Chapter 9: Shadows Reapers

Rieka's heart raced as Talia's sharp scream echoed across the dining hall. All eyes turned toward her, in shock. "What in the name of hell is happening here?" Phillip shouted, bursting into the room with a bottle of wine clutched in each hand. His burning eyes fell from Talia to Rieka and finally rested on Gaustav, his hand still clutched around Rieka's. "Let her go," Phillip snarled. Gaustav snickered, completely unbothered by the tension in the room. "Relax, Phillip. I was only introducing myself. Surely you do not actually think I would harm your guest?" He let go of Rieka's hand but continued to smile in that smug way that made her skin crawl. Talia stormed forward, her finger quivering as she pointed it at Rieka. "She's trying to seduce him! First, you, Phillip, and now Gaustav? How low can she stoop?" Rieka's eyes slitted, her patience wearing thin. "I'm not trying to seduce anyone. Maybe you should keep your insecurities in check, Talia." The room went silent. Talia's face colored crimson as she clenched her fists. "Insecurities? You don't belong here, Rieka. You're nothing but trouble. Talia, that's enough!" Mrs. Adams finally intervened, her voice firm as she stepped into the fray. "Rieka is our guest, and you will treat her with respect. If you can't control yourself, perhaps you should excuse yourself from dinner." Talia opened her mouth to argue but snapped it shut when her mother's stern glare met hers. She stormed out of the dining room, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. I am so sorry, Rieka," Mrs. Adams said, placing a gentle hand upon her shoulder. "Talia… she can be difficult sometimes." "It's fine," Rieka said, though her voice lacked conviction. The evening had become a farce, and she was the main attraction. Phillip moved to her side, his face still clouded with anger. "Let's step outside for a moment. I think we could both use some air. Rieka nodded and found herself grasping for that escape. She followed him out to the veranda, where the cool night breeze offered temporary relief from the chaos inside. "Are you okay?" Phillip asked him as he leaned against the wooden railing. "I'm fine," Rieka replied, though her hands trembled a little as she smoothed her dress. "Your sister really doesn't like me." Phillip sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Talia has always been. possessive. She doesn't know how to handle someone challenging her world." "I'm not here to challenge anything," Rieka said softly. "I just want to live my life in peace." Phillip turned to her, his expression softening. "And you will. I'll make sure of it. A faint rustling in the nearby bushes intruded into their moment. Rieka stiffened, her instincts on high alert. "Did you hear that?" Phillip frowned. "Yeah. Stay here. I'll check it out." She had no time to protest as Phillip vanished into the shadows. The passing of time became increasingly long with every second that ticked by. Then, a low growl rumbled from the darkness. "Phillip?" Rieka called out, her voice shaking. A figure came out of the bushes. It wasn't Phillip. It was a man dressed in black. His face was obscured by a hood pulled well over his head. Danger was an aura he wore, and Rieka instinctively recoiled a step backward. "Who are you?" she asked without hesitation, her voice firm while her heart raced in fear. The man didn't say a word. He merely lifted a hand, and a dark mist started to eddy around his person. Rieka's eyes finally widened as the mist crept closer, tendrils reaching out to snare her. "Stay back!" she warned, but there was no sound against the oppressive silence of the night. The door to the house burst open, and Phillip rushed out, a makeshift torch in hand. "Rieka, get behind me!" The figure in black hissed; the sound was inhuman. Then he disappeared into the fog. Phillip swung the torch wildly, as if to strike anything that came near him, but the intruder had disappeared into thin air. "What the hell was that?" he muttered, still heaving a little as he turned back to Rieka. "I don't know," she responded very softly. "But I don't think this is over." Back inside, it was tense. Mrs. Adams fussed over Rieka, checking for any injuries, while Phillip told his father what had just happened. Mr. Adams's expression darkened, his jovial demeanor replaced by somber intensity. "This isn't a coincidence," he said finally. "There's been talk of strange happenings in the village. People disappear, shadows move on their own. I thought it was just superstition, but now. Rieka's mind was racing. The man in black, the swirling mist—it all felt disturbingly familiar, as if connected to something she couldn't quite remember. Gaustav spoke for the first time, and his words were, "Perhaps it's time we called for outside help. There are hunters that specialize in dealing with these kinds of… phenomena." Phillip glared coldly at him. "We don't need hunters. We can handle this ourselves." Gaustav smirked. "Handle it? Like you handled protecting Rieka tonight?" Phillip took a threatening step forward, but Mrs. Adams intervened. "That's enough, both of you! This isn't the time for petty arguments." Gaustav held up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying, we need to be smart about this. Whatever that thing was, it's not something we can ignore." Mrs. Adams nodded reluctantly. "He's right. We need answers. "I'll go to the village tomorrow," Phillip said. "There's an elder there who might know something." Rieka hesitated before speaking. "I want to come with you." "No," Phillip said immediately. "It's too dangerous." "I'm not asking for permission," Rieka shot back. "Whatever is happening, it's tied to me somehow. I need to understand why." Phillip looked at her for a long moment before finally nodding. "Fine. But stay close to me." When the group had gone off to bed for the night, Rieka found herself wide awake. She stared out the wind, the events of the evening replayed in her mind. She heard a lone wolf howling in the distance,Rieka shivered and pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders. She had a feeling that this night was just the beginning. In the dark of the forest, the man in black knelt before a shadowy figure. "She is here," he said in a low, raspy whisper. The figure moved forward, its eyes aglow like in the night. "Good. The time has come. Bring her to me." The man nodded, disappearing into the mist once more. The figure turned toward the Adams' house, a way wicked smile playing on its lips. "Soon," it murmured. "Very soon.