Music in The Shadows

35. Trade a secret

Music was art. Music was the symphony that brought all those close together. Music and song were forms of sharing stories. Stories that were true and stories that were of myth.

The music from my violin had a beat that synced close to the beats of my heart. It was art indeed- just like the blood that now stained the walls and stone floor. It satisfyingly told a story of how her shadows had slaughtered the 50 men that once occupied these chambers. It was not limb from limb- not shred to shred. It was blood to mist that had sprayed- no remnant of the men, all but the blood that misted the air and now stained everything around.

I slowly smiled- watching my last target sputter in disbelief. He was not going to be killed by my shadows. He was not their supper. He was my meal that I would feast upon.

I dangled the violin and bow in one hand- and picked up my stolen fire blades from the ground. No doubt it had been stolen by one of the now misted soldiers who were dead.

The Lord staggered backwards. "You.. you're..- it's not possible. You're just a refugee.. you can't be..." the lord didn't dare to complete his sentence as I commanded my blade to alight in fire. The fire- instead of turning into its usual warm orange tinged color it had turned an onyx coloured flame. Dark- just like my hair.. dark.. just like how the room around us was. I commanded the darkness to envelop us more.

I tracked him like my prey. Scented his fear- how he had pissed himself. How his blood whispered coward- over and over.

"My maids- when they had washed your hair. They told me you were a Duvessan- your hair was natural obsidian. They didn't tell me..- you.. you were..."

My mind darkened more than it already had. Those damned maids had tugged and pulled on my hair roughly when washing it before the soiree. They had a purpose for helping me ready myself.

This lord had many secrets- secrets about people who were just like me. How there were more of them around- more survivors. Secrets as to the other kind of folk he was willing to use in substitute for the Duvessan's. These were secrets I was going to find out.

"My shadows know the sins you have committed in the dark." I cooed at the lord, watching his eyes widen. "Confess." I hissed and twirled the fire blade that burned black flames.

The Lord suddenly took out a blade from behind him and flung it at me. To my surprise- he threw a good shot. I looked down at my arm. The blade slashed the skin on my arm and then clattered to the ground.

My shadows deeply growled and put the bloodiest most delightful thoughts into my head. I smiled at the Lord slowly, who had taken his chance to flee. Running up the stairs, stumbling but catching himself to open the door. He thought he had escaped- but he was going to be gravely wrong.

I followed and commanded the fire in my blade to become dimmer. Walking up the very steps the Lord passed, I opened the heavy chambered door and looked around. We were above those chambered prisons and were now in the same level as where I remembered my room was located.

I saw the Lord towards the end of the dark red halls that were lit up by lanterns. My chest lifted and moved in silent laughter. I raised my violin and played a soft teasing tune.

He tried harder.. faster to escape when he heard the sound.

Shadowed hands erupted from the floor and swirled in beautiful movements before darting straight across to snatch the lord's legs. The lord fell hard onto the ground- his legs slipping from under him. The tune on the violin slowly whined as I let the shadows bring me my prize. The lord struggled and put up a good fight. Scratching his fingers against his marbled floors and doing his best to grab onto anything to stop his evident death.