the dragon from the mountains have come down here to seek retribution? No, there was no way. A dragon would be highly noticeable. Besides, that was just a dream fueled by exhaustion—reality mixing with fantasy—nothing more. Dragons were supposed to be extinct if they existed at all. If it really were one of the last ones, then it wouldn't risk showing itself just to catch a human. 

I pushed the thought away as I approached my home. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. Right in front of my door lay not just the two gold coins but a small bundle of herbs as well, stacked just as neatly as before.