The Raven's Source

Chapter 36 - Secrets & Lies

"Body? May I at least see her?" Lydia asked. Nikola could hear the pain rising in her voice.

"I am willing to open the door, but you will not be allowed to enter the room. Is that acceptable?"

Lydia nodded.

Kurt walked up and unlocked the door. Cold spilled out into the hallway as he opened it and Nikola stood in shock that he even would. How could she be in there for Lydia to see when she was here in the hall. As she stepped up next to Lydia, she was shocked to see an image of herself in the black and red gown laying motionless in the bed. The body's skin was almost colorless, her corpse's image almost completely monochrome save for the splash of red fabric.

Lydia's hand went over her mouth briefly before lowering to her chest. "This morning was Cerno, not Sheja? I've never had it fail before, she should be awake..." She turned and looked at Kurt. "Did someone tamper with her body?"

"No one's been in her room since last night," he answered. "Now, if you would like to look at her body more closely later, you will need to take that up with Master Cerno once he's returned from his engagements today. Otherwise, Madam Leena's room is this way," he finished, closing and re-locking the door, forcing Lydia to back into the hall again.

She found it hard to take her eyes off the image of herself in the bed until Kurt shut the door, wondering who created such a convincing lookalike and how. Lydia accidentally bumped into her as she backed up and it seemed to force both of them back to reality. It was clear to her that the image of a dead Angevin bothered Lydia greatly.

Two doors further down the hall, Kurt knocked on a door and Leena's voice quietly answered from inside, welcoming them to enter.

"Madam Leena, Madam Lydia and Miss Nikola are here to see you," he announced.

"Thank you, Kurt," she said. "Let them in, please."

Nikola noticed Leena was laying down on her side as they came in, knowing she normally would have sat up to greet company. She walked over to the side of the bed and set the box down with both hands before climbing up on top half of the bed.

"What are these?" she said, smiling.

"Lydia brought you cookies! They're so good! You should have one!"

"Leena, my dear, wasn't that your husband with you this morning?" Lydia asked, confused.

Leena looked at her confused at first. She turned her eyes toward Nikola who very briefly quirked a brow. Leena instantly frowned in pain and looked away. "Cerno came to check on me this morning. He was trying to pretend he was Shej, but he can't fool me."

"I'm...I'm so sorry about your husband," she said sitting on the lower edge of the bed, looking on the verge of tears. "I was so certain it worked. I...I've never not been able to bring someone back when their soul was still in reach. And I made matters worse this mornin', thinking Mister Cerno was Shej."

"I appreciate your efforts, Lydia. I appreciate everything you've done and are doing for my family," she replied, reaching out and gently touching Lydia's hand.

"I feel like I failed you by not bein' able to save her," she said softly.

Nikola crawled over and invited herself onto Lydia's lap. Lydia chuckled and wrapped her arms around her.

"Lydia, Sheja believed strongly in fate. She believed things would always happen the way they do, no matter how hard you try to change it. I just have to accept what's happened."

"You were lookin' great this morning, but now you don't look like you're acceptin' it very well again," Lydia stated. "You look done taken over by a ghost."