I felt like such an idiot, I wanted to scream and yell and fight. I didn't do any of those things, I couldn't do anything because there was no one to yell at or fight with. My anger was with myself, at my stupidity. I don't trust people, I haven't for years, god I don't even think my mother has heard more than two sentences from my mouth in the past five years but here I am giving those boys everything.

Telling them things, feeling for them, god I might have even fallen for them and for what? For them to be just like everyone else here.

I've proven myself, I've shown my powers.

"I am powerful." My words fall flat as I open the door into the school grounds. The rain blurs my vision for a moment before I storm out.

So I wasn't good under pressure, that's understandable and something very easily fixed. And anyway who is he to send me away like I'm nothing like I'm yesterday's trash.

My heart thumps loudly at my own mean words thrown into my face and before I even know it my legs are pumping just as hard through the rain. My mind rushed and I ran right past Annie's house, and Nathaniel right into the teeming forest.

"I shouldn't," I mumble to myself but I don't lose any momentum as I jump over roots and shrubs.

Who knows who or what is in this forest waiting to ambush the school but the thought of turning around, of going into Annie's house with the tears still streaming down my face, no I can't do that. I will not let myself get vulnerable again.

If anything the boys at least taught me that no one is to be trusted around my emotions, not even me.

I ran deeper into the forest, slightly mindful of moving in a straight line so when exhaustion took over my embarrassing mind I would be able to find my way out again.

Thankfully I didn't need to find out before just as I came running around the corner I ran right into something. No someone.

I looked up from my place firmly in the ground after slamming my chest first into someone. My eyes found the blonde, white hair of Aislynn also on her ass in front of me.

She looked confused for a moment before a smile broke her face.

"Morgan," she yelled before jumping up and pulling me into a hug. "God I haven't seen you in ages? How are you?"

She takes one look at me, probably seeing the tears still streaming down my face, I rub under my nose hoping they aren't accompanied by a running nose but when I pull it away it's all clear.

She frowns before grabbing my arm and pulling me up, thankfully she doesn't touch my sore arm now that I've fallen and screams at me.

"I'm fine." I lie, Aislynn doesn't say anything but her face shows me how much she believes that. "I'll be fine at least."

She nods her head thoughtfully, deciding something silently inside her mind.

"Can I show you something?" She asks with a smile filtering onto her face. "Something to take your mind off of whatever happened?"

Without thinking too much about it, just need the distraction I nod my head. She smiles and then grabs my arm pulling me back the way she came.

"This is going to blow your mind." She promises with a smirk.

As we walk I'm thankful as Aislynn steers the conversation, somehow always keeping the conversation light and skipping over the things I wouldn't be able to talk about right now. Which is surprisingly a lot.

She keeps me occupied as we walk deeper into the forest, deeper than I have ever been before then she sends me a wink and lets go of my arm. Taking the lead.

We came through the underbrush, scratching at my legs to a small clearing, instantly I expected another clearing like the one I had been in with Nathaniel with the creek or the one with Lucian and Cedric - there are names almost bringing me back to the teary mess I was before - instead, I came face to face with the most beautiful house I had ever seen.

It was like something out of a storybook, or honestly out of my dreams.

It was an adorable one-story home, with perfect wooden sidling and large bay windows. The house looks spacious but at the same time, I could instantly tell it was filled to the brim with things. All of that wasn't what took my breath away though, instead, it was the way the house seemed to be teeming with life without anyone inside, plants grew in the small front yard, hanging from the walls of the house and flowers packed into the eaves of the windows. Inside the windows, I could see more plants and life.

It felt magical but in that unreal way that I haven't felt since I arrived at Westtown Peaks and found out that magical things existed. Something told me this house shouldn't exist at all but here it was.

"What is this place?" My words tumble out of my mouth as I look up at the house in complete awe.

"The house in the woods." She spoke matter of factly and at that moment I knew exactly what she meant. The emphasis of her words almost sent me running for the hills.

"The house?" I stammer, forcing the words out. "The myth everyone talked about during my first week here?"

I don't need to turn to see her nodding head, I could practically feel the moment inside me, jumping around erratically in my stomach.

"Aislynn," I whisper, her name taken away with the wind.

"Morgan, I think there are a few things I need to explain before we go into the house. Before you go into the house." Her words are filled with worry and turn nervous towards her, forgetting almost instantly about everything but her.

"What's wrong?" I ask her but she shakes her head and walks me over to an old broken tree laying on its side.

We sit down, facing each other.

"There's no easy way to start this conversation." She begins, and immediately my mind turns to a murderer or a runaway. My heartbeat skipped a rushed beat to keep up with my thoughts. She smiles, noticing the clamminess of my palms. "Morgan, my name is Aislynn. I was 14 when I found the house in the forest and I was 26 when I died."

Her words fade for a moment and my mind is completely blank, almost tranquil before coming back like a truck slamming into a brick wall.

"Died?" My mind doesn't want to process her words, she just gives me a small smile in response.

"Honestly for that time and the fact that I was all alone that was an amazing accomplishment." She tries to lighten the mood but the smile quickly falls away. "When I was 10 my father lost his job working in a mill, when I was 12 my mother got a job as a prostitute and when I was 14 it was decided that I would start helping the family make money."

