Whispers in the Forest (The Unforgettable Tales of Adeline Bigsby Book 1) by Elizabeth Mowery

Author:Elizabeth Mowery [Mowery, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wild & Free Publishing LLC
Published: 2024-03-19T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter twenty-two

Adeline shaded her eyes from the excruciating light, breathing in the fresh air that smelled of pine and mulch. It was abruptly replaced by her own repulsive stench.

She held her nose to keep herself from vomiting as she adjusted to the bright sunlight. She would have to burn her clothing and bathe for hours, if not days, to get rid of the stench from the murky water.

Once her eyes settled, she took in the quiet forest bursting with color. A warm breeze whispered through the fall leaves that went on for miles. Adeline was grateful to be outside, but her heart still pounded as if she were in danger.

Glancing back, Adeline eyed the massive boulder that towered over her head. There was no door in sight, which heightened her uneasiness as she skimmed the pretty forest once more.

Movement ahead snatched Adeline’s attention to the winding path ahead of her. Footsteps crunched closer and closer against the fallen leaves. Half expecting another monster to step from behind a tree, she was relieved to see Henry sporting his button-down shirt and cap.

“Henry!”

“Hello there, Adeline.” Henry waved as he strolled toward her.

Closer than before, Adeline noticed his clothes were dry. Not a single drop dripped from the hem of his trousers.

Adeline hobbled toward Henry Snow. Each step was painful, but she didn’t stop until she crashed into his open arms. He smelled of tobacco and leather, and she relaxed in his embrace. He squeezed her tightly, not even caring that she was soaked and smelled like sewage.

“Well done, Adeline.” Henry released her with a grand smile.

“Thanks,” she said, wiping her teary eyes.

“I am so pleased that you didn’t give up.” He gripped her on the shoulder. “And now you can keep the promise.”

Adeline grinned for the first time in hours. She had forgotten about the sapphire. Stuffing her hand into her pocket, she pulled out the solid gemstone and held it to the sun. The sunlight filtered through the flat faces of the stone, throwing geometric puddles of blue along her arms and Henry’s face. There were no imperfections in its brilliance.

“What are you going to do with it?” Henry asked.

“Probably sell it,” she said honestly. “I could make a lot of money. And then I could buy my family a better house.”

“Some things are more valuable than money.”

“I know that, but money would make my life a lot easier.”

A tiny smile crept across his thin, wrinkly lips. “May I change your mind?”

Adeline hesitated for a moment. “What do you think I should do with it?”

“Hold it out to me, and I’ll show you.”

Adeline extended the sapphire to him. She raised a brow when he placed his soft hand on top of the gemstone. The stone went hot, and she backed away, almost dropping it when she felt it liquifying in her palm.

“You don’t need money right now, Adeline,” Henry said, looking her dead in the eye. “You need courage.”

Henry removed his hand, and Adeline gasped. The sapphire had melted!

The bright blue liquid absorbed into her skin like her palm was a sponge.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.