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Felix shrugs and then follows behind him. He’s able to move through the bookcase as well. It’s kind of like we are ghosts doing this.
I follow Felix and I don’t feel anything walking through a bookcase. It’s the strangest thing to know you’re defying physics but you can’t even feel parts of your own body.
The staircase is the same. Felix is a few steps down, waiting for someone else to come through. Aksel is next, and he moves right through my body when he comes through. Again, nothing.
We head down the stairs without any lights to guide us, but it’s not like we can fall.
When we reach the room where we found Mr. Garfield in, he’s sitting up in the corner. He looks better than when we found him but not by much. It seems Ryan was at least feeding him while he was here.
I can’t reconcile the Ryan I knew with one that would keep a prisoner. He was so kind and never cruel until our final moments together. It was all an act, and I need to remember who he really was. A killer.
Mr. Garfield’s eyes are hazy, and it doesn’t seem like he’s here at all.
Ryan sets down a plate full of basically slop. It resembles oatmeal but not quite.
“Oh Eugine, I love our time together. You’re so much better than my other hostages. They’re always trying to fight back, but they’re all tamed in the end.” Ryan’s smile is manic.
Mr. Garfield just moans, resting his head back against the wall. He doesn’t move toward his food.
“Did you think you were special? No, I’ve got more homes in my possession than this. Mages protect their homes, but there are loopholes. Once you find them, it’s easy. This is my favorite, but the one in St. James, Michigan, is also excellent. I have an extra special prisoner there, just got him today, actually. Hence my good mood.”
Why is Ryan giving him a monologue right now? Is he that lonely? I guess he couldn’t talk about this stuff with me, and he wants to brag to someone.
He doesn’t say anything else, but that might just be enough. We have a place to start looking. Ryan said he has more homes, but if the one in St. James is his second favorite, then maybe he went there. At the very least, we can release his prisoners there.
We will just have to find the home somehow.
Ryan heads back upstairs, and we all follow him.
“Are we ready to go? We have something, even if it wasn’t as descriptive as we would have liked. This place gives me the creeps.” Felix shivers to emphasize his point.
I know what he means. It’s eerily quiet here.
Ryan sits down in his armchair, and I can’t help myself. I move closer. His eyes are so cruel, nothing like the ones I spent hours staring into. I move closer, just needing to see the differences myself. This is my opportunity to see who he really is when he’s not playing a part.
“Anna.” Felix’s voice sounds weary, but I ignore him, stepping even closer.
Aksel grabs my arm. “I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s time to go.”
I shake him off, moving closer. I never got to see him like this, and I won’t be rushed. This could be enough to put the ghost of my feelings for Ryan behind me.
You would think that him killing me would be enough, but feelings can be messy like that. Good memories don’t just disappear.
Even the way he does his hair is slightly different but so similar. The Ryan I knew had a few curls that fell into his eyes, but this version has it all slicked back. Was it all part of his act? A way to stay in character?
“Now, Anna,” Aksel yells, but it’s too late.
Ryan’s eyes shoot to mine like he can actually see me. When I stumble back, he follows the moment.
“Who do we have here?” Ryan asks with a cruel smile.
“What the fuck?” Griffyn curses.
“Leave! Now!” Aksel demands, and I listen.
I clap in front of my face, breaking the charm and hurtling me back to reality.
I sit up gasping, barely noticing the guy’s bodies that are still lying unnaturally still around me.
