The Untold Forest by Elisa Menz (web ebook reader txt) 📗

That night—the first one in a long time she had a bed for herself—Maeve dreamed of floating flowers and passionate kisses.

“You can relax, mushroom. Your hunter left early to do some hunting.” The next morning, and as soon as she walked out of her bedroom, Finn resumed his annoying older brother role. “Kniv dragged him, probably to let you have some peace. They’ll be back in the afternoon.”

The news came as a bit of a relief. Maeve was eager to see Hakken, but she still needed to come to terms with these newfound feelings.

She had a fun breakfast with Finn and Ystävä and left the cabin right after helping her brother with the dishes. Cooking and cleaning for the rest of his life was his punishment for revealing a thousand-year-old secret.

Ystävä mentioned Regn was moping around the cabin since dawn. She now had the ability to understand half-breed language, so she figured it was time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with him.

After being saved a couple of times from very dangerous situations, Maeve trusted Regn. But she still remembered he once tried to hurt her, and she needed to know why.

He sat with his back against a tree, trying and failing to appear relaxed. She joined him in silence, thinking about how she should start a very prickly conversation. No point beating around the bush.

“Why did you try to kill me, Regn?”

Regn

“What?” he snapped towards her. Way to go, Regn, that didn’t sound suspicious at all! 

“It’s all right. I will not accuse you. You saved me from the river and later with Vorka, but I know you were not fond of me at first, and I’d like to know why.” He was stunned. She saw right through him from the beginning, and she could have ruined his life in the village by exposing his actions. But she had kept it a secret. Regn gaped at her for a moment, trying to understand the intentions behind her troubled gaze. She only asked for an honest answer.

Regn sighed and looked away, not daring to meet her eyes. “I hate humans, not you... particularly.”

“Why?” she asked.

“They killed my family.” Did she even care about his loss? For some reason, the thought of her being indifferent to his pain made him feel miserable, and he couldn’t find the courage to look at her. To worsen his pitiful situation, treacherous tears welled in his eyes.

A soft hand landed on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“Shut up.” He hated she saw him so vulnerable, but despite his harsh words, he didn’t recoil. Her touch was soothing yet disarming, and soon the first tears streamed down his face. Regn bent his knees, wrapping his arms around them, breathing and trying to control the sobs.

What was wrong with him? All these years, he hardly spoke about his family, and he never, ever cried for their loss. What was with this human girl unraveling his pain so effortlessly?

Regn flinched when she hugged him, but soon surrendered to the hand gently caressing his hair. An angry, petty voice in his head told him he didn’t need a filthy human’s comfort, but his body disagreed, leaning and nuzzling against her.

While the sobs took over, he stopped fighting and desperately hugged her back, seeking shelter from the pain. Wrapped in her arms, he knew he could face the grief and the memories for the first time. When she began shaking with quiet sobs, Regn remembered she also had lost her parents, and her pain—although different from his own—came forth as they both mourned.

The hours passed while the sun rose high in the sky. He cried all the tears locked in his chest, and the feeling was wonderful. He felt light and free. Maeve sat next to him, leaning on the tree. “Thank you.”

“What for?” He had done nothing. It was all her.

She chuckled. “I don’t know. Many things. Saving my life, for starters.” He watched her drying her eyes with her hand before smiling at him. The smile he gave her back was a genuine one.

“Are you hungry?” Regn asked.

“Starving.”

They were both lightheaded, so Regn stood and offered her a hand. With Hakken away, he was less likely to die. They walked side by side towards the cabin, overcome by shyness, but Maeve threw her arms around him before arriving.

“W-What’s gotten into you?” he stuttered, amused and suddenly nervous.

“Just... thank you.” She let go and headed for the door, leaving him with a silly smile on his lips.

The door flew open. Ystävä stood in front of them, hands on his hips, a glint in his eyes, and a mischievous smirk. Finn smiled from the kitchen, elbows deep in dough.

“You!” The elf winked at Maeve. “Would you like to try something fun?”

CHAPTER XXIV

THE TREE

Maeve

Ystävä handed Regn a basket full of tiny fruit pies and motioned them to follow. They left the cabin and surrounded the base of the Tree, climbing gargantuan roots and dodging saplings scattered here and there.

“Where are we going?” Maeve walked behind Regn, followed by Finn, who casually munched on a pie.

“Well, you already discovered your brother is ‘the Warlock’ and magic proficient.” Ystävä seemed much calmer. “So since we are throwing ancient laws and traditions out the window, I thought we might seize this opportunity to learn some things.”

“Oh, I know what you are thinking. I can’t wait to try this!” Finn looked thrilled, and Maeve couldn’t help to be excited and a little apprehensive. She remembered clearly how Finn’s enthusiasm led to accidents and scolding.

Ystävä climbed over a root with nimble steps. “You all seemed astonished to learn Finn mastered magic—”

“Did you do something to him?” Regn butted in.

“Do you mean if I put a spell or cursed him?” Ystävä smirked, but the half-breed shrugged.

“Every single being that lives and breathes in the Forest is naturally imbued with magic,” Ystävä explained. “Magic manifests as sharp instincts, remarkable physical strength, the ability to shape-shift, or... the capability to mold pure energy into