behind him towards the ball room, with the swords and statues. I glanced towards the wolf head again, its eyes watching me. We approached one of the book shelves. Marren released my hand and started to look through the books. A thought entered my mind that he could be at it for months.
“What I'm about to tell you, and show you, is a lot to take in. But it's important that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you get in too deep.”
“Too late for that,” I muttered under my breath. The weight of my words was far heavier than I realized.
“Most of the magic in this world, along with creatures that now are a part of myth, were banished several hundred years ago. But as you can see, some of us have stuck around anyway. Forced to hide our true identities and live in secluded areas of the world. That is how magic still exists on this realm and how I've been able to stick around as long as I have.”
“Where was every one banished to?” I asked, curious to finally know more about the enigma of Marren. “And what do you mean hide your true identity?”
“A separate realm that mirrors much of this world. Ah!” He pulled out a book by the spine then turned and held it out for me, ignoring my second question. “This book has a lot of information in it. It should help to answer most of your questions. What it doesn't answer, I will explain.”
I nodded, taking the book. It was small, but heavy and thick. There was no print on the cover, looking as if it had been worn off for quite some time. The smooth cover felt like cloth, it was stained heavily, making it difficult to discern the original color.
“I must warn you, there are things that are nightmarish and horrific described in this book. It may frighten you beyond what I'm expecting. If that happens, I ask that you come to me and let me know, so I can do my best to lay those fears to rest.” He cupped my face in his hands and looked me deep in my eyes.
I only have one fear now... I wanted to say, but the words fell silent at my lips. I nodded.
“Come on, I want to show you something else.”
We walked back through the dining hall and through a door at the back of the kitchen to a set of stairs that led to the servants’ quarters. Then, I followed him back through the corridor and up the stairs that led to my room. The room at the top and to the left was the bathing room and held a giant tub in the center that was deep enough to be a pond. The ceiling was solid glass, letting in natural light, but it also had sconces along the walls for darker days and nights. Next, he led me to the closed doors along the balcony and pointed to Enid's room, in case I needed something when Marren wasn’t around. Then, he showed me his study that held bookshelves, a large desk with a chair and scrolls strewn about and even a few statues of miniature dragons, fairies, and gnomes.
He faced me, leaning against the edge of his desk. “Now that you've seen my entire home, what do you think?”
I couldn't help the giggle that bubbled out of me. “You wait until now to ask me about my view of your home?”
“Our home.”
My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. “It's absolutely beautiful. But there is one place you didn’t show me.”
He looked at me as if to ask where.
“Where is your room?”
“I tend to sleep in my study, as of late.” He removed himself from his desk. “It's getting late. I should escort you to your room.”
5
Therianthrope
I walked directly to the table and sat the book down. I turned, jumping when I saw Marren standing in front of me. In one infallible movement, his arms were around me and he was kissing me again. This time, I felt fear. It felt almost like a hidden fear that I wasn't meant to know. And he was kissing me as though it was for the last time. I clung to him when he pulled away from me.
“Wait, don't go.” The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them and surprised me with the determination in
“What I'm about to tell you, and show you, is a lot to take in. But it's important that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you get in too deep.”
“Too late for that,” I muttered under my breath. The weight of my words was far heavier than I realized.
“Most of the magic in this world, along with creatures that now are a part of myth, were banished several hundred years ago. But as you can see, some of us have stuck around anyway. Forced to hide our true identities and live in secluded areas of the world. That is how magic still exists on this realm and how I've been able to stick around as long as I have.”
“Where was every one banished to?” I asked, curious to finally know more about the enigma of Marren. “And what do you mean hide your true identity?”
“A separate realm that mirrors much of this world. Ah!” He pulled out a book by the spine then turned and held it out for me, ignoring my second question. “This book has a lot of information in it. It should help to answer most of your questions. What it doesn't answer, I will explain.”
I nodded, taking the book. It was small, but heavy and thick. There was no print on the cover, looking as if it had been worn off for quite some time. The smooth cover felt like cloth, it was stained heavily, making it difficult to discern the original color.
“I must warn you, there are things that are nightmarish and horrific described in this book. It may frighten you beyond what I'm expecting. If that happens, I ask that you come to me and let me know, so I can do my best to lay those fears to rest.” He cupped my face in his hands and looked me deep in my eyes.
I only have one fear now... I wanted to say, but the words fell silent at my lips. I nodded.
“Come on, I want to show you something else.”
We walked back through the dining hall and through a door at the back of the kitchen to a set of stairs that led to the servants’ quarters. Then, I followed him back through the corridor and up the stairs that led to my room. The room at the top and to the left was the bathing room and held a giant tub in the center that was deep enough to be a pond. The ceiling was solid glass, letting in natural light, but it also had sconces along the walls for darker days and nights. Next, he led me to the closed doors along the balcony and pointed to Enid's room, in case I needed something when Marren wasn’t around. Then, he showed me his study that held bookshelves, a large desk with a chair and scrolls strewn about and even a few statues of miniature dragons, fairies, and gnomes.
He faced me, leaning against the edge of his desk. “Now that you've seen my entire home, what do you think?”
I couldn't help the giggle that bubbled out of me. “You wait until now to ask me about my view of your home?”
“Our home.”
My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. “It's absolutely beautiful. But there is one place you didn’t show me.”
He looked at me as if to ask where.
“Where is your room?”
“I tend to sleep in my study, as of late.” He removed himself from his desk. “It's getting late. I should escort you to your room.”
5
Therianthrope
I walked directly to the table and sat the book down. I turned, jumping when I saw Marren standing in front of me. In one infallible movement, his arms were around me and he was kissing me again. This time, I felt fear. It felt almost like a hidden fear that I wasn't meant to know. And he was kissing me as though it was for the last time. I clung to him when he pulled away from me.
“Wait, don't go.” The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them and surprised me with the determination in
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