Ashfall: City of Shade (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 32 | Caught

I know I cannot fix myself.

Warm arms circle around me. The soft chest of a woman cushions my head as I continue shivering.

"You are not responsible for my happiness, Adler. You are only responsible for yourself. Today is a new day. I am smiling now. If you smile, you may feel better too."

I relax completely against her. She strokes my back.

"Come meet Hida. I would like you to meet her," she says. I close my eyes, kissing her breast through the fabric of her tunic like a newborn begging for nourishment. Finally, I stand up, holding my pearl close. "Adler, please let go of me," she giggles. The noise makes me swell with a joy that she has yet to allow me to share with her. "Cephine will let her live with me, won't she?"

"Yes, my pearl," I say while getting myself together. I have never felt this warmth. It must be forgiveness that makes her wipe my tears away with her own tunic sleeve. "I love you," I remind her.

***

GRETA

Tonight, Adler returned to Cephine's room. It was the right thing to do. Even if I do not believe he truly loves her. For Celeste's sake, it's best.

Hida snores loudly on the other end of my cloud.

I don't know where Brommy went. He has been sleeping in my chamber too.

I wander out of my room, exploring the wide halls of glass. A few rooms down, I enter the chamber of mirrors. There are many rows I walk between while taking in the many strange shapes of mirrors. I suppose they are art pieces.

Eventually, I end up as far back in the chamber as I can go. I have never had the time to really look at my true appearance.

I step out of my tunic letting it fall to the ground.

My eyes do look yellow in the lighting in here and my skin a shade mixed between grey and purple.

I do not know what came over me yester-evening. What was I thinking acting like a whore? I suppose nothing happened but never before did I just walk around in my nudity.

I'm not certain living in this luxurious establishment is good.

Long ago, I should have run off on my own.

So why am I here?

My long black nails scratch the perfectly clean mirror. I can feel the grit of the shiny rock scraping against my sharp knife-like nails. A long uneven trail of scratches remains as I pull my hand away and put on my tunic.

Hida mistook me for a man. I must remain focused on myself. I do not bother tying my tunic around my flat chest.

Let them all see my scars.

On my way back to my chamber, I stop in front of Cephine's room.

I blush finding her and my distorted god fast asleep in each other's embrace. Baby Celeste watches me from the depths of her noyk.

"Hello, little one."

I know I shouldn't snoop, but I am curious about Adler's wife. I continue walking around her chamber and looking over her belongings.

My heart hammers seeing a shadow move behind me.

"My sweet?"

"Good evening, Adler."