Chapter 11
STELLA
Walking through the halls in the dark alone left me unsettled.
The route from my room to the dining room Agatha pointed out was simple.
In theory. But the darkness was thick and deep in the corners, almost behaving like it was alive.
I ran my hand along the thick, wooden chair rail, as if it would keep me from getting lost in the gloom.
You left her, you know. Grace. You left her all alone to put on a pretty dress and smile at the damned.
I whipped my head around, expecting to see someone standing behind me for how close the voice was, finding only the barely lit hallway.
Damien must have not bothered to light all of the overly ornate sconces, and the candles inside flickered ominously.
Empty. Completely empty except for the shadows curling around the edges of the corners, pulsing and growing by the minute.
I blinked and turned back to the staircase, obviously losing my mind after only a day here.
Yet, the voice sounded so real. I would’ve sworn it was real.
Oh, I am real, Stella. As real as you. And I see everything. Did you really think leaving her was a good idea? Did you really think that was best?
I nearly tripped at the top of the stairs as I spun around. No one. Just the shadows creeping ever closer. I shot a glance at the light lining the hallway, flickering back and forth. ‘I did what I had to do.’
And now I was speaking to shadows. Add it to my list of normalcy.
Mmm… I wonder if your lies are good enough to help you sleep at night. Lies are what got you here, after all. I guess we’ll see how far they’ll get you.
‘Damien… Damien didn’t lie to me,’ I stuttered, doubting if that was indeed a lie. ‘He told me Grace would be fine. She doesn’t remember me.’
Do you believe that, or do you just believe whatever you want to hear? they purred. Maybe… I could show you Grace. If you wanted.
‘You could show me her? Really?’
The pulsing grew wilder, and I found myself taking a step toward the shadows.
I was in the Fringe with the Devil; surely, a coherent shadow wasn’t the weirdest thing I could come across.
Damien said things here wanted to hurt me but somehow, the voice was soothing to my frayed nerves, a welcome distraction.
Yes… step a little closer, and I’ll show you anything you want to see. Anything your heart desires.
‘I just want to see Grace,’ I whispered. I took another step, and the light dimmed further. The candles were nearly out, the shadows inching closer.
Come closer, and I’ll show you. She’d love to see you.
‘Stella?’
I jumped back against something hard as my heart rattled. I spun around to face Damien. ‘Oh! It’s you.’
‘Expecting someone else?’ His face remained entirely impassive as he held me at arm’s length. ‘Agatha told me she informed you what time dinner was, so I was concerned you might have gotten lost. Who are you speaking to up here?’
‘Um.’ I was suddenly grateful for the dim light as my cheeks flushed. This was Damien’s house after all, but informing him I was speaking to shadows was still embarrassing. In the end, I didn’t need to tell him myself.
Devil’s whore, the shadows hissed, shaking frantically from the corners where they swirled.
Damien’s gaze narrowed, something dark growing in them. ‘Did they speak to you?’
‘Uhh… did who speak to me?’
‘Don’t play dumb, Stella. It doesn’t suit you.’ He released my arms, storming closer to the corner of the hall, and the shadows appeared to tremble as he drew nearer. ‘The Nihil. The shadows. Did the shadows speak to you?’
‘Yes.’ I winced. It sounded ridiculous, putting it out there. Nihil. At least they had a name.
But Damien didn’t seem to think it was ridiculous, or look at me like I’d lost my mind.
His attention was focused on the swirling darkness, still behaving as if it were alive.
‘Go. Now. I promise I will make your sorry existence more atrocious than you could ever imagine if you come near her again.’
My eyes widened until I realized he wasn’t speaking to me, but the shadows.
She sold her soul to be your plaything. Surely, you won’t mind if we play, too. The voice that had spoken so sweetly to me as it had offered to show me Grace reverted back to the bone-chilling tone that sank through my body like ice. How had I ever found myself tempted?
Damien growled. ‘Last chance. By now, you know I don’t mince words. Leave, or regret it.’
The ice in my veins grew at the absolute command in Damien’s voice, demanding to be heard – and obeyed.
The Nihil must have heard it too, because with a final hiss, they pulled themselves back into the corner. The dimming candles flickered back to their full strength, leaving me blinking at the sudden brightness around me.
Damien stepped in front of me, glaring. ‘What did they say to you?’
