Elaine's POV
Waking up this morning from the bright side, I got up immediately to prepare for the day ahead of me. Cordelia had already promised to keep me company in this place because I can't lie, this place is as boring as the word itself.
"Good morning, little one," Cordelia greeted once she stepped into my room with a tray of food in her hands.
"Good morning, Mrs. Cordelia," I replied, gesturing towards the bathroom. "I'll be quick with it, don't worry," I rushed to say before I stepped into the bathroom.
"I'll be downstairs waiting for you—"
"No. Please, stay. I'll be quick, I promise."
With that, I tried my best to clean and dress up as quickly as I could, and that was it—a girl ready for adventure today.
"I told you I'd be quick, right?" I bragged while stepping out of the bathroom.
Her gaze lingered a little, making me worry that I had done something wrong. She just looked away with a smile even before I could read what was behind the gaze.
"I don't know if you'd like what I made. It's a traditional dish, and I noticed that you don't eat healthy most of the time."
"You know, even being an investigative journalist doesn't let me live all the healthy ways in my head. I'm selective with what I put in my belly, but in those severe times, who gives a fuck?" I asked in a way that made her chuckle.
"Right, little one. Nobody gives a damn when it's their stomach grumbling."
"Exactly. Your efforts in keeping me healthy while I'm here are very much appreciated," I said genuinely before taking a seat next to her.
I opened the plate to see a Pasta Carbonara, which made me salivate immediately. It looked so good that I'd give her a ten even without tasting it yet.
"How is it, little one?"
"It's really good. I'd give you a ten, Mrs. Cordelia."
She smiled proudly at my honest review, and I felt bad for her because she tried to initiate a conversation at that time, but I was too focused on my meal to even listen to anything she was saying.
"I'll do the dishes while you put your things together. The old woman wants to stretch her bones today, so if you're in for a walk, meet me downstairs when you're ready," she told me softly before heading out with the tray of empty plates.
I nodded in response, letting her know that I'd show up soon. When she had left, I did as she instructed, filling a bottle with water and taking some energy bars with me, just in case either of us got bored or tired.
Searching for my journal to keep track of my adventure today, I spotted the envelope lying in wait for the true meaning to be uncovered. Just then, I thought about what harm it would do if I let Cordelia know about it since Kai and Damien were out of sight.
Picking it up, I tossed it into my bag, rubbed my lip balm, and packed my hair up in a messy bun. Glancing at my final look in the mirror, I grabbed my bag and headed straight for the door.
"I'm ready to leave," I announced when I walked up to her desk.
"Alright then. Let's go."
We had walked a few blocks away from the motel before I cleared my throat intentionally to break the silence.
"So, how far have you gone with the reason for which you are here?" She began the conversation, to my surprise.
"Honestly, I came because of the murders. Nobody on my team was willing to go, thanks to the gruesome reports of the others who took the risk," I sighed.
"So why did you come if others were scared to come over here?"
"Kai," I kept my reply short, trusting her wisdom to do the speaking on my behalf.
"How far have you gone uncovering the thing behind the murders?"
"Not far at all, and funny enough, I was only given one month to report back to my boss, but Raven Hollow needs more time than that."
She nodded in agreement. She asked me a few questions about my first experience in Raven Hollow, and the way she made me feel safe made me blurt out just the important details—aside from me sleeping with Kai. However, I wouldn't be surprised if she knew because the old woman was too smart.
"Tell me about your parents, will you?"
Our conversation took a turn I didn't see coming, and honestly, if it were someone else, I'd just ask them to skip it. But things with Cordelia were different. It was as though she asked those questions to help me let go of my pain where necessary.
"I don't know who my parents are or what they looked like," I began. "I was very little when my uncle took me in, and I grew up thinking that they were my actual parents until the night he had a huge fight with his wife because of me," I lowered my voice, recalling how bad the incident was.
"I see…"
"She said that I was dangerous and that she couldn't keep harboring me in her house, but my uncle didn't succumb to her demands, saying that he made a promise to his sister to protect her daughter with his last breath. That was when I knew that I was actually someone else's biological child," I explained.
"That must have been very tough for you to swallow," she said, lowering her voice to match my current mood.
"What was tougher was knowing that their deaths were as though they were wiped off the earth's surface. No pictures, no clothes, and not even a single memory of them were kept for me to see when I was of age," I sobbed quietly.
"How about your uncle…? How is he doing now that he kept to his sister's last wish, raising you to be this brave, smart young lady you currently are?"
"I lost him and his wife in a car crash," I answered simply.
My eyes were getting more blurry from the tears that streamed from them, so I stopped to sit on the ground while Cordelia soothed me.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up, dear," she whispered while patting my back.
"It's okay. I knew they'd die because everyone does, but I had just expected them to stay with me a little bit longer than they did," I smiled through the tears.
"The good news is that wherever they are, they'd be proud to see how strong you are, and this should be your driving force—to never disappoint them. They'll be watching, and you have to make each moment they spent on your upbringing worth it," she said in a serious tone.
I nodded, realizing how true her words were. I couldn't give up even if I felt like it because they never gave up on me, even when it was their last resort.
"So," I tried to change the topic while bringing out my water bottle. "Tell me about yourself," I smiled at her.
She chuckled at my request, which made me feel bad initially, but I pushed it away. I just gave her a little time, and she did speak up.
"I grew up in an orphanage, so I don't have one, and I don't mean to sound shitty, but we both know there's a lot more for us to talk about than me."
She was right. I got back on my feet, thinking of a better way to ask her about the green-eyed figure.
"One night, I was in the woods," I exhaled. "I met this green-eyed figure, and we didn't talk. We just held eye contact for a while, and I can't even remember what happened next until Kai found me."
"You've never seen him before?"
"I haven't, but then I met someone else. I saw him from afar and ran toward him, thinking it was Kai. To my dismay, he vanished before I could get close to him," I narrated, the memory playing vividly in my mind.
"So, what do you want to know?"
"I want to know if there are other creatures besides vampires and lycans," I shrugged.
"If my assumptions are right, then I can't give you a specific answer because this creature uses magic to take any form he likes. He is a dark entity, and I can't tell how powerful he is, because learning in the world of magic is endless. If he knows a lot, then he must be very powerful. You must be extremely careful around him whenever he appears."
"Why is he here, to begin with?"
Cordelia studied me for a moment before answering. "You seem to be a person of great interest, Elaine, and only the heavens know how many more will turn up because of your presence in Raven Hollow." She gave me a small smile while patting my back.
Judging from the seriousness in Cordelia's words, I now realized that maybe—just maybe—I should have listened and stayed back when I had the chance.