He meows in confirmation.
“Let’s keep going then…” I say.
He trots off into what appears to be a ballroom.And it’s filled with shades.
Soft melodic music drifts around us.Shade couples dance to music made from old memories and warm hugs.It’s a lilting, hypnotic sound.I wonder how long they’ve been trapped here.Hundreds of body-shapes paired together, arms around necks, their translucent feet hovering above the ground, drifting listlessly to the tune.
It’s beautiful and haunting and makes my chest ache.As we make our way through the ballroom, one by one the shades stop dancing to stare at us.
It makes my skin crawl in the same way Interitus did.
“Why are they staring?”I whisper.
“Because you’re glowing.Shades don’t glow.”
“I’m not a shade…” I say, not quite a question but not quite a statement either.
“Whatever you are, you’re not meant to be here.Look at how different you are to them.”
I glance down at my body again and then back to them.He’s right.They are translucent where I am opaque.
Solid.
I don’t look much different than when I was living, truth be told, save for the fact my skin is now home to hundreds of runes.I study the ones nearest my hands.From one angle, they almost look like the contract runes Midnight drew for me, but they shift and warp too quickly for me to get a proper handle on them.
“I need to find out what is happening to me, and there’s only two people that will know.”
“Ignatius and Architecti?”
“And they’re both in Ora City, so I guess we have to try…”
Mortem’s butt wiggles like he’s going to pounce, but he jumps in excitement and it makes me smile.A spark of hope balloons in my belly.
I don’t have a soul but maybe Ora will let me in anyway.If I can find a Veil tear, then maybe I can find my way back to Midnight and explain.
And this time, I’d be going home with a broken contract.Ignatius wouldn’t have any control over me; I’d be homeandfree.It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.
“I need food.And maybe a nice female pussy…”
I raise an eyebrow at him, my nose wrinkling.
“…cat.Pussy cat.”
“You’re vile.”
He licks his side, sticking a leg right up in the air in a contorted pose that makes my hips squirm.
“Get me to Ora and I’ll supply you with a lifetime of tuna.”
He doesn’t need telling twice.He hops up and strides out of the ballroom.
The tower must distort spatial reality, because after the ballroom we walk for at least two hours.Through rooms and halls and foyers and more rooms.It’s a maze that twists and turns and never seems to have an end.I’m reaching the end of my patience.The runes tingle, I’m thirsty and the backs of my knees want to conk out.
“I thought you knew where you were going,” I whine.
Mortem glares at me.“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot you’d been here before.Would you prefer to navigate?”
“I see the grumpy arsehole is back.”
