Inheritance of Shadows [Hugo Vlad x Fem!OC]

Chapter 13: Willfully Stubborn

Yurina stared at her.

Yukari's body lay still on the floor of the chamber, lips parted slightly, skin pale. She hadn't moved in what felt like hours.

Not even a twitch.

The incense still burned faintly at the altar, curling upward like it was mocking her.

She wanted to scream.

But everyone was silent.

She was sweating profusely—the nervousness breaking her inner core.
Izanami went back up the few steps of stairs to her throne, crossing her legs and leaning her arms over the armrest. She gestured to the servants to bring her a kiseru pipe, already lit up and ready to be puffed.

Yurina and Kael watched her breathe in the pipe, then blew out a smoke. Yukari still laid there on the wooden floor; unmoving.

Yurina blinked nervously, scrutinising her face, her legs about to give out by the way she was sitting on her knees. She glanced over to Kael, who was sitting there holding her chin and watching intently at Yukari—as if he was studying her to learn something.

What seemed like an hour, but lasted around ten minutes, the atmosphere changed.

Yurina felt her ears twinged, and her tail jolted. But Izanami sat there, watching, unnerved. Yurina watched a floating plate hovering over to Izanami, where she bumped the pipe over the plate to remove the ashes and resumed smoking.

About thirty minutes in, nothing. Yukari isn't back, and Yurina was tipping over the edge.

She finally breathed out like she held her breath under water for so long.

"What is happening? Is she going to come back?" Yurina broke the tension.

There was a pause.

Izanami tapped her pipe gently over the floating plate, letting the ash fall in a neat pile. The smoke curled slowly in the air as she took another breath.

Then, without looking away from Yukari's body, she spoke.

"She's not gone yet, huh?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Impressive."

But as soon as Izanami said it, Yukari's body twitched.

Her smile faltered.

Yurina's eyes widened. She stared at Yukari, breath caught in her throat.

"She's shaking... what's happening? Why is she shaking like that?"

Kael bit his nail, brows drawn tight. "Not good," he muttered under his breath.

Yurina shifted toward him. "What do you mean? What's not good?"

Yukari's body arched slightly, her hips twisting. The twitching grew worse—jerky, unnatural.

"Guys," Yurina snapped. "You need to tell me what the hell is going on."

She was about to rise from her seat when Kael grabbed her arm.

"Don't," he warned. "It's dangerous."

"Why–"

Izanami's voice cut through the rising panic.

"That fool. She's succumbing. Touch her, and you'll disappear with her."

Yurina froze.

"You can't be serious," she hissed. "You're just going to let her get swallowed?!"

Yurina's breathing quickened. She couldn't watch anymore.