Chapter 44: A Week in the Crevice
Since the guardian of the crevice remained silent, the parents had no choice but to leave. They were deeply concerned about leaving their daughters behind, but the guardian had given his word, and they had no reason to doubt him. His ability to exist in the crevice confirmed that he was indeed who he claimed to be. Trusting him, they were lifted back into the familiar forest.
Time passed swiftly, and within what felt like the blink of an eye, a week had gone by. That particular day, Mrs. Bristow could not sit still. She paced back and forth, anxiously waiting for any sign of her child. She had missed her terribly.
The same anxious energy could be felt at the Johnson household. Mrs. Johnson was moving restlessly, her eyes fixed on the door, hoping that at any moment, her daughter might return.
Unable to bear it any longer, Mr. Johnson finally spoke. "Why don't you sit down? You've kept it together for seven days. Can't you be patient for a few more hours?" His tone was gentle but concerned.
"Exactly!" Mrs. Johnson replied, her voice tinged with frustration. "That's exactly why I can't calm down! There are just a few hours left. What if she doesn't come back? I've convinced myself that a week wasn't too long, but now… now a week has passed."
What Mrs. Johnson didn't know was that her husband wasn't as calm as he appeared. He simply hid his own fears well. As the man of the house, he had to remain strong. If he faltered, what could the two women possibly do? He was terrified of the idea that their daughter might not return… or worse, that she would come back still in the form of a bird.
Meanwhile, back in the crevice, two girls slept soundly, unaware of the world outside. Eventually, an hour passed, and Ariella suddenly jolted awake, confusion washing over her. She looked around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Beside her, Elara slowly woke up, stretching her neck and twisting her body to ease the stiffness. When she finally looked around, she realized she was once again in the crevice.
This wasn't the first time she'd found herself here, so she wasn't afraid. What bothered her, however, was that she was alone. Where was Ariella? How had she ended up here? The last thing she remembered was Ariella's birthday and the Shrouded One ruining the party.
Before she could voice her thoughts, her eyes caught a familiar figure in the corner. Ariella was also looking around, and their gazes met.
"Uh… Ari, you're here too?" Elara mumbled, her voice filled with relief and happiness. "All's good. All's great."
She felt safe with Ariella around—nothing else seemed to matter. As long as Ari was with her, Elara could handle anything. A sense of relief flooded through her, and she stopped questioning how they ended up here.
Seeing Elara's mischievous smile, Ariella raised an eyebrow. "What's with the smile? You look too happy for someone who woke up in a place she doesn't even remember arriving at."
Elara grinned. "Ah, as long as you're here, everything's perfect. I don't care where I am as long as you're with me."
Ariella smiled, but a pang of worry crept into her heart. Elara had become so dependent on her. It felt good to be trusted so completely, but Ariella couldn't help but think that Elara should have a bit more awareness of danger. Still, she didn't want to worry her friend.
"Happy birthday, my girl," Elara said, annoyance creeping into her voice. "The stupid Shrouded One had to wait for your big day to make his grand entrance."
Ariella chuckled, but Elara's next words made her pause.
"Speaking of which, what happened? Did we kill him? I don't remember anything after the… strangling."
Ariella tried to piece together the fragments of her memory. "I don't remember much either. The last thing I remember was being on the brink of death, with him strangling us, and then… I heard a voice in my head telling me to spread out my hands."
"Yeah, I remember that too. But what happened after that? How did we end up here? Where are our parents?" Elara was just as puzzled.
Suddenly, a light emerged from the wall, and the ancient carvings began to glow brighter. Both girls expected the queens to appear and answer their questions. But instead, a man emerged, wrapped in a soft white glow. He appeared calm and collected, much more at ease than the first time the parents had brought the girls back in their bird form.
"Nice to see you both back. I am the guardian of this crevice. I've been taking care of you for the past week," he said with a warm smile.
"Nice to see you both back?" The girls exchanged confused glances. What did that even mean? And what about the past week? Had they really been here for an entire week? What about their parents—did they know where they were? Surely, their parents must be worried sick.
Determined to leave, the girls stood up and made their way toward the exit.
"Not so fast," the guardian said, stopping them. "There are some things I need to tell you before you leave."