3. The Gift from the Serpent

“You really don't have to stare at me while I eat,” she said with her mouth full.

He leaned against a tree.

“I like watching you.”

Rizz stopped chewing.

She slowly looked at him.

“That sounded creepy.”

The man chuckled.

“You're still alive.”

“Barely.”

Rizz continued eating.

Before she left, the man handed her a large bag.

She stared at it.

“What's this?”

“Take it.”

Rizz opened the bag.

There were breads, fruits, pastries, cooked meat, and several small cakes inside.

Her jaw dropped.

“This is all for me?”

“Yes.”

Rizz looked at him suspiciously.

“Are you trying to fatten me up?”

“No.”

“Then why are you giving me so much food?”

The man looked at her with an unreadable expression.

“Because you need it.”

Rizz didn't understand what he meant.

But she wasn't going to complain.

“Thank you,” she said with a bright smile.

The man's gaze lingered on her face.

That smile again.

Somehow, he wanted to see it more often.

“Go home,” he finally said.

Rizz picked up the bag.

“I'll see you again?”

The man looked into her eyes.

“You will.”

Rizz smiled before walking away.

She had no idea that the man was already watching her long after she disappeared between the trees.

That same afternoon...

Someone knocked on Rizz's house.

Knock.

Knock.

Her stepmother opened the door.

A well-dressed stranger stood outside.

The man wore an expensive-looking coat and carried a leather folder.

“Mrs. Clariton?” he asked politely.

“Yes?” Rizz's stepmother replied suspiciously.

“I have a letter concerning Rizz Clariton.”

The woman's eyes narrowed.

“Rizz?”

The stranger handed her the envelope.

“Please give this to her.”

Her stepmother accepted it reluctantly.

“What is this?”

“A recommendation and educational sponsorship.”

The stranger smiled politely.

“Rizz has been selected to continue her education.”

Before the woman could ask anything else, the stranger turned around and left.

The moment the door closed—

“What?”

Selena rushed toward her mother.

“A recommendation?”

She snatched the envelope.

“This has to be for me!”

Her mother frowned.

“Of course it is.”

Selena opened the envelope eagerly.

“I knew it!”

She pulled out the papers.

“I knew someone finally noticed how smart I am!”

Her eyes scanned the page.

Her smile slowly disappeared.

“What...?”

Her mother took the papers.

She read the first line.

Then the second.

Her face turned pale.

“This is impossible.”

Selena leaned closer.

“What?”

Her mother stared at the name written across the document.

Rizz Clariton.

The recommendation was for Rizz.

The educational sponsorship was for Rizz.

Every benefit listed on the document belonged to Rizz.

Selena's face twisted with rage.

“No!”

She threw the papers onto the table.

“This must be a mistake!”

Her mother slammed her hand against the table.

“Why would anyone sponsor her?”

“I don't know!” Selena screamed.

“She must have done something!”

Her mother grabbed the letter again.

“Who would waste money on that girl?”

Selena's eyes narrowed.

“She probably lied to someone.”

Her mother immediately stood.

“Let's ask her.”

Selena smirked.

“She's still in the pig pen.”

Her mother's expression hardened.

“Then we'll ask her there.”

Rizz was fast asleep.

She had tied an old sack between two wooden beams and turned it into a makeshift hammock.

She lay comfortably inside it.

Her bag of food was hidden in the corner.

Her stomach was full.

For the first time in days, she had eaten until she was satisfied.

Then—

“RIZZ!”

She jolted awake.

“What?”

The pig pen door flew open.

Her stepmother stormed inside.

Selena followed behind her.

“Where did you get this?” her stepmother demanded as she shoved the recommendation letter in front of Rizz's face.

Rizz rubbed her sleepy eyes.

“What is that?”

“Don't pretend you don't know!”

Rizz sat up.

She took the letter.

Her eyes widened.

“School?”

Her stepmother crossed her arms.

“Explain!”

Rizz looked confused.

“I don't know.”

“You don't know?” Selena shouted.

Rizz shook her head.

“I really don't.”

Her stepmother's eyes narrowed.

“What have you done?”

“Nothing.”

“Who did you deceive?”

“No one.”

“Who did you steal from?”

“No one!”

Selena suddenly noticed something in the corner.

“Mom.”

She pointed.

“What is that?”

Rizz turned.

Her bag was partially hidden beneath a piece of cloth.

Selena immediately rushed toward it.

She pulled it open.

Her eyes widened.

Inside were breads.

Fresh fruits.

Cakes.

Pastries.

Her stomach growled.

Selena quickly swallowed.

“Where did you get all this?”

Rizz shrugged.

“Someone gave it to me.”

Her stepmother's face darkened.

“Someone?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“I don't know his name.”

Selena's eyes widened.

“You stole it!”

“I didn't!”

“You're a thief!”

Selena screamed as she pointed at Rizz.

Her mother immediately joined in.

“You stole food from someone and bribed them to get you a scholarship!”

“What?”

Rizz stared at them in disbelief.

“That doesn't even make sense!”

“You're lying!” her stepmother shouted.

The argument grew louder.

Neighbors began gathering outside.

“What's happening?”

“I heard they're accusing Rizz of stealing.”

“Look, the police are coming.”

Rizz looked toward the entrance.

A police officer stepped into the yard.

He was a middle-aged man with a serious expression.

Rizz recognized him.

It was Hery's father.

The officer looked at the bag of food.

Then at the recommendation letter.

Then at Rizz.

“Rizz,” he said firmly, “you're coming with me.”

