She led me across the square and toward a townhouse near a fountain. A warm light was emanating from one of the windows. She knocked softly on the door and waited.
A woman wearing pajamas answered the door. A human, I could tell by the scent of her. She had long, straight black hair and was apparently in her mid-thirties. Her eyes shifted from me to the witch.
“Corrine?” the woman said, sounding surprised.
“Anna,” the witch replied. “I’m so sorry to disturb you at this time of night.”
“Where have you been?” Anna interrupted, moving forward and clasping Corrine’s shoulder. “Ibrahim has been going insane with worry. He’s searched for you everywhere. We all have.”
“I was trapped in The Oasis,” Corrine replied. “I got caught and, well… it’s a long story. I’m sure there will be time for me to give you the full explanation, but for now, I wondered if you know where River’s family is being housed on the island?”
“Oh, yes.” A smile broke out on Anna’s face, her eyes falling to me again. “We actually offered to take them into our own home. We cleared out two of the bedrooms upstairs. Your mother and siblings are up there sleeping right now.”
Corrine let out a sigh of relief. “Perfect,” she said. The witch looked back down at me with kind, sorrowful eyes. “Are you okay to go with Anna now?”
I nodded, my throat too tight to answer.
Anna reached for my hand and took it, leading me inside the house.
“Good night, Corrine,” she said.
“Good night,” the witch replied, before vanishing from the spot.
Anna closed the door.
“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Would you like something to drink? Are you hungry?”
I was relieved that she didn’t start asking me about my time in The Oasis. I could have done with some water, but I was in no mood for anything at all. I shook my head.
“Thanks,” I croaked.
“Okay,” she said. She led me up the staircase to a spacious landing. She pointed to two doors—one directly in front of me, and one at the end of the corridor on the right-hand side.
“Your mom and sisters are in this one, and your brother is in the room on the right. His room is pretty small, but there’s room for another mattress in your mom’s room. I suggest you go in there.”
“Okay.”
She moved to the door in front of us, and knocked. I could hear the sounds of my family sleeping. I should’ve felt happy at the thought of seeing their faces again. But I just felt numb.
Anna knocked more loudly when nobody answered. “Nadia?” she called.
There was the creak of a mattress, and then the door opened. My mother stood before us in a lilac nightie, her hair tied in a braid that hung down one shoulder. “River!” she gasped before smothering me in a hug.
Anna went about arranging for another mattress and more bedding to be brought into the room. It was her husband, Kyle—a kind-looking man with grey-peppered hair—who helped her carry it all inside. My mother thanked them profusely before they bid us goodnight and left us alone.
My sisters had woken up during the shuffle, and as I sank down on my mattress, the three of them gathered around me. They asked me dozens of questions—what had happened? Why was I back? Would I stay? I answered them as patiently as I could while giving the least amount of detail.
“Let’s get some rest now,” my mother said, apparently sensing my mind was someplace else. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk in the morning.”
She kissed my forehead before ushering my sisters back into bed. Then she switched off the lights, plunging the room into darkness.
Despite the moderate temperature of the room, a wave of coldness swept through my bones. Gripping my blanket, I enveloped myself in it. I curled up in a fetal position. The same position I had been in just hours ago, when Ben had been holding me.
Through the pain, I thought about what he’d said the first time he’d tried to leave me. He’d said if I returned to The Shade, I could get on with my life, and perhaps live here in safety with my family.
When the idea of moving to The Shade had first occurred to me, I’d barely been able to contain my excitement.
Now, as much as I reminded myself of the wonder and beauty of the place, without Ben, it felt like any other.
CHAPTER 3: CORRINE
A fter taking River to her family in the Vale, I had to find my husband. I vanished myself from Anna’s house and reappeared in the Sanctuary, directly outside Ibrahim’s and my bedroom. I placed my ear against the door, straining to hear my husband’s breathing. I couldn’t. Turning the handle, I pushed the door open and switched on the light. The room was empty. But it was more than empty. It was… an absolute wreck.
My eyes widened. Ibrahim had a habit of not tidying up after himself and leaving things scattered about—but this… this was a level of messiness that I hadn’t thought even my husband was capable of. The room had been turned upside down. All the contents of the drawers had been emptied—piles of books, clothes and papers all over the floor—the curtains were awry, and the mattress and bedsheets had been ripped from the bed. Heck, even the rug was scrunched up in one corner.
My pulse raced. What happened here?
I shot out of the door and began hurrying along the hallways from room to room. Each of them were in a similar state of disarray. Not even the bathrooms had been spared.
As I entered the chaotic living room, meeting with a similar state of mess, I was relieved to see my husband sitting in an armchair, his back to me. His head rested in his hand, and from the way he breathed, it was clear he’d fallen asleep upright.