“Eldritch, when you get done in there, I have a favor to ask,” Sayeh called.
He breathed in hard and coughed. The room could be visited later. He closed the door behind him and returned to the front table.
“I’m afraid I may need you to help me reorganize and clean.” She tapped on her leg being propped up by a chair. “I am still trying to figure out how to move right with this thing on. Do you know how long it needs to stay?”
“I don’t think it will be long.” He hoped. “But I can help you with the shop until it’s healed. As long as you give me time to read.”
“Of course.” Her eyes sparkled. “I would like to keep hearing the stories as well. I know it is asking a lot of you after you have done so much already.”
“I’ll tell my family you need extra help when I go back. I’m sure they’ve probably heard of the accident. You know how rumors spread.”
“It may not be so bad.” Sayeh bit her lip and looked up innocently at him. “I told my parents I fell on one of these old chairs.”
“What about the dressing on your leg?”
“I said that you read something about medicinal herbs to stop the bleeding and they stopped asking questions. I don’t know why the thing is stuck on me if it doesn’t hurt anymore. I’ve tried peeling it off, but it won’t move.”
“It should come off naturally,” he tried to assure himself more than her. “I’m so sorry for it being that way. Where would you like me to start cleaning?”
~ ~ ~
The summer’s heat wore on Eldritch’s determination to help as he spent more hours reorganizing the books than reading them. The desire to explore the chamber under the floor was almost unbearable. But every time he got the courage, Sayeh would show up.
Until the morning she did not arrive.
Eldritch waited. Evening would be approaching soon, so she must have decided to stay home. He had the entire building to himself.
He looked through the front window and locked the entrance. The once-cluttered path to the back room was free of the books he organized. The wooden floor gave a creek as if in anticipation for its secrets to finally be revealed.
He stood in front of the scorch marks from the hole that had repaired itself. There would have to be another way in. The dirt packed into the floor made any hidden switches or levers impossible to locate. Eldritch struggled to get a fingernail between the cracks of the boards. Whatever force mended the hole made everything else in the room more secure.
The chamber below had to have some sort of magical barrier or protection upon it. A powerful one that kept the room hidden for generations. There had to be a trick to unlock it.
Eldritch retraced the events from the night Sayeh fell through the floor a few more times in his mind. All he could remember was casting the spell on her leg. It could be he somehow fixed both her wound and the hole that was torn open. If so, he needed to wait until Sayeh’s leg was free of the shell. The two were likely connected, and he did not want to open the floor and the wound on her leg again. Even though the spell came out of his mouth, he had no idea how long it would take to fully heal.
The rattling of the front door made him run out of the back room.
“Sayeh?” he called.
He heard the door open as if not locked at all. Eldritch hurried to the front, hoping he would not have to explain himself to her.
It was not Sayeh. A large man in a coat that hung to his boots stomped inside.
“You there, young lad,” he said in an earthy accent. “I need your help in finding course.”
He placed his giant hand upon one of the heaviest chairs and drug it away from the table like a toy. His massive frame could have used two chairs. He sat and stared intently at Eldritch.
Eldritch eyed the chair, ready for it to break under the weight.
“I am not the owner of these books. My friend is ill, so I’ve been helping when I can,” he explained.
“That is no good then.” The man leaned back and removed his hat. Although his hair fell down quickly, Eldritch thought he saw the elongated ears of an elf. “I don’t suppose you know how to read any of these maps and charts do ya?”
“I do, in fact. I’m probably the only one in this town who enjoys learning about other regions. I’ve studied most of the areas documented in these books.”
“Ah, good on you then.” The man crossed his arms over his large belly. “Tell me, what would be the easiest path to Caetheal, the crossing town of the great forest and the harbor?”
“I have the book right next to you with the map.”
Adrenaline caused Eldritch to shake when he picked it up. No one ever asked about the border towns, and certainly not someone as odd as the man or elf sitting across from him.
“Splendid!” the man said in a light tone.
Although he was larger than any of the farmers in the area, his skin hung on him in an irregular fashion. Something was off about it, like it had been forced onto him. He reminded Eldritch of an overstuffed sausage.
The man squirmed and placed his arms onto the table around the book, flipping through the pages with an apparent appetite for knowledge. The same Eldritch shared. But this man hunched over it as if devouring a massive feast. His great forearms stretched the ends of his shirt to the point the seams were breaking.
Eldritch held back his laughter at the sight.
“Looks easy enough to get to,” the man said. “The name’s Grinley, by the way. Sorry, forgot to introduce myself.”
“Pleased to meet you.” He shook the man’s hand. His own felt like a child’s in comparison. “Might I ask where you are from?”
“You can ask, but you wouldn't believe it anyway. Let’s just say many places.” Grinley tapped the side of his nose and winked.
“Keep him longer,” the ghastly voice whispered. Eldritch glanced to the back room.
“Before you leave, I have to ask, what are you searching for in Caetheal? Is it for the fae or for their trade goods?”
“So you do know about them, eh?” Grinley slipped his hat back on and tucked his hair into it. “Ever seen one before?”
