Chapter 56
FIFTY-SIX
I stare at him for a moment before I burst into laughter.
He doesn't share my mirth, however.
"What is so amusing, human?" He narrows his eyes at me.
"Do you even know what a date is?" I ask, my lips quivering as I try to curb my laughter.
"Of course," he answers in indignation. "I have performed thorough research." He opens his palm, manifesting a stack of about five or six books, all with the same mix of red and white cover and spine.
"What is that?" I frown, moving closer to examine the titles.
"The books you like to read. I procured them from your world to familiarize myself with those hobbies of yours."
Somehow, that statement warms my heart. He, who has never had a hobby in his life, wanted to learn more about mine.
"But... How did you think those are the books I like to read?"
The titles are not very inspired: The Billionaire's Secret; The Billionaire and his Cinderella; The Italian Duke's Darling; The Tycoon's Nine-Month Secret; The Boss and the Maid and The Billionaire's Affair. I cannot imagine Ze reading that, particularly the spicy scenes. My cheeks heat up as I picture him in my mind, book in hand, eyes narrowed as he reads the more risqué scenes, since there's no way those are clean romances.
"You like rich men. They are rich," he adds with a noncommittal shrug. "Not as rich as I am, of course," he makes sure to add. "You will not find someone richer."
"And what did you learn about dates from them?" I ask as I pick the top book from the stack and flip through it.
Big mistake!
My blush intensifies as I spot passages highlighted with notes in the corner. I only need to read a few words involving wetness, fingers, and moans to realize the type of passages he highlighted. I can't make out the scribbled notes on the margins, but I quickly close the book, not wanting to know more.
"It is an event during which a male and a female go out for a meal or an otherwise engaging activity whereby they have fun together," he quotes a definition as if he's spent eons researching it.
"You omitted one thing, Ze. Dates are for people who have a romantic interest in each other. We are friends ," I emphasize. Although I don't think he sees me that way, I want to make sure he knows where we stand. Since he's been reading romance novels and has shown an interest in physical intimacy, it's a good way to remind him that our relationship is pure friendship—nothing more.
His eyes flash at me.
"You are my person," he speaks slowly. "You will go on a date with me. We will have... fun ." He gulps down, the word fun burning on his lips as he barely keeps himself from cringing as he utters it.
"I thought the word fun wasn't in your vocabulary." I raise a brow.
"It is not," he quickly answers. His eyes widen before he amends. "It was not. I am willing to make a concession. For you."
"Ze. I am tired. It's late. I want to go to sleep," I explain gently. "I'm human after all, and today was a lot."
He stares at me for a moment before he slowly nods, though disappointment pulls at his features.
"Tomorrow. We will go on a date tomorrow."
"I promised Thea and Wyn I'd spend time with them since Wyn's ball is quickly approaching," I quickly make the excuse. Nikki would not appreciate me going on a date with another man. A low sound erupts from Ze's chest. His pupils become larger, the purple of his eyes intensifying as streaks of black and silver fight for supremacy.
"The day after tomorrow," he adds after a moment of deliberation.
"I need to get fitted for my dress for the ball."
He narrows his eyes at me.
"The day after the day after tomorrow."
"I don't know. It's the day before the ball..."
He can't take a hint, can he?
"Human," he growls. "You will accept," he decrees, his eyes flashing dangerously at me.
It strikes me that he's too insistent about this. Maybe he has something planned that he's looking forward to. The man's never had fun in his life, and that thought always makes my heart clench painfully in my chest. I cannot even imagine the type of life he must have led, or the loneliness he experienced. The more I note the determination in his features, the more I question whether I should just grant him this one small wish. He's already done so much for me; it wouldn't be that hard to show him how to have fun and unwind. This would be a first for him, too. And he wants to do it with me. Because we're a team, right?
"You really want to do this?" I ask slowly. I can't believe I'm entertaining this idea. But as long as he realizes that it's a friendly date, not a romantic one, it should be all right.
His jaw is locked tight as he nods.
"Do you have a plan? Something in mind?"
"Yes. I have given it much thought," he states, though he doesn't elaborate further. "The day after the day after tomorrow is mine. I will come for you in the morning. Be ready."
"Okay... Sounds good." I smile.
He doesn't reciprocate the smile, merely gazing at me intently. Moments pass, and he's still rooted to the spot.
"Now you can go," I say when he doesn't make to move. Pushing at his shoulders, I gently guide him to the door. "Good night, Ze. Go put the vial somewhere secure."
"I have already taken care of it," he scoffs. His eyes pin me to the spot, the colors swirling in a tempestuous whirlpool. "I will see you soon, human, for it seems you cannot wait to be rid of me."
His words give me pause, especially the tone of his voice.
"No, Ze, I..." I open my mouth to explain.
