Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
I had retired to my bedroom. Deliciously sore but craving more. My eyes looked over my bedroom. Amongst the usual grey, the new colour bloomed. So much within my wardrobe and dressing heralded the colour. Maaier was right. This was my favourite. I admired the painting hanging on the wall. Green stems wrapped over my arms. The leaves vibrant against the pale skin. A smile filled my face. A genuine admiration for the art I hadn’t shown in a long time. I longed to know who painted it.
A small sniff filled the space. The sound of muffled sobbing rebounded through the house. How could no one hear this? It was deafening.
I had tried to find the girls for an hour after they had entered the manor but they were yet to be seen.
The sniffling grew louder. Tearing myself from the portrait, I headed toward the noise. Silently praying the girls had made themselves known. Small and soft voices came from the end of the hall.
I cursed under my breath before storming to the door. They wouldn’t escape me now. I had to know who attacked us.
My hand reached for the knob. Only to find the room locked. How curious. The room was never locked, not since I had entered there. A cold chill ran through me. They were in there with Magdelena. God only knows what she was filling their heads with.
The girls cried louder, begging almost, for something I couldn’t make out. My heart dropped in my chest. The despair in their tiny sobs was like a knife to the chest. Their small wails, like salt in a wound. I needed to get in there. I needed to calm them down, to assure them all was well.
Willing myself, I tried the door once more. Throwing my shoulder against it for good measure. Only before I could make contact the door flung open. I fell unceremoniously inside, landing with a heavy thud on the dusty floor. The air whooshing out of me.
The girls cried louder at the intrusion. Magdelena screeched from the corner of the room, begging for me to help her with her hands over her ears.
With a groan, I pulled myself from the floor. Finding myself eye to eye with a squatting Maaier.
Wonder blazed through his eyes at me and the door again. His hand reached out for mine. I took it gladly. The contact of his skin zipped through me like a bolt of lightning. The door slammed behind me as I made it to my feet.
“How are you in here?” He muttered, looking back at the door once more.
“I heard crying and thought I could help,” I said. It was only half true but he had refused to help me in the past. I still wondered if I was truly his soul mate.
“Very well.” He swallowed before turning back to the girls. I finally looked over them. A sharp inhale drawn at the sight of them.
The girls were only young. No older than eight. Their skin, ice white but their colourings took me by shock. The girl on the right with her arms back toward the smaller girl blinked at me. Her inky black hair was wild with sticks and damp leaves. Wide defiant eyes staring back at me. Her friend sniffled. A light haired girl with darker eyes trembling behind her back. I looked over them. Anger churned through me. The two girls were almost identical to myself and Dorian at their age. Their killer weaving them into this sick game we were all pawns in.
I was frozen in place. Horror masking my saddened expression. Magdelena uncurled from the bed, tiptoeing up to me. Maaier knelt once more. His focus purely on the young girls.
Magdelena wove her frigid hand into mine, squeezing me tightly. More physical than she had ever been before, more corporeal of anything.
“They’ve been in here crying all day,” She whispered. The black haired girl bared her teeth at the words.
“Who are you?” She snarled. Such a fighting spirit for someone so young.
“This is Vespera. My soul,” Maaier explained gently. Keeping his focus on the girls.
The girl looked over at me. Noting my aunt's hand in mine.
“Is she dead too?” She jutted her chin.
Maaier shook his head.
“Not technically,” He said. His tone was the epitome of softness, a side rarely shown.
“Then how can she see us?” The light haired girl squeaked. Seemingly gaining more confidence with the girl protecting her.
“He’s been pleading with them for an hour but still hasn’t broken through to them once. I would have punched a wall by now if I was him,” Magdelena whispered. I had to hold myself back from laughing at her horrified face.
The dark haired girl snapped her teeth. Even Magdelena startled beside me.
“Hey.” Maaier snapped his fingers. The girl remained in place. “You do not threaten my wife.”
Magdelena turned to me. Her face a mix of horror and confusion.
