In a final quest for the siblings, I weave through the castle's shadowy corridors, whispering to the sentinels to hold their vigil at the rear entrance as I embark on this fleeting divergence alone.
As I tread alone through the dimly lit corridor, the haunting strains of a ballad seize my senses. Compelled, I drift towards its source, halting before a chamber door, yearning for the melody to cease. Yet it persists, and amidst the harmonious laughter of two souls entwined, my name seems to echo.
With a gentle push, the door yields, revealing a couple enshrouded in mirth. Their visages elude my gaze, but the room's exuberant spirit moves me to tears of joy. They sway to the rhythm, lost in each other's embrace. A pang of longing stirs within me, a maelstrom of emotions where sorrow soon reigns supreme. Such a poignant ache, long forgotten, now resurfaces.
Unnoticed, Himley approaches.
"What beholds your gaze?" she inquires.
"Behold the splendor," I whisper, a smile gracing my lips. "Love, so mighty, it renders one invincible yet so delicate. It is said to conquer even death itself."
The dance endures. The vampire cradles his beloved with a tenderness that speaks of fear—a fear of shattering her fragile form. As the melody wanes, he cups her face, leaning in for an eternal kiss. I await the culmination of their passion, but he halts, turning our way. Himley's voice shatters my reverie before I glimpse his countenance.
"Pray, what unfolds here?"
Annoyance flares within me. Why must she disrupt this moment?
"Don't you see the..." My words falter as confusion takes hold. "...the piano, where has it vanished?"
"Whom do you seek, Leizabeth?"
"They stood just there, in love's sweet embrace. And the piano—a grand vision in white—where has it gone?" I point to where it once stood, a childhood dream now intensified.
Himley spins me to face her. "Nothing has resided there for many years."
Laughter escapes me. "But they were just there."
The chamber lies empty, shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the moon's grace through the window.
"I don't understand," I ponder.
"Nor I," she echoes.
A chilling realization dawns—I must be mad. Never have I conjured such visions, for love remains a stranger to me, creativity an unfamiliar companion.
"Perhaps the wine is to blame," I concede. "I shall retire to my quarters then."
"Leizabeth!"
I offer her a glance.
"Aldaire summons you."
"My desire to heed his call is absent, Himley. Perhaps another time."
"Yet an urgent missive has arrived. Come."
Reluctantly, I follow her to a secluded chamber within the castle's depths. To defy the Ainsworths is futile. The darkness nearly blinds me, so I cling to her shadow.
As the library doors part, a sight of desolation greets us—empty shelves and scattered boxes amidst ongoing restorations.
We approach Aldaire, who sits engrossed in a parchment.
"Have you the dagger?" he demands, eyes never straying from the script.
No shadow of wrath colors his words, yet they bear the weight of my transgression. I lack the courage to unveil my failure. "Indeed, why do you ask?"
أنت تقرأ
Barracks (War of Hearts)
الخوارق--Updated weekly-- "Why are you following me?" "I am free to roam anywhere within Barracks, am I not?" "Aldaire will be displeased if he sees us together." He grins, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. "Will he? Last time I checked, you two are...