"It is fine," he cuts me off, a harshness underlying his words. "I am well accustomed to the sentiment."
With that, he vanishes from my sight.
My chest rises and falls as I stare at the spot he just vacated. I run our conversation through my mind time and time again. I offended him. I could tell in the way his demeanor suddenly changed, a veil of sadness underlying his otherwise biting words.
I hurt him.
Without intending, I hurt him.
I take a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut. It appears that even the big block of ice that is Ze can get hurt. And for some reason, that makes it even worse.
"Ze?" I call out in my mind, hoping he might hear me, perhaps even reply. " It was not my intention to hurt you. I will see you in three days."
Silence greets me. I release a heavy sigh. But just as I'm about to give up hope that he's going to acknowledge my words, his supercilious voice rings out in my mind.
"Nothing can hurt me, human. I do not share your feeble sensibilities," he huffs.
A sad smile pulls at my lips.
"Of course, " I readily reply. "I apologize for merely implying that."
"Good, " he says. "Have a good sleep." And with that, he's gone from my mind.
Feeling a little better—though not by much—I head to my bed, drawing the covers aside and nestling between them. No matter what he says, I know he feels , and perhaps he does not realize how much, but he can hurt.
Turning on my side, I hug the pillow to my chest, closing my eyes as I seek the oblivion of sleep. Briefly, I wonder how Nikki is doing. Is he fine? Is he losing strength? It's been quite some time since I've last heard from him, and I cannot help but worry. Thus far, I've done my best not to dwell too much on his absences, but that doesn't mean I don't fear for him, or that my thoughts are not constantly with him. We might be in Aperion, but even this world is not safe from demon attacks. If he should happen to come across one and be absorbed...
My heart swells with pain in my chest, but I cannot let my thoughts wander there.
Warmth greets my back as strong arms hug me from behind. A familiar presence that quenches all doubts. I let out a deep sigh, letting myself go, knowing I'm safe in his arms.
The following day, I wake up to an invitation to tea from Wyn. After I dress up, I make my way to the conservatory where Wyn is waiting for me with a steaming pot of tea and two cups. The room is made entirely out of glass, with flowers of all colors hanging on the walls. There are also beds of flowers on each side of the room, while in the middle there's only a table with a couple of chairs and a comfortable-looking sofa. The table is a pastel blue while the chairs and the sofa are a light pink, the colors complementing each other. Everything is muted, letting the bold colors of the flowers stand out.
"Where's Thea?" I walk inside and take a seat next to her.
"She's meeting with Father." She sighs. "He's probably lecturing her again for missing all the balls this season. She usually goes to a few at least, to placate him. But I can't remember the last time she went to one."
"Is it truly so bad if neither of you marry?"
She gives me a sad smile, averting her gaze as she pours tea into the cups.
"After my parents hear that I will be joining the temple, they might be harsher to Thea. And I still have not told her about my plans..." She shakes her head. "It will be a mess. But once I take my vows, they will not be able to do anything for five hundred years. That should be enough for their anger to abate."
"What about your sister? Do you think she'll be fine with this?"
She purses her lips.
"I do not know. She always supports me in my endeavors, but... I'll just have to hope she will forgive me. It's very cowardly of me, isn't it? Running away like this and leaving my sister to fend for herself with our parents." She laughs nervously. "I've been thinking about it too, and I know it might not be the best choice. But as of now, it is the best choice for me."
"I can't make any judgments since I barely know your family. But what I do know is that your sister loves you. She would never want you to be unhappy. Which is why I have to ask... Do you really want to join the temple?" I ask.
Wyn brings her teacup to her lips, taking a small sip.
"I have to, don't I?"
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, Wyn."
She smiles.
"What happened after I left? Was the high priestess mad that you broke the sphere?"
I raise a brow at her, recognizing her tactic.
"No. It turned out to be a mistake. She let me go easily," I lie.
Wyn tilts her head to the side, her expression telling me she doesn't buy my explanation.
"I know you cannot tell me the truth. But I have something for you," she says as she fishes a small letter from her reticule. It's smaller than the size of a mobile phone, and going by the worn edges and yellowed paper, it's an old one too.
"What is it?" I frown.
"I cannot control my abilities, and it's been getting worse and worse recently. Sometimes... I know things. Things I should not know," she says pointedly.
I stare at her.
She places the letter on the table, silently pushing it toward me.
I glance down at the yellow, almost brownish hue of the paper, my eyes widening in shock when I see my name printed on top of it in cursive letters. The writing is elegant and feminine, the ink almost faded from the passage of time. But the meaning is unmistakable as is the timeline.
Luce. After the Elegian Sphere breaks.
"Where did you get this from?" I swallow uneasily.
