The Riddle Of Magic

Chapter 14: Euclidean Spectrum

"What are they doing in here?" Vaggie demanded, shooing at a rounded doll-shaped figure that had drifted toward them.

Charlie's room was warded against spectres courtesy of her two minions, though the price for the spell had been the small goats' autonomy. The small homunculi lay quietly in the corner, turned back to their inanimate stuffed forms and surrounded by their mundane plush kin.

The moth demoness had pressured her girlfriend into the spell after he had moved in, ever mistrustful of both himself and the creatures that followed in his wake. He'd overheard Charlie grumbling about it at Husker's bar, way back when.

The princess hadn't been thrilled to do it, considering the spectres gave her a wider birth anyway, for the most part. Regarding himself, they both knew he would never have entered her room uninvited. He was a gentleman, after all, despite the behavior of his alter ego.

The spectres' fear of the ward surrounding the princess' quarters kept them at bay, but with him beyond the barrier it apparently emboldened the spirits. "They're exploring around, I think," Alastor replied as a small black shade with a long tail drifted between them, floating up to look at the ceiling light above. "This place is off limits for them usually."

"It still is!" Vaggie frowned. "Make them clear off!"

"They can't really harm anyone. They won't even approach her, besides," he shrugged.

As if in explanation of his point, two skeletal figures skittered close, but lingered toward the foot of the bed before drifting off again.

Vaggie let out an annoyed breath. "I know you saved her, and I'm grateful. But there's nothing I can do to repay you for that."

"I'm not going to ask for payment, dear."

"Then there's nothing to discuss. You don't need to be here. Please take your shadows and leave."

His shadow clearly had the same desire; as it appeared and circled about the room, flaring darkly. The other spectres scattered, save for the Pidgin, which rose out of the darkness cast by Charlie's head resting against the pillow.

The larger shadow stared at the smaller spectre for a moment, drifting closer as though to grab it. The tiny shade looked back to the larger, each of their umbral ears twitching. What either figure was thinking the deer demon could not tell as they observed each other.

After a moment Alastor's shadow returned to him, vanishing as it made contact with his side. The Pidgin squeaked, settling on Charlie's other side, curling against her arm.

"Can you please keep your weird creatures away from her?" Vaggie asked, as close to begging as she'd ever been. "She's been through enough."

Alastor leaned over the princess to pull the little shadow back into the void using his magic. He reached out for the small shade, and it stared at him with umbral eyes as its faded form wobbled like blackened flame.

The Pidgin twitched its head, butting his fingers with its tiny forehead as he tried to touch it. Its umbral essence flared, pushing feeling into his senses.

In a flash Alastor's vision turned to golden white. A blanket of security washed over him - an old familiar emotion he'd not felt since being a child in the mortal world.

But the feeling trembled and evaporated with confusion and heat, and then came the sound of a mouth close-by, a predator.

The crooning tone of a lascivious whisper.

A fearful gasp.

A whimpered plea.

A cry of pain.

The golden vision shuddered again and he felt the primal terror of prey give way to a territorial instinct as the little Pidgin broke from its nest within the soft warmth of the princess' golden mane.