Only Darkness Lies

Chapter 31

Shim was all that occupied her mind.

All this time he had played his game while using her as a pawn, to fight for him and give her life for him. But he couldn't be more wrong, she was no pawn and he was no king. He was a murderer who had managed to delay his faith by playing mind games on her, manipulating her all this time, telling a new lie everytime to cover for the last one. But it was all over now; she knew the truth.

Everything was clear to her, the clues began to merge together and she felt like she was getting closer to solving the puzzle, the murder of Aden.

Shim killed her brother and lied to her about Kin, Monre and Ekom to get his revenge on them. The three of them did kill Shim's son and that angered him further.

The who did what of the story was almost clear now but still there lied one question which remained unanswered. Why did he do that? What motivated him to kill Aden? It was clear that Ekom, Kin and Monre attacked the village and killed people because the villagers didn't pay back their money.

But what about his brother, he had worked for years in Shim's restaurant then why did he decide to kill him all of a sudden? Was he planning it for years or did he do it on someone's commands?

She couldn't know the answer if she stayed there, she had to return to Ilsiome and come face to face with Shim. Only he could anwer all her questions.

She got up from her bed and was greeted by the little girl.

"What's your name?" She asked her with a smile.
"Lilian" she replied smiling back at her
"What's yours?"
"Elvira"
"Are you in pain now?" She asked looking at the bandages that covered Elvira's arms and legs.
"I'm fine. Thank you."
"Well" Lilian said standing up, "Please come to have breakfast with us."
"Okay" she replied.

Lilian left the room, closing the door behind her.
Elvira was not in pain now, true, but she couldn't rush to Ilsiome in that condition, especially if she ended up fighting Shim.

She had to be patient and wait for her body to heal, only then she could go to Ilsiome.

With these thoughts in her mind, she stood up to get ready and joined Lilian and her mother after a while to have breakfast.

She ruminated on her plans while resting on a chair outside the house, staring into space.

What am I going to do? She asked herself.
If Shim didn't agree to answer her questions then she would have to use brute force.

She couldn't help but think of Aden and his loyalty to Shim.

How innocent or rather foolish he was to not have seen the signs that Shim was going to betray him?

What's trust and how does it feel to have it broken and crumbled by the ones you trusted? The ones you never expected it from.

She hadn't even stopped thinking about Aden when Elfred's face flashed before her eyes, his face right before his death, that sadness in his eyes.

She could have prevented it, only if she had seen his face before attacking, she knew she would have stopped.

Her vision blurred as she let out a deep breath.

Did she break his trust? Was that the reason of that sad look on his face?

There was no way of knowing that now. She had managed to escape from the mansion and was confident that those guards wouldn't come after her, not after they didn't know where to look for her in the first place.

"The trees are bare now but they look beautiful during spring."

A sweet voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned around to look at the speaker. It was Lilian's mother who had just returned after collecting firewood. She was looking at the trees with a blank expression.

She continued "Lilian's father died when she was young; it is hard to be a single mother in these parts of the woods but we have got nowhere else to go."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Elvira said.
She nodded and went inside to prepare supper.

A tiny hand grabbed Elvira from the back; it was Lilian.
"Would you play with me until dinner's ready?" She requested.
It was getting dark so Elvira suggested playing inside the house. Lilian was reluctant at first but finally gave in after her mother suggested the same.

Elvira couldn't say no to that child. She had to clear her mind of the negative emotions she was feeling at that moment and she felt that there couldn't be a better way to do it.