“I have seen some in illustrations. But I believe they would be brighter than any precious gem.”
“That they are, that they are.” Grinley leaned back again and the chair let out a small creak. “One like yourself should be wary though.” His voice grew darker and he wrung his hands together. “Your stature would be easily plucked for their services. They should be feared more than admired. Their magics are not to be taken lightly or as whimsical tricks.”
“What do you know of their magic? These books do not contain much knowledge of it.”
“You should join me on my journey. I believe you would thrive in Caetheal.”
Eldritch nearly fell against the table at the proposition. He stared into eyes that looked wiser than the rest of the man’s appearance portrayed. Grinley appeared trustworthy, but with harvest coming soon and Sayeh. . . He was overcome by the guilt of what he did to her, and there would be no one to watch over the bookshop.
“I suppose that’s a bit too much to ask such a lad.” Grinley stood up and grabbed Eldritch’s arm. “A fae’s secrets are likely too wonderful and terrible for any of us to understand anyway.”
“If you could stay a couple of days, I could make arrangements to travel with you,” Eldritch offered.
“I really must be off now.” Grinley nodded sharply and turned toward the door. “Thank you for directing me on my path.”
Eldritch witnessed a change in Grinley when he reached for the handle. His hand shrunk to a more manageable size. He covered it with the other while he stepped out onto the street.
Eldritch peeked out the window. Grinley’s mouth was moving, but he couldn’t make out what he was saying.
Grinley’s hands dropped down again to reveal both the same size. With a tilting of his hat, the strange man turned the corner into the alley and was gone.
The sunlight faded in the wind
ows as a dark cloud loomed outside. The door swung open again. Eldritch nearly jumped out of his skin.
“Eldritch?” Sayeh’s voice echoed in the shop. “Sorry, I’m so late. Are you in here?”
“Did you see the man who left here a moment ago?” Eldritch said. “He was large and would have been going the other direction.”
“I must not have been paying attention.” She moved behind the table quickly without making eye contact.
“Are you okay?” Eldritch tried to move closer to see her, but she stepped farther around the table.
“I didn’t want to come out.” She sighed. “I know people are talking and everything. I didn’t want them to see it now.”
“What do you mean? What happened? Did your leg get worse?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t sure if I should show you. It’s strange. I hope you won’t see me differently.”
“Of course not. I value you more than anything.”
He stopped. The words came out before he could stop them. He valued her more than any other person, but the thought of choosing her over magical knowledge or power. . . the doubt crept from the dark places in his mind. He shook it off.
“What is it that you want to show me?” he asked and noticed a spark of hope building in Sayeh’s eyes. Something he hadn’t seen since she fell.
“It will go away in time, won’t it?” Sayeh sat in a chair and rolled up her dress. “It needs to finish healing, right?”
Eldritch stepped around the table.
The ashen shell had broken off from her leg. Her knee was free to bend again. However, in its place was a dark scar with twisted lines that ran up her thigh. The entire area was pitted across the skin. It resembled the bark of a tree after it had been scorched in a fire―a severe contrast to the rest of her porcelain skin.
Eldritch realized his hand was over his mouth, and he tried not to gasp.
“Does it hurt?” he managed to ask.
“No. I woke up and it was like this.” Her voice quivered. “I tried to scrub the area, but it didn’t do anything.” Tears formed in her eyes. “I’m so sorry Eldritch, you probably think I’m some sort of monster now.”
He couldn’t help but stare in amazement. He held out his hand.
“Can, I touch it?”
Sayeh choked on her tears. She gave him an embarrassed smile and moved her leg away. She sobbed again and pulled her dress back down, shaking her head.
“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “It feels so strange and unnatural. I can hardly believe it’s my leg.”
“Well, at least you can do some of the work around here again.” Eldritch forced an awkward smile and hoped his attempt at humor would be well received.
Her eyes narrowed and she did not respond.
“I’d been meaning to ask you about something,” he continued and cleared his throat. “Do you know if there is a way to get to that lower level? Not through the floor of course.”
“Why didn’t you build a door or entry when you fixed it if you want to go back down there so badly?” Her tone was bitter and sharp.
“I didn’t want any more of the floor beams to break.” He stumbled over his words, each one making Sayeh’s anger appear more intense. “Are there any other hidden rooms?”
“You know, for a man stuck in books all day, you really don’t understand much!” She picked up the book that had the maps spread out to Caetheal. “Can you get these organized or am I going to have to pick up after you all day?”
“I’m the only one in here most of the time.” He looked back to the storage room. “Could I dedicate a shelf to the ones I use the most? Maybe that would help keep this place clean. I don’t want to put extra strain on your leg.”
“I can manage on my own,” she said through gritted teeth and clenched her fists. “Your family probably needs you for the harvest time. You best get back to them and stop coming here.”
She limped away from the table.
The hair stood up on the back of his neck. Her words fell heavy on his heart. He slowly walked to the door and turned back before he left.
“I’m sorry, Sayeh,” he whispered and closed the door behind him.