He’d already told me not to lie. Was there any point in even trying? My words came out like a croak, and I cleared my voice before I tried again. ‘They… they told me I abandoned Grace. That you were lying to me.’
He ground his teeth together, a muscle twitching in his jaw. ‘Is that all they said?’
I sighed. ‘They told me they could show me Grace. If I came closer,’ I whispered.
He cursed under his breath, mumbling something I couldn’t quite catch, before stepping closer. I was overwhelmed by him: his size, his aura, the dark way he looked down at me, through dark lashes that were incredibly unfair.
‘I told you the house could be dangerous, and I meant that. The Nihil would’ve consumed you alive if you’d gotten close to them. They’ll stop at nothing, and say anything once they’ve pinned you.’ Damien opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something else, but merely shook his head.
Tell me, I thought. Tell me what you’re really thinking. ‘What are they exactly?’ I looked over to the corner, half-expecting to see them coming back to life once more.
Something fractured in Damien’s face before he spoke, something small and sharp that he carefully put back together.
Down the hall, Luna howled, sending a shiver down my spine.
‘They’re souls. Souls who left Earth, and don’t really have a place elsewhere either.
Not good enough for Heaven, and too weak to power Hell.
Unfortunately, they’re dead set on haunting me. ’
My eyebrows nearly hit my hair. ‘I didn’t think the Devil could be haunted.’
Damien rolled his eyes, making his way down the stairs. His silver rings glittered as he held onto the curved railing. ‘Full of jokes you are, Bambi.’
With one last look to the corner, I shook off the chill still trailing my back and followed him. ‘What else wants to hurt me in here?’
‘I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.
But you’d do well to at least try and not leave your room after dark.
If you do leave, you go right to wherever you’re going.
Do not listen to anything that calls your name, don’t pay attention to things that you see out of the corner of your eyes, and do not, for the love of Hell, make any deals. ’
‘I made a deal with you,’ I muttered.
He stopped in front of the dining-room doors Agatha pointed out, a cocky smirk on his face. ‘And how’d that end up for you?’
‘I’m stuck in between Earth and Hell with a broody asshole. How do you think it’s going?’ Standing tall, I pushed past him into the dining room.
Agatha was already seated at the massive table, silver covered dishes laid out in front of her. ‘Oh, Stella! I was worried you’d found yourself somewhere you shouldn’t. I’m so sorry, I should’ve come and gotten you from your room.’
‘No, please don’t apologize. I’m fine, really.
’ I took the seat across from her. Agatha had changed from her casual clothes, and was wearing a beautiful linen dress of a rich, deep blue.
I was quickly distracted from her outfit, because the aroma from the covered dishes was enough to make my mouth water.
‘She was not fine,’ Damien grumbled, sitting down at the head of the table. ‘The Nihil cornered her.’
‘Oh!’ Agatha’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. She opened up the first of the silver platters. Potatoes roasted with garlic and rosemary. ‘Well, obviously, she was smart enough not to listen to them.’
‘More like I got there just in time.’
I glared at Damien, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. Fine. I could play this game, too. ‘Yes, well, it’s hard to know what you need to protect yourself against when you’re just told things want to hurt you. Very descriptive. Not vague at all.’
Damien finally snapped his gaze to me, glowering as he reached for one of the silver dishes. ‘And maybe some people need to learn to just listen and not ask inane questions.’
Agatha snorted, covering it up with a cough. ‘Sorry. Pass the carrots, please.’
I sat back and crossed my arms, mixed emotions swirling in my chest. I wasn’t sure how we could make jokes one moment, only for him to be cool and distant the next.
And I really did need to understand more about the Fringe if he wanted me to stay safe.
Although with the chill burning off him currently, I wouldn’t be shocked if he fed me to the shadows with a smile on his face.
‘Wine?’ Agatha waved a bottle covered in a translucent label.
‘Sure.’
She filled the heavy crystal goblet in front of me, blackcurrant and licorice filling the air. A sip of it told me just how good this wine was, smooth on my tongue. I closed my eyes, forgetting for a moment where exactly I was.
Agatha handed me a dish, and despite myself, I found myself ravenous. Rolls, still warm, glazed with butter and fresh herbs. Hello.
Sure, maybe I was in Hell, a slave to the Devil, but there wasn’t a problem bread couldn’t fix.