I felt sick but I didn't want to stop her. Aislynn was looking away from me and instead towards the house once again, she needed to get this out to say the words out loud for once. I held tightly to her hand listening as she bravely opened her wounds to me.

"I couldn't believe that my father had decided to throw me into that life, that it was expected of me to just do it as well. To not fight them on this, but I did fight. I fought so much that when I finally left my home and my family, I barely made it out alive." She sighs a deep sad sound that hurts my heart. I rub circular motions on her back trying to soothe her. "Something in my fathers' eyes told me that he would be coming for me so I didn't stop running, not when I got out of town, not when I stepped into the forest, not even when I got so lost that I didn't know which way I had come from much less where I was going.

"I only stopped when I couldn't run any further. It took my three days stumbling through the forest starving and dehydrated before I happened across someone. I thought it would be my father or someone he sent in after me but I was tired that at that moment I welcomed death. Then I heard her singing."

She smiles over at the house pointing to the edge of the house where a small garden sat.

"She was watering the garden whistling a tune that I had never heard before and through the window, I could smell the most divine scent of food I have ever smelt. I stumbled into the clearing probably looking like a zombie but she just turned and smiled at me, as if she had been expecting me."

She laughed in amazement and I found myself chuckling lowly as well as if seeing the scene through her eyes.

"She told me that I arrived earlier than expected and to wash up for dinner quickly. She didn't let me ask any questions until my belly was full and she had cleaned the sweat and dirt off my body. Then she told me the story - the myth you had heard inside those walls, they were her life. She was the first girl of the forest house, I was the second completely unaware I was even a witch. And Morgan you are the third. It's your turn now."

I looked at her incredulously.

"What do you mean the girl of the forest house?" It seemed ominous to my ears.

She just laughed.

"Don't stress." She reminded me and I tried taking a calming breath as she continued. "It's nothing bad, it just means that the house has opened its doors to you, opened its world to you. The magic of the house sees your powers and it's here to help."

She looked up at the house in awe, a smile glittering onto her face as she watched it.

"It still seems pretty ominous," I said looking up at the building again. It didn't seem scary the building alone but the story behind it gave me a shiver down my spine.

"I suppose in a way it is." She shrugged her shoulders. "It means that in the future you will be tested, you will have things to overcome but then again everyone has their battles. The house sees that you need that extra little help."

My breathing shakes and I sputter out.

"The fight is coming then?"

Aislynn gives a little nod, looking away quickly again.

"You will fight." She promises at once.

Fear is like a cold bucket of water over my head. Feeling wrong for asking it but not being able to stop me I watch the house as my mouth opens on its own.

"How did you die, Aislynn?"

She sighs as if wishing I didn't ask that question.

"I didn't win my fight, my battle." She shakes her head, looking away sad before turning back to me. "But I've prepared everything in the house just for you so that you will win."

She gives me a tight smile and I try to return it but can't make the muscles in my face move like that.

Trying to distract me I stand up and walk closer to the house, Aislynn following behind me.

"How is the house so modern if it is in fact from medieval times." I didn't know if that was quite correct but Aislynn lets out a loose and full laugh in response.

"The building isn't so much a building but the idea of what you find a home. Standing side by side right now we are most likely seeing two completely different houses, Morgan." Aislynns' words are a matter of fact and when I pull my eyes away from the cottage home back to her, something in her eyes catches me.

Sadness makes the light in her eyes shine a little brighter.

"Aislynn?" My voice is barely a whisper but it's enough to shut the sadness out of her eyes once more.

"You should go inside. Find your powers, find your passion." She slightly pushes me forward and as her hand makes contact with my arm I feel the first cold signs that I ignored before.

Probably feeling the way I stiffen underneath her careful, friendly hand she drops back a few steps.

"It's alright Morgan. No one can find you here but you're not held against your will. When you decide to leave the house, the powers that create the house will create a path in the forest for you to follow."

She gives me a small smile and then nods again.

My curiosity becomes too much as I turn away from her and head up the scattered stone path up to the front door.

My hand is on the handle as I turn back to her.

"You'll be gone when I come out?" My voice is soft, I'm surprised by the emotion filtering into it.

Behind me, Aislynn smiles, happy life filled one.

"Yes, but it's not a sad thing. When you've been living - or whatever it is I'm doing right now - as long as I have been it's a present you can't wait to open Christmas morning. I'll be alright Morgan"

"Thank you Aislynn." The words come out stuttered as I try to talk around the painful ball forming in my throat.

"No, thank you, Morgan. I'll be watching." She winks and then without too much thought I turn back and pull the door open.

AUTHOR NOTE

I am so sorry I know it's been a while and I haven't posted anything I just couldn't write for about a fortnight and decided that I wouldn't force the words out because they probably would have come out really bad. 
 I am back now, hopefully, to complete this and When Summer Ends but I'm unsure about any schedule at this moment, especially with Nanowrimo literally days away. 

Myth Breakers only has another 7 to 8 chapters now so I promise it will be completed soon, at least this year ... hopefully. 

Anyway as normal please comment on any spelling, grammar or plot problems you see in this chapter or any chapter.

Thank you for reading, 

LAURA