"Ironically, I have had it for hundreds of years. My family and I were on a diplomatic trip to Aperionia, the official capital, and I was drawn to an uninhabited area of the palace. It was as if it was calling to me. I found the letter within the palace walls, nestled between bricks. Someone must have hidden it there. I did not intend to take it, but the servants came upon me and thinking I'd done something wrong, I hid it in the pocket of my dress and took it home with me. I haven't spared it a thought since. But after meeting you, I began to wonder, especially after what happened at the temple."
"But...how..." I stammer.
"I do not know how or why. I only know that it belongs to you."
"I don't understand," I whisper.
"Trust me, I don't either." She chuckles. "But it is yours and you shall have it. Now, if you will excuse me. I have to go for one last fitting, but you are welcome to use the conservatory as you'd like. I'll let the staff know not to bother you."
I can only nod, my eyes still glued to the letter.
Wyn gets up, the sound of the chair sliding against the ground echoing in my ears. She steps away, slowly, until a click denotes the closure of the door to the conservatory.
Then I'm all alone.
Just me and this unusual letter.
I gulp, my hands trembling as I pick it up, slowly opening the envelope to reveal the folded sheet inside. Carefully, I pull it out, afraid any sudden movement might damage the paper and consequently the contents inside. I unfold the sheet of paper and start to read the message.
Dear Luce,
You do not know me, but I know you—intimately. In the future, we shall be best friends. In the future, everything will make sense, I promise. But for now, I need you to trust me that I have your best interests at heart—that everything I am about to impart is only meant to help and protect you.
By the time you read this, you should have already broken the Elegian Sphere at the Arche Temple. You may wonder how I know this. I am not quite ready to reveal that, but trust that you will find out eventually. After all, it is your fate. And the fates spare no one.
If you are not yet convinced of my words, there is one more thing that will hopefully change your mind. The ancient writings on your skin.
Do I have your attention now?
I pause, shocked. Writing. Whoever wrote this letter knew that the marks on my skin are an ancient script. That alone piques my interest. I continue reading.
You must quit The Wishing Game. You must do so before the third trial. By now, you should have already given your consent to continue in the game, but before the third trial starts, you can, at any point, withdraw that consent. It is a small loophole that not too many are aware of, but no one will deny you should you summon a wraith and withdraw.
What the hell? Anger bubbles inside of me. Why is everyone telling me to quit the game? Yet the next sentence catches my attention before I can crumple the piece of paper and throw it aside.
You are probably ready to put the letter down, thinking you could never give up on your husband—that the only way to get him back is to win the game. Unfortunately, that is false. Winning the game will not get Nicholas back. On the contrary, your continuation in the game will jeopardize everything. Nicholas's soul is not with the House of Psyche. That means no god, and no Supreme can return him to you because to them, he does not exist.
But there is one way you can get him back.
He is with you, at every moment, whether you know it or not. But to get back the man you love, you will need to be free of the Game and free of any vow that might lay claim on your soul. I have laid out further instructions for you, which shall find you when the time is right. I cannot emphasize enough that this requires the utmost secrecy. It is why I cannot divulge too much in this letter for fear someone else might intercept it. If anyone else should find out about this, it is not just your fate or that of your husband that hangs in balance, but that of the entire universe. I am being cryptic, I realize. But this is much more important than you realize—than even I realized. But for our loved ones, we must do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
I am aware this is a lot to take in, but as a sign of good faith and to show I can be trusted, I will leave you with this information. The writing on your skin—it is a promise. There is nothing evil about it, nor is it something to be afraid of. It is a vow written in blood, and in a matter of days, that vow will be fulfilled. When that happens, the mark of a new beginning will arise.
This is not the last you shall hear from me, but by the next time, I hope I will have earned your trust.
Yours,
A.S.L.
I stare at the letter for minutes on end. Who is A.S.L.? How does he or she know about me? The questions swarm inside my mind, making me more confused than ever before. A letter written hundreds of years ago knows so much about me, from the writings on my skin to Nikki and my participation in the Game. How could this happen when I was not even born when this A.S.L. must have written it?
Immediately, my gaze swings around the room as I search for an intruder—someone who could watch me closely enough to know how I'll react to the contents of the letter.
There's no one. I'm all alone. And even if there had been someone around, could they travel back in time to write about it in this letter? Is time travel possible? Who has that power?
The questions are endless. The answers... not so much.
I carefully fold the letter and place it back in the envelope before I stow it safely in my little bag.
If I cannot speak with anyone about this—that is, if I am to take this person's warnings seriously—then the library will be my best friend. Skeptical but curious, I drink the last of my tea before I make my way out of the conservatory. Although I'm weirded out by the letter, I cannot dismiss its contents—not when my actions could negatively impact Nikki.
At the very least, the next few days should tell me if there's any truth to what this letter is saying.