Chapter Four
Eldritch tried to focus on helping his parents with the harvest, but he could not stop thinking about what happened to Sayeh. Although it was not quite two weeks, each hour strung out like years since he was last at the bookshop.
He hung his head at his desk and stared at the paper in front of him. An apology letter was what he attempted to write, but a blank page was all that remained in front of him. As much as he tried to stay awake and craft an elegant poem to beg her forgiveness, his eyelids grew heavy and started to close. He rested his head on his arm. The pen in his other hand scribbled something out as he faded into his dreams.
Seeker, do not falter. Secrets have begun to stir.
Seeker, the time is nigh. You know the answer.
Rise with the moon. Set course to fly.
All will be revealed soon if you seek her.
The words blurred in his vision as Eldritch rubbed his eyes open. He did not recognize the handwriting. The letters curled into each other and had the appearance of being stained from the other side of the page. He blinked and held his pen closer. Dried ink was smeared across the tip.
He dropped it and stood, allowing the sunlight to bring him back to his senses. Squinting out the window, the day was nearly over. He must have fallen asleep close to morning and wasted most of the day. The sun would soon be setting.
“Mother, I need to get something in town,” he called out, hoping no one would respond. “I will return to help soon.”
He strained his ear for any movement in the other rooms. They were likely out in the fields without him. They shouldn’t mind if he snuck away for an evening like he used to do.
He grabbed the paper and shoved it under his bedroll. With the air getting cooler as summer came to an end, he needed to bring his cloak with him. He grabbed it and headed out the door. An apology letter would have been nice to give Sayeh, but for now, he’d have to rely on his wit. His worst trait.
~ ~ ~
“I wondered when you’d show up again,” Sayeh said as Eldritch stepped inside the bookshop.
The entire journey to town, Eldritch had been planning how to apologize to her. Now she looked at him in a way that erased his memory of the speech.
“Sorry, there was work needed at the farm,” Eldritch mumbled.
“Seems everyone is busy around here. It’s been lonely without you.”
“It has?” He stepped in farther and placed a hand on the table, wet from a recent spill, or over cleaning. “How is your leg healing?”
“It’s―” She pressed her dress down over the place the wound had been. Eldritch could see a bit of extra cloth on her leg. “I don’t know. The damned scar is still there. I’m glad it’s cooler out so I can cover it better.”
“I’m sorry,” Eldritch confessed. “I feel like it is somehow my fault for everything.”
“It’s not your fault. I should be the one to apologize. You saved my life.”
“I wish there was more I could do to help.”
“There is something you can do,” she said with a flirtatious chuckle. “I have something I’ve been meaning to show you.”
Eldritch hoped the sunburn he’d acquired from working in the fields would hide his flushing cheeks, but knew from Sayeh’s smile, it didn’t.
“I don’t think we should try the storage room.” He gave a nervous laugh.
“If you’re not ready, that’s okay,” Sayeh said.
“It’s not that.” Eldritch sighed. “What did you want to show me?”
“A secret. I’ll show you if you agree to come with me.”
His feet wouldn’t move. He wasn’t sure if he was even breathing.
Before he could respond, she grabbed his hands and pulled him from the door.
“What are you doing?” Eldritch managed to say when she slipped beh
ind him.
A familiar clicking sound of the key locking the door made him sweat.
Sayeh kept her grip on him. She was either getting stronger or he was getting weaker. He needed to show her that he had some confidence.
“Okay,” Eldritch said grabbing her hand tighter. “I’m ready to go.”
“If you will follow me.” She bowed down in her corset that had been loosened. Her hair tumbled onto her face. She slipped the strand behind her ear and grinned.
Eldritch’s mouth had fallen open when she bent down, and he was likely staring too hard. She had a way of working a magic over him that he could not explain.
Obediently he followed her toward one of the back shelves.
“I found it while sorting these books. I believe they were riddles that have been solved or notes on puzzles from what I could read.” She paused. “Thank you again for teaching me. I wouldn’t have figured it out without you. I hope once you see it, you will accept my proper thanks.”
Sayeh moved one of the larger books away to reveal three small holes in the shelf. A faint ring of worn wood circled around them. She grabbed a nearby book and flipped it on its spine.
The clasp matched the three holes, and with a push, the book turned. She looked back to Eldritch with a wild expression.
“I didn’t have time to clean much, but there’s surprisingly no spiders or rats, which is odd considering the amount we get in the attic. I’ll never go up there again. Likely to become a feast for them up―” She bit her lip and looked back to the shelf. “I’m babbling on. Let me show you. I, well, you’ll see.”
She pressed the book into its former place. As it sunk into the shelf, a section of the wall beside it swung open. Stairs descended into the darkness.
He couldn’t determine if his hands were shaking from excitement or nervousness as Sayeh grabbed them again.
“Sorry, can you go first?” she asked. “The dark scares me a little, and I need to grab a light. I can meet you down there.”
Eldritch nodded. Her words sounded miles away. His mind was already climbing down the darkened staircase. Instead of a dread keeping him still, a lure to enter tugged at his soul.
Hollows of the Nox Page 3
