A Sprinkle of Stardust

Chapter 15 - Speculation

Lyrani Esch didn't believe in ghosts.

They were figments of an overactive imagination, conjured up to explain things that people didn't understand.

ECISI's paranormal unit had dealt with a few cases that turned out not to be supernatural at all. In a realm brimming with magic, it was easy for anyone to create the illusion of a ghost if they used their abilities in a certain way.

Why, then, could Lyrani think of nothing but spectres and spirits? Why could the comfort of her bed and the embracing darkness of her room not keep her cold terror at bay?

There had been something in that deserted apartment, something with a will of its own. Even though it couldn't be right, Lyrani's mind kept circling back to the same conclusion.

Ghost.

Sleep eluded Lyrani for too long that night.

Every peal of laughter ringing through the palace sounded like an apparition cackling. Every breath of the wind was a phantom slipping through Lyrani's window, stretching a cold, invisible hand out to silence her. Eventually, her fatigue won out over her fear, and she dozed off.

It felt like moments later that ripples in the surrounding darkness wrenched Lyrani from the arms of sleep.

Someone was in her room.

Her eyes shot open.

"Lyrani?" whispered an elven voice, soft and clear as a forest stream.

Lyrani let out a shuddering breath. It wasn't the thing from earlier come to finish her off. It was just Trelle.

"Are you awake?" asked the other agent.

"No," was Lyrani's resolute answer.

She lay stubbornly still to discourage Trelle in case she hadn't gotten the message.

Whatever Trelle had to say, Lyrani could deal with it in the morning. Sleep slipped further away the longer she stayed awake, and she had worked too hard to give it up now.

"Come now." The bed gave under Trelle's weight as she sat beside Lyrani. "Don't you want the latest news on the mission?"

Lyrani stayed silent a few moments, giving the other elf a final hint to leave her room, but Trelle didn't move, only shook her gently by the shoulders.

Sitting up, Lyrani groaned. "Since you leave me no choice." She glared at Trelle with half-closed eyes.

Her fellow agent gave a tinkling laugh that made Lyrani feel like a grumpy child by comparison. She smoothed out the annoyance on her face so that she looked less like one.

A glance at the curtains showed Lyrani that it was still dark outside. She wasn't sure whether she was relieved at the prospect of a few more hours of sleep or terrified at having to endure more night.

The darkness didn't feel like a friend tonight. It only reminded her of the hostile face in the mirror and the cold touch of some unseen hand.

"What time is it?" Lyrani asked.

"Almost 3 in the morning," said Trelle, too cheerful for someone who had pulled an all-nighter.

Lyrani looked from the window to the senior agent, her mouth falling open.

It was hours since she had returned from her exploration. The evening's last heat had long dissipated, leaving behind the flat, empty coldness of the earth before its first meeting with the sun on the new day.

Lyrani pulled her covers over her shoulders. "Where have you been?"

"With Nash." Trelle smirked.

Lyrani shouldn't have expected anything different, but what could have possibly kept them busy for so long?