Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-18. Whispers of vines

[Xanthea]

An icy sensation crawled up my leg.

The din of my breaths and my heartbeats faltered in my ears as the sound of rustling grass, as if a serpent hastily slithered through them. I stood barefoot on the dewy grass, aware of every stir in the surrounding underbrush. Cold fog condensed on my skin like sweats damping my white gown.

Breathing slowly but heavily through my mouth, I kept staring at the grass apprehensively.

Subtle slithering sounds grew louder. Movement in the grass and bushes became evident. It was then I realized something was rumbling under the ground.

Unease knotted in my stomach and even before I could think about running, sinewy vines erupted from the earth all around me. I froze in my place as they whipped right before my eyes like the gigantic tentacles of an octopus. I fell on the ground, lying on my back as they coiled themselves all around my body.

I felt the movements of the vines against my skin. Their cold and damp touch as the vines slowly swallowed me into the ground. I knew I was being pulled underground, but it felt as though I was sinking. The faint light filtering through the grassy surface floated farther and farther away from me.

But there was no panic, just an uncanny peace.

There was a glow underground and a thick scent of soil and roots.

'Xanthea...' someone whispered my name in my ears. 'Come to us. Call us...'

"Who?" I mumbled with a groan.

"Xanthea?"

Moaning, I winced.

"Xanthea," the voice was close to my ears, yet I heard it as a distant murmur.

I parted my eyelids, staring at a familiar ceiling of my room in the Aile castle.

Were those the whispers of the vines?

I struggled with every blink, trying to navigate through what was real. The warm light in the room dispersed the fog before my eyes as though someone had just wiped the dew streaked glass.

"Xanthea..." someone called out to me again, but I couldn't make out whose voice it was until I turned my head and met Nesryn's eyes. Her expressions were a mix of relief and sternness. "You woke up exactly when he predicted you would."

I felt the same cold sensation on my leg. I turned my head to the other side and saw Mavka gently rubbing a sphere of ice over my leg, her gaze fixed on the task.

back to me and the last thing I remember was

sat up on the bed with a jerk. A sharp pain jolted through my head as it spun.

a stoic face. She arranged pillows behind me

said weakly, with a dry

beside me. Her gaze was

warned you to stay away from Raven's plants,

held my chin and made me look at her

me when I talk to you. Why did you go near his

against a plant... I am

are going to be in trouble with Raven, for sure. Do you even

I nodded.

a carvera. I had only read about them. I had never encountered one in real life. The

a mutated carvera that Raven had been working on for months. Out of hundreds of the mutated varieties, only one of such carvera survived. So I hope you can imagine how important it was for Raven, considering how much time, resources and probably emotions he had

once, pursing

still a plant! All you had to do was be careful. Did you know how to protect yourself

weakness," I said. "If we uproot them, they lose their power, and... eventually, they

the book? Don't forget to visit 5s.org for the full experience. You won't find the

as she ran her fingers through her open hair, flipping

to protect yourself from the plant, which is now dead anyway?" she asked, and I lifted

"Y-yes..."

disbelief in her eyes. "I saw the plant's

Mavka stopped rubbing the ice on my leg. Gulping hard, I fidgeted with my

you said, the plant was important to Alpha Raven. He loves his plants like his child. He cares about them more than anything else. So... how could I...

with wide eyes. She got down from

believe this mortal fool..." she mumbled to herself, then she looked at me. "Are you out of your mind, Xanthea? No, literally, have you fucking lost it? No matter what plant it was. It was still a plant. How can a freaking plant

within me, settled a heavy feeling with an even more bitter answer.

the body to treat TTA for the High lady, I really thought I was going

was already lifted to my hips. I saw the welts of vines tattooed on my skin, bruised and

Be grateful they saved your leg. A second's delay and they

for saving

save you.

body stiffened. "H-he

lips into

"D-does that mean..."