A Whisper of Night

17.1 || LORELEI 🌊

Lorelei dreamt of her brother.

Calder sat atop a canopied bed, his skin gold beneath the torchlight. He wore clothes of silver silk, and his hair seemed to shine softly.

A young woman sat next to him, her head on his shoulder. She, like him, wore a gown of silk, her wild black locks tumbling onto the bed. Their fingers were intwined.

"What will become of us?" the girl whispered. Lorelei could not see her face from here. Calder turned towards her and kissed her forehead.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I will do all I can to stay here."

"Your home bids you return." She looked at him, and Lorelei almost gasped. The young woman was startlingly beautiful, with a set of perfectly chiseled features and rosebud lips. But her eyes were what stole Lorelei's breath. They shone like steel and obsidian, shimmered like gold and amber...they were like two stars in the ebony silkiness of her skin.

"But you bid me stay," Calder said, "and that is all I shall heed."

The woman turned away, her forehead wrinkled with worry. "Don't be stupid."

He caught her, pulled her closer to him. "I'm not being stupid," he murmured.

"You must have heard of your sister. She's going to bring you home. That's where you belong, Calder. You are the rightful ruler - "

" - of a land which I have not seen in too many years. No, I shall not return." Calder looked her firmly in the eye. "You could come with me."

The woman shook her head. "No. My mother would never allow it."

"Vespira," Calder whispered, pressing his lips into her hair, "I'll never leave you."

The bedroom faded away.

Shouts and screams pierced the air. Lorelei gasped, nearly tripping over her own nightgown as she stood from her bed -

Her bed.

No...no, she was still dreaming. She was back at Stromvald - back at her castle -

Something shattered from down the hall.

Lorelei's heart pounded as she opened her door, her eyes wide as she stepped outside. The cold air sent shivers running through her - she trembled as she shut the door behind her.

"Mother!" came a shriek.

Telaeri, she thought, fear rising into her throat. "Telaeri!" she screamed, running towards the sound of her little sister's voice. "Telaeri - I'm - "

She sprinted through the door of her sister's room -

She froze.

Half a dozen black-robed men stood inside. Telaeri was hunched on her bed, her eyes wide as she stared at the men. She squeezed her stuffed bunny to her chest, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Ma!" she screamed, as the men advanced towards her. "Mama!"

"Get away from her!" Lorelei screeched. Wild desperation shot through her, and she sprinted forwards -

With a superhuman strength, she shoved one of the men - but he didn't fall - no, she went tumbling right through him, nearly hitting the floor -

What? she thought in disbelief. No - no, why can't I touch him? She tried again, kicking one of the other men, but her leg went right through him.

"Your mother will not come," leered one of the men.

"Is she - is she dead?" choked Telaeri.