Rizz's eyes widened.

“What?”

“I need to take these items to the station as evidence,” the officer explained.

Rizz looked at her stepmother.

Then Selena.

Neither looked sympathetic.

Rizz sighed.

“Fine.”

She climbed out of her makeshift hammock.

As she walked past Selena, she suddenly noticed something strange.

Selena was standing beside the bag.

And there were crumbs around her mouth.

Rizz narrowed her eyes.

“Selena.”

Selena froze.

“What?”

“Why are there crumbs on your face?”

Selena quickly wiped her mouth.

“There aren't.”

Rizz stared at her suspiciously.

Selena turned away.

Behind her back...

Three pieces of bread were hidden inside the feeding bowl.

Selena had secretly stolen them from Rizz's bag.

She glanced at the bread greedily.

Then she smiled.

No one noticed.

***

Rizz sat quietly on the wooden chair inside the police station.

The bag of food sat on the table in front of her.

So did the recommendation letter.

Across from her sat the police officer who had brought her there.

He looked serious.

His uniform was neat, his expression firm, and his eyes sharp enough to make most people nervous.

Rizz, however, simply stared at the bread sticking out of the bag.

Her stomach growled.

The officer raised an eyebrow.

Rizz immediately looked away.

“Sorry,” she muttered.

The officer almost smiled.

Almost.

He opened the file in front of him.

“Rizz Clariton?” he asked calmly.

“Yes,” Rizz answered as she sat up straighter.

“My name is Robert,” he introduced himself while placing a pen on the table. “I'm Hery's father.”

Rizz's eyes widened.

“Oh.”

She looked at him again.

“So you're Hery's dad?”

Robert nodded.

Rizz suddenly remembered their conversation earlier.

“He's going to college, right?”

Robert's expression softened slightly.

“Yes.”

Rizz smiled faintly.

“He has so many books.”

Robert studied her face for a moment.

Then his expression became serious again.

“Rizz, I need to ask you something.”

Rizz nodded.

“Did you steal the food in this bag?”

Rizz immediately shook her head.

“No.”

Robert leaned back slightly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Then where did you get it?”

“Someone gave it to me.”

Robert paused.

“Someone?”

Rizz nodded.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

Rizz thought for a moment.

“I don't know his name.”

Robert frowned.

“You don't know his name?”

“No.”

“Then where did you meet him?”

Rizz answered honestly.

“In the forest.”

Robert's hand stopped moving.

“The forest?”

Rizz nodded.

“The forbidden forest.”

Silence filled the room.

Robert slowly put down his pen.

“You went there?”

“Yes.”

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

Robert stared at her.

Rizz could tell that his expression had changed.

He no longer looked like he was questioning a suspected thief.

He looked genuinely worried.

“Rizz,” Robert said carefully, “do you know what kind of place that is?”

Rizz shrugged.

“A forest?”

Robert sighed.

“No.”

He leaned forward.

“The forbidden forest isn't an ordinary forest.”

Rizz listened quietly.

“People in this village have avoided that place for generations,” Robert explained. “There are stories about creatures living deep inside it.”

Rizz remembered the silver eyes.

“What kind of creatures?”

Robert's voice lowered.

“Monsters.”

Rizz's eyes widened slightly.

“Monsters?”

“Yes.”

Robert nodded.

“And no one who has entered that forest has ever returned alive.”

Rizz stared at him.

Her mind immediately went back to the man beside the lake.

The man who had been covered in blood.

The man who had healed overnight.

No one returned alive...

Then what was he?

Robert noticed her silence.

“Did you see anything unusual?” he asked.

Rizz looked at him.

She almost told him.

About the silver light.

About the lake.

About the man who had kissed her.

But something stopped her.

She didn't even understand it herself.

So she simply shook her head.

“No.”

Robert studied her for several seconds.

Then he sighed.

“All right.”

He closed the file.

“If you're telling the truth, then you're not a thief.”

Rizz's shoulders relaxed.

“So I can go home?”

“Yes.”

Rizz immediately stood.

“Thank you.”

Robert raised a hand.

“But don't go back there.”

Rizz stopped.

Robert looked at her firmly.

“I mean it, Rizz.”

His voice was gentle but serious.

“Stay away from the forbidden forest.”

Rizz nodded.

“Okay.”

Robert watched her walk toward the door.

Just before she left, he called her name.

“Rizz.”

She turned.

Robert looked at her carefully.

“If the person you met in that forest ever approaches you again...”

He paused.

“Come straight to me.”

Rizz blinked.

“Why?”

Robert's expression became unreadable.

“Because I don't think the story you're telling me is the whole story.”

Rizz stared at him.

Then she gave an awkward smile.

“Maybe I'm just unlucky.”

Robert didn't smile back.

“Maybe.”

Rizz left the station.

The door closed behind her.

Robert remained seated.

He looked at the bag of food.

Then at the recommendation letter.

His fingers slowly tapped against the desk.

There was something wrong.

The food was fresh.

Expensive.

The recommendation letter came from a sponsor no one in the village knew.

And Rizz claimed that both came from someone she met inside a forest where people supposedly never returned alive.

Robert leaned back.

“This doesn't make sense,” he muttered.

He picked up the phone.

“Send someone to keep an eye on Rizz Clariton. But don't let Rizz know she's being watched.”

Outside the station, Rizz continued walking home.

She had no idea that someone was following her.

And deep inside the forbidden forest...

A pair of silver eyes slowly opened.

Someone was watching his mate.

And he didn't like it.

“It is too long to wait but I am already patient enough.”