The Final Messenger

19. Luna Lacuna

The new guest makes a subdued entrance. He glances at the Rococo decor and patterned walls with little interest, only showing anything other than apathy when he looks in the direction of Niryn. First at her eyes, once at her gold insignia, then back at her eyes again. He smiles. The cold expression sends a chill crawling down her spine. There's another thing she notices about his eyes. They're so dark it was like staring at the bottom of a gun barrel — endless and abyss-like. This doesn't make him any less vampiric however, as they carry no humanity in them.

Lydia turns her back to face Niryn and Aegean, her gold eyes turning warmer when they land on the pair of siblings. She seems tired. Whatever an immortal could do to look tired when they could stay up for days on end isn't doing much wonders for her.

"Ah, this is Niryn and her brother," Lydia lifts a bell-sleeved hand towards them. "Dear, is this any way to treat a guest?"

All of a sudden, Niryn feels like a child at a socialite party for adults, forcing herself to stand up straight and not shuffle her feet around.

"Good evening, sir," she finally says, smooth and unaffected. If luring a human is no issue for her, why should this beast?

"I've been hearing a lot about you." The man gives another grin, but it holds no warmth or sincerity, just the hollow amusement of a predator.

"Good things, I hope." She didn't mean to blurt that out, but the response forces a wry laugh out of the guest. Like everything about him, the hand he reaches out to clasp hers is huge. Niryn is tall, yet he absolutely towers over her. His breath smells of iron with a hint of something rotten. One thing is for sure, the man is incredibly unnerving.

"You don't have to worry about that. Your reputation precedes you," he says.

It seems Niryn isn't the only one made uncomfortable, because Lydia is shifting her eyes left and right. Her hands stay clasped and her figure is still, but over years of observing the mistress of the house, Niryn came away with being able to separate the Lydia that was confident, suave and powerful from when she was less than in-control of the situation. This was one of those situations. Clearly, this man was not an acquaintance or friend of hers.

There's a knowing look in his stare, something dangerous bubbling underneath those shark eyes. It is nearly intangible, but Niryn can feel it. She hasn't been very in-tune with her own emotions lately, but with others? She can sense there's more to this Goliath of a man than meets the eye.

"Niryn, why don't you give me a tour of the place? You have a lovely home. It would be a shame to come here all the way and not get a good view of it."

Lydia looks like she's about to say something, but purses her lips instead. Victor may be the head of the household, but his wife is the one who truly calls the shots here. If anyone could refuse a request like his, it would be Lydia. So why is she holding back?

With a hand on her shoulder, Aegean whispers close, "I'll be here if you need me. Just in case."

Niryn gives a small nod.

•••

First she shows him to the garden. It is Lydia's absolute pride and joy. She takes great care of it without the help of either maids. The hard work clearly shows as it turns out to be a beautiful verdure of rare flora that's probably the most life the house has seen other than its lone human resident. It's been a while since Niryn last visited the garden. There was just no reason for her to.

It's funny how the mistress takes such care growing these things while constantly taking the life out of others. But she supposes, humans don't make as pretty of a picture nor do they come in colours like maroon, gold or purple.