Chapter 27.1 If You

Frozen, a coffin of ice encase us. I’m the first to look back into the alleyway. It grows larger than life, tendrils of shadow unraveling along the ground.

“W-What is that?” The other two are broken out of their trance from my voice. But as they turn around, the darkness slithers away. Hidden now, it's as if earlier were some trick of the eye.

“T-There’s nothing there.” Fen scrutinizes the street. “Vani, it’s not funny. Hurry up!”

Only silence comes as response.

Ru hides behind his sleeves in timidity. “But we all felt that earlier, right? Whatever it was… What if it got Vani…?”

One heartbeat, then two, and then another. There’s no sign of our friend anywhere. “I-I’m going back to find her.”

“Wait, Aey.” Fen catches my arm and holds me back. By now, a very familiar feeling of panic is settling in.

What if something happened to her? I-I can’t lose her again. Lose… Who again…? A sharp pain assails my forehead and temples. My mind feels foggy, I can’t concentrate.

“Aey, are you okay?” I hear Ru’s concerned voice, but it’s in the background as if he were muffling through a blizzard.

I shake my head, but no memories fall loose. Only pure, white snow settles. The frost blankets everything in my mind, the layer makes everything look anew.

“I’m fine.”

My eyes are drawn to the street, it looks dark and empty. But there are no secrets here for us. “I don’t think Vani is there anymore.”

They give each other an uneasy look, before Fen speaks. “Yeah… I don’t sense her presence either.”

“What should we do…? We can’t just leave her.”

It looks to be just an ordinary street again. “Let’s go back through, together. Whatever it was, it’s… Also not there anymore.”

“I think Aey is right.” Fen pauses, “But… How can you sense that?”

I pause uneasily at his question, unsure of how to answer. "Intuition?”

I’d like to think it’s because I am a Child of Sunira, but I’m not sure even then. Regardless, this isn’t the time to think about such things.

Fen paces forward and leads the way into the murky alley.

Scanning our eyes through every dark corner of pungent trash and rotting bricks, only our quiet steps on the cobblestone ground greet our ears.

There are no living creatures in sight. Not even a single insect or rat scurries through the street. How unsettling.

We walk all the way to the other end.

“Should we go back to Jul and Trais? They might know something.”

I think back to how hurriedly they rushed us home. The three of us nod, beginning the silent journey back.

It’s hard not to think in the engulfing silence. The hushing tones of nightfall surround and paint the town grey.

Worry. That’s all I can do.

Helplessness. That’s all I can feel.

Lifting the drapery, we enter the familiar shop. “Trais? Jul?” We call out, but no one comes out to greet us.

I look around. It isn’t locked up so why isn’t there anyone here? However much you may trust others... To not even lock up an antique store filled with valuable goods? That seems highly unlikely.

“Let’s look around.”

Splitting up to scour the many unventured corners, I’m drawn back to the table of trinkets I saw earlier.

My hand naturally shoots out, reaching for the necklace. Inside the small, glass vial is a wine-colored powder.

Popping open the cork, some of it scatters into the air making a whirl of roses. Already the scent is thick and alluringly sweet, like a flower on the cusp of blossoming. Unassumingly, I bring my nose towards it.

“Stop! What are you doing!?” Jul immediately smacks it from my hands, the glass splits along the floor and powder flies up.

Shocked, I look up to see Jul hovering over me where there was no one there before. “Twice, cover your nose and don't breath it in.” I follow his motions and use my sleeve to mask my face.

Before the powder can spread any further, he whispers. “Spark and snare, avarice without a care.” Something magick courses through the air. The powder ignites, leaving only the smell of burnt ash in its wake.