When the hell did I become his wife? Did him giving me the colour green mean I was his bride? I shook my head once, pleading with my gaze for her to know that was not the case. Not yet anyway. Magdelena softened again, her usual fire prickling behind her eyes.
“I know how you feel,” I said, taking a cautious step toward the girl. Magdelena’s hand falling from mine.
“You’re alive. We aren’t,” The dark haired girl hissed.
“But I wasn’t.” My fingers reached for my neckline. Pulling the fabric down to bare my scar. “It hurts. Dying. Doesn’t it?” The girl's facade softened.
“He said you weren’t dead,” The lighter haired girl responded, peeking out from behind her vicious friend.
“I was. But I was brought back.” I offered a small smile.
“Can we be brought back?”
I shook my head at the lighter haired girl's question. “I’m sorry.”
The girl's face dropped. Tears rolling down her cheeks in fat droplets. I stepped beside Maaier. The girl rushed forward. Without warning, her arms wrapped around my hips, her head buried itself in my belly as she sobbed.
“But I don’t want to be dead,” She cried.
“It’s okay.” I soothed as I pet her back. Letting her release all her emotions onto me. The fabric of my dress grew damp beneath her cheeks. The dark haired girl met gaze. Her facade breaking at the instant our eyes met. She rushed forward. Nuzzling into me beside her little friend. Their cold bodies chilled my skin but I paid it no mind. It was my fault they were here after all. Never to see their mothers or family again. Never to run in fields of flowers or dance under the stars. To grow up and find their talent and passion. Their bright futures ripped away simply because they resembled Dorian and I.
My own tears welled in my eyes. I tilted my head back, willing them to remain hidden to fall later when I was alone.
Maaier stood slowly. Silently watching the interaction.
The girls pulled themselves back from me. The lighter haired one took my hand.
“Can you tell me your names?”
“Abigail,” The lighter haired girl said with a sniff.
“Florence,” The dark haired girl replied softly.
“We don’t want to go to the otherside.” Florence stared at me as she reached for Abigail’s tiny fist hanging limply by her side.
They took hands, staring up at me as if to argue.
I glanced at Maaier. Begging him with a look to help me, but he remained silent. Magdelena moved to the lounge behind him. Watching with her elbows propped up on her knees. The shadow of another figure lingered beside her. I couldn’t make out who it was. Their light was not bright enough to see their features.
“Maaier will take you to the next place. A place of dreams.” I forced my brightest smile despite the despair in my heart.
“We don’t want to go.” They pleaded in unison. The sound reminded me of Dorian and I at their age. There was no talking sense into either of us.
“What if I come with you?” I asked. Maaier’s face fell.
Magdelena straightened. “Death! Please! Talk sense into the idiot!” She barked, standing from the couch with her arms out beside her.
“Can you?” Abigail brightened. I nodded.
“In three days, I will turn twenty six. I have a few unfinished things I need to sort out but once I’m done we can all go rest. How does that sound?”
I knew I should have pleaded with them to cross now. But it was simply no use. I knew no matter how hard you tried, a stubborn woman wouldn’t budge. No matter the age.
Maaier stared at me, absolutely crestfallen by my decision.
Did he not want me that way? Did he not want my eternal soul like he said?
The girls smiled as I let them go.
“Explore the manor but do not break a thing and do not make yourself known.” The girls practically bounced at the permission. Their smiles slowly brightened over their faces.
“Stay away from the wild blonde woman.”
“And me!” Magdelena called before flopping back on the couch with a sigh, mumbling curses under her breath.
Maaier reached for my hand, pulling me out into the hall.
I stumbled after him, his heavy footsteps leading to his room.
The room was basic. A single bed with a dresser in the corner. The scent of him was heavy in the air.
His words but a whisper as he said my name.
“What did you mean by not technically dead?” I asked, tilting my head at him.
Maaier sank down onto his bed, shaking hands raking through his dark hair.
“Please,” I pleaded. Kneeling in front of him, I took his hands in mine. Prying them from his scalp. He drew in a deep breath. I flashed a small smile, assuring that all was okay.
“You are dead, Vespera.”