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I try to scream, but nothing comes out. I feel like I’m drowning in sorrow and no one can hear me as I run toward the door.
Throwing it open, I suddenly find myself in a tavern. Cyprian sits at a table in the back corner, drowning his sorrows in one mug of ale after another. He only rises to once to throw a punch at someone who dares to jeer at him.
I try to push through the crowd to get to him, but it’s impossible. Tears sting my eyes as I see the pain in his own. His features sharper with sorrow.
I hate to think that I have caused this pain. That now his suffering is greater because of me.
Again, I try to call out, but no sound escapes me.
Suddenly, his eyes shift to mine, and for a moment, I think he can see me … but then he turns, calling out for another ale before leaning forward against the table.
Again, a chill creeps over my skin, and I turn to find Death watching him from the dark corner of the room.
I blink as I start to move toward him, only to find myself back at home. Merelda stands before me, her hair a mess and her cheeks stained with tears.
It takes me a moment to realize we’re both standing in her private room, where she readied me to meet Lord Payne. I stare at her as she grabs a cracked basin and sends it flying into the wall across the room.
It shatters into a thousand pieces as her crying turns to manic laughter as she screams curses at my name. Stepping back, my eyes never leaving her, my hands are quick to find the doorknob, but the door is jammed.
Whirling on it, I throw my body against it. I stumble forward only to find myself in my father’s room. Blinking at the empty bed, my eyes lift to find Father standing by the window.
There’s a book in his hand, tears staining his cheeks as he stares out at the empty sky.
Again, I try to call to him, but he doesn’t so much as glance over his shoulder. My words disappearing into the shadows that suddenly swirl up to wrap themselves around me, holding me back as I glance up to find Death standing beside me.
His eyes trained on Father.
He moves past me, as I silently scream for him to stop. I watch as he reaches out to place a hand on my father’s shoulder, the book falling from his hand as he slowly drops to his knees before Death.
No!
This can’t be happening. It’s too soon. I’ve yet to fulfill my promise. A silent scream tears from me, but no one seems to care or notice. The shadows swirl and tighten around me, dragging me down into them, until I’m certain they’ll drown me.
I open my mouth as darkness fills my vision, reaching out just as I fall backward.
I gasp, jolting awake as I press a hand my pounding heart.
It was just a nightmare. My father is still safe, though I cannot say how Cyprian or my stepmother are faring.
One glance around the darkening shadows lets me know that Death has returned home. I sit up, smoothing out my hair, just as I hear the click of his boots against the stone floor as he approaches. Striding into the room, he stops short as he eyes land on me.
He’s in the middle of peeling off his leather gloves, and I can’t help the way my gaze lingers on his hands, eager for a glimpse of what lies beneath. I clear my throat, lifting my eyes to meet his when it becomes clear that his gloves are staying on.
Unable to contain my excitement at seeing him, I rise from the couch. A smile tugs at my lips as his shadows swirl around him. I see the confusion in his eyes as he stares at me.
He didn’t expect to find me here, waiting for him, that much is clear. I hate that I haven’t gone out of my way sooner to greet him and thank him for all that he’s done for me.
“Welcome home,” I say, adding an extra note of cheerfulness to my voice.
He’s quiet for a long moment before giving me a nod in return.
I kick myself, realizing that he’s probably not used to being greeted so cheerfully, let alone at all. I’ve probably just made things even more uncomfortable for him by doing so.
Fighting to keep the smile on my face, I take a step toward him, wondering if my presence has is more disruptive to him more than I’d realized. After all, it’s pretty clear that this place has sat silent and empty for a very long time.
Perhaps that’s exactly how he likes it and is now eager for it to return.
Especially when he’s found the first guest that he’s welcomed into his home in so long to be so ungrateful.
