Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
“What are you doing?”
Alderian’s deep voice pulled her out of her wandering thoughts. She was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
“Nothing; just thinking.”
“Are you anxious?” Alderian asked, attempting a smile.
Augustine sat up. “How could I not be? I know you aren’t telling me everything.”
“You aren’t telling me everything either.”
Augustine looked at him, surprised.
“I don’t know what you did today—not exactly,” Alderian continued, “but I know you did something unusual with your spiritual energy. The Silver Thread betrays you, my love.”
Augustine lowered her gaze. “Are you angry?”
“Not really. I can’t control you. Whatever you are doing, whatever force exists within you, is what allowed you to be by my side now.”
“Even now, I perceive the powerful presence of those Shadows. You don’t sense them, but I do.”
Alderian went on alert. “I felt nothing. Are you sure?”
“Emerge,” Augustine commanded in a whisper.
The light in the room dimmed, and menacing Shadows loomed over both of them.
“Tell me, Alderian. Can you hear their voices now?”
Alderian shook his head, mute.
“I thought so.” She made a vague gesture, and the light returned to the room.
“I am normally able to perceive them without any trouble, though I have never once heard their voices,” Alderian said, intrigued. “But now, I cannot even sense a glimmer of their presence.”
“Since I recognized them, they have been hiding in my shadow. They are stealthy, remarkably adept at remaining unnoticed by everyone except me. I believe that before, when they sought me out, they did not intend to harm me; they simply yearned desperately for my attention. Now that they have it, they are much calmer.”
“Augustine,” Alderian called her softly. “I will buy time for you, you’ll see. In one more week, I will clear all the doubts concerning us, and you will have a little more time to understand what is happening to you.”
“Are you afraid of me?” Augustine said, fixing her eyes on Alderian. Her appearance showed a maturity unusual in such a young woman.
Alderian approached and, with one hand, barely brushed her face and her lips.
“Afraid? I feel angst, yes, but only of losing you. That drives me crazy. But afraid of your strength? Of your volatility?” He laughed softly. “If I have to die and your hands are my executioner, I will die a thousand times. I already told you… do with me as you wish.”
Their lips were close—so close and so far at the same time. Augustine sighed. Alderian’s eyes were brimming with desire, but neither of them dared to cross the line this time.
* * *
It was Sunday, and she had gone to visit her parents’ home. She sought to escape solitude and distract herself. There were only two days left until her interview on the podcast. It coincided precisely with the day Alderian would fight his duel in A’aru.
She didn’t know under what conditions that confrontation would take place or with what skills Alderian planned to face the challenge, but she had no choice other than to trust him.
She had barely seen him those days—almost always at night, just before going to sleep. She assumed he had been preparing the rest of the time because he arrived by her side visibly exhausted, though always eager to listen to any trifle she wanted to tell him.
Throughout those days, she had made a selection of podcast episodes that addressed topics related to what she assumed they might ask her.
She enjoyed distracting herself with something out of the ordinary; notes, sketches, and transcripts of some of those questions cluttered her desk in disordered piles.
She was verifying a piece of data when she noticed a new email in her inbox:
“Dear Augustine: This email is an automatic reminder of your interview scheduled for next Tuesday at 6:00 PM in our studios. For reasons of security and spatial limitations, we request that you attend the interview alone. You may find the location details in the following link.”
Augustine clicked the link and viewed the studio’s location on the map. It was in a remote area of the city; she would have to drive. Since she was at her parents’ house, she would borrow their car.
She heard a noise behind her, even though the door remained closed. She stayed still, and a few seconds later, she identified the voice of her mother’s A’aruin in the hallway.
“Alderian is hardly with his human these days. It’s a good thing that Augustine comes home; that way we can keep an eye on her.”
“They say he’s preparing in his palace,” replied the young A’aruin of one twin. “Someone flew over the area and watched him practicing alongside Elarión.”
Augustine was astonished to hear that last comment.
“And what help will Elarión be?” her father’s A’aruin inquired. “Neither of them has the slightest idea of what a duel entails. Poor Alderian, condemned to disappear into Lethe.”
Stiff, Augustine had to restrain the impulse to rush into the hallway and demand further details.
“Those who saw him train were impressed, though. He didn’t look like a beginner,” the young one said.
“Don’t talk nonsense. What can we expect from a boy who has never picked up a weapon in his life?”
She felt their voices drift away, leaving Augustine submerged in deep anxiety. Her Shadows stirred restlessly at her feet.