Where Shadows Lurk

Chapter 6

It was the next morning, and Olivia didn't want to think about demons. She didn't want to think about portals to different planes. And she didn't want to think about how a seventeen-year-old boy got his hands on demon blood. 

She'd given Ferrous the necklace. Not that it would solve the problem, according to him, but it was strange not having it. Which considering she would be seeing Silver and Ferrous later that day was silly.

But eight years of having something next to your heart meant something. To her at least.

This was stupid, she was a grown woman!

Maybe staying the night wasn't a great idea. But...Ferrous had a point. The demon would attack again. Silver handled it once already. She'd be safer there. 

But Silver was acting very strange last time she saw him. Hopefully he was okay. 

And it wouldn't be the first night she slept at that house.

But...maybe the next attack would be the last.

She knew more this morning than she did yesterday. That had to mean something. It had to. 

(*************)

She had a backpack slung over her shoulder. A couple changes of clothes and basic toiletries. She was wearing her scarf mostly to let herself forget about the lack of weight around her neck. It hadn't been much, but it'd brought her comfort the past eight years and it being missing was messing with her head.

She probably should have asked Ferrous why her blood made the necklace react. But her thoughts had been too scattered in the moment and then there was the thing with Silver.

She almost didn't want to take the shortcut. She wanted to go the long way around to buy herself more time. Sure, ten minutes wasn't much, but it was something. 

She took the shortcut. 

Whatever else she was, Olivia King was not a coward.

(*************)

Ferrous was the twin that opened the door. Calm and collected. "Miss King, Silver was starting to worry."

"It's day out, I'm not going to get into trouble with this sunshine."

"Tell him that. By the way, I think something got knocked loose in his head yesterday."

"Is he okay?"

"He is, and he's trying to focus. But the memories are in there, and they might be coming to the surface. Nothing too worrying."

"Maybe he'll remember making the necklace and explain himself."

"He'd better. Until then, welcome back."

"I would say it's nice to be back, but the circumstances aren't exactly ideal."

"Perhaps once this is done, we can have a proper reunion."

"And you liked to pretend you didn't like me."

"You were Silver's friend."

"Yours too." Olivia had always thought so. She was closer to Silver sure, but Ferrous wasn't so bad. Even when he was being stubborn.

He had that serious and stubborn look on his face even now. The urge to tease and prod him about it came back. He was too easy really. She'd missed both of them. Then he sighed, "Perhaps."

Getting Ferrous to admit to that, even after all this time, felt like a victory. She stepped inside the house and braced herself. 

It...had barely changed at all from when she last saw it. Nostalgia hit her like a wave. Dark midnight blues and small spots of yellow brightness. The carpet was still like an endless night sky and the fireplace's bricks still looked like warmth. The couch in front of it was new. The old one had been dark grey, this one was white. 

"I admit, I never expected to be standing here again."

"Again?" Silver's voice asked.

She nearly jumped out of her skin. Sneaky little shit. How did he always do that?

While her heart was recovering from shock, Ferrous stepped in. "It was a long time ago, and besides you're memories from that time aren't exactly reliable."

She looked between the two of them and decided to step back and be somewhere that wasn't directly between the two of them. They didn't outright argue often, but that was before and she wasn't fully sure what effects those eight years had on the twins.

"You're bringing that up now?"

"Yes."

Then Silver blinked, "So wait, my missing memories are from high school?"

Olivia looked down at the floor and then to Ferrous. There was too much she wanted to say. Too much she didn't think she could. Or should. Not to this Silver. This one that didn't remember her. 

She reached for her necklace only to remember it wasn't there anymore.

"We'll have that talk later," Ferrous answered. "Miss King-"

"You can call me Olivia," she interrupted. "No need for formalities." It was bad enough she was starting to miss being called Princess, no need for Ferrous to act like they're strangers.

Ferrous paused a moment, "If you wish."

These boys. What was she going to do with them?

Ugh. She's missed them.