My heart beat faster—each step soft,
bare feet silent on the cold black stone.
I crept around the corner.
Right where it happened.
Where the air still felt thick with it.
And there he was. Still standing. Exactly as before. Facing the same window, hands behind his back, perfectly still—as if carved from night itself.
I froze.
Okay… just one more look…
And then—The shadows noticed me.
They didn’t scream.
Didn’t hiss.
They grinned.
I didn’t even know shadows could grin.
Suddenly— WHOOSH.
I was yanked backwards by nothing.
Invisible ribbons of darkness coiled around my ankles, my waist, my wrists.
“Wait—WAIT—!”
I was dragged.
Not across the floor.
Above it.
Hovering.
Helpless.
“This isn’t fair—STOP IT—LET ME GO—!!”
But the shadows?
They were snickering. They’d seen everything.
He turned just as I was floated in, dragged in the most awkward way possible.
But there was… a glint in his eyes.
Amusement.
The shadows gently dropped me at his feet.
I landed awkwardly.
Sat up, hair a mess, limbs in all the wrong angles.
“Hi…”
I muttered.
His eyes met mine.
Steady.
Sharp.
“You were hiding?”
“I wasn’t— I was just—”
“Spying?”
“No! Just… checking.”
“Why?”
I swallowed hard.
I had no answer that wouldn’t sound ridiculous.
But before I could gather the remains of my dignity, He bent down.
Closer.
Knee to the ground.
Face inches from mine.
“You could’ve just come to me.”
My breath caught.
I stared.
“I—I wasn’t ready.”
“You were ready enough to kiss me,”
He whispered.
My soul left my body.
He stood again, graceful as always.
“If you run again,” he said, almost lazily,
“I’ll let the shadows decide where you sleep next.”
My jaw dropped.
“You wouldn’t—!”
He didn’t answer.
But the shadows behind him giggled.
---
I sat there.
Still on the floor.
Still trying to collect the shattered remains of my soul.
He stood above me.
Silent.
Composed.
Not even a wrinkle in his coat.
Meanwhile—my whole body was on fire.
My face? Red.
My ears? Hot.
My pride?
Somewhere beneath the marble tiles.
“Can I…”
I mumbled, eyes glued to the floor,
“…go back to my room?”
Silence.
Thick.
Dangerous.
I felt his eyes on me.
I refused to look up.
Nope.
Never.
Not after that.
My fingers curled into the fabric of my sleeves.
I tugged at them like a nervous child.
My knees were pressed together, ankles awkwardly tucked, everything about me screaming:
PLEASE let me vanish.
But no.
He had to speak.
And when he did— “You may.”
Just that. Two words. Perfectly composed.
But I still flinched like I’d been shot.
“Th-thank you…”
I scrambled to my feet—still not looking at him—and tried to walk off like a normal person.
Spoiler: I was not a normal person.
The shadows chuckled again.
My steps were uneven.
My knees still wobbled.
My hands clutched my sleeves like they were the only thing keeping me from collapsing.
I reached the corner.
Paused.
Pressed my forehead to the cold stone wall.
“WHY did I even come out here…”
I didn’t know if he was still watching.
I didn’t care.
Except I did.
Back in my room, I threw myself onto the bed like the tragic heroine I clearly was.
And for the second time that day—I screamed into my pillow.
YOU ARE READING
THE REALM WITHOUT A NAME
FantasyI was ten when I stepped into the world that shouldn't exist. I wasn't asleep. Not really. I had gotten up in the middle of the night to drink some water. The moonlight outside was... wrong. Too silver, too heavy, like it was weighing down the earth...
Part 20: Without a Word
Start from the beginning
