The Bane of Light

Lupercicallus

Listen to the playlist "Lupercicallus" on Spotify for this chapter<3 if you can't find it, look up "Parilia" and you'll find it on the same account!

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After several hours spent in my bathtub, soaking in boiling hot water in an attempt to drown myself, I finally found the strength to get up and prepare for Cera's party. The water was still scorching in the tub, hot as it had been when it first came out- a courtesy of Belserra's magically heated water supply. I definitely abused this perk, my habit of taking extra-long baths wreaking havoc on the water supply—something that would definitely not be tolerated in a lesser boarding house. I didn't particularly care though, seeing that I gave it plenty of time to recover in my absence.

I stepped out of my large, circular tub, dripping water all over my marble flooring. A trail of little water droplets followed in my stead of wet footprints on the tile. The bathtub itself was situated in the middle of my large bathing chamber, sunken into the ground in the form of a makeshift pool. I enjoyed the extra space, reminding me of a Roman sauna or a hot springs Jacuzzi as I floated within it.

My bathroom was regal, consisting of deep emerald greens and blacks, looking like it belonged to gothic, serpentine palace besides a dorm bathroom. The lighting was dim and warm, courtesy of the gold sunstone torches and the various candles scattered through the chamber, setting a shadowy overcast to all corners. Everything was delightfully tenebrous, making this my favorite place in the entire castle.

I sauntered past of the tub, shuddering as the cold tile assaulted my sensitive feet. With a snap of my fingers, a fluffy robe had apparated onto my body, a head band with a bow pushing my hair back from my face. Using my nimble fingers to untangled knots, I began combing out my hair. As I used magic to dry it, I dutifully ignored the girl staring back at me from the looking glass. I ignored the way her bones jut out from under her diaphanous skin, my eyes skittering away from meeting her gaze. Whether it be disgust or contempt, I couldn't look at her.

My eyes were shadowed and sunken in, the dark circles under them looking particularly defined. Strangely enough, my eyes were also unnaturally glassy, and I couldn't put my finger on how they simultaneously managed to look both dry and shiny. Maybe it was my skin from me sitting in the shadow realm for so long. Serves me right, for wasting all my magic to sit there and sulk.

My cheekbones were particularly sharp and had deep shadows underneath them. The harsh edges made my body seem more skeletal than usual, from the poke of my hipbones to the zebra-stripes of shadow on my chest. I pushed my hair to the side, observing the choker of white scars on my neck. They crisscrossed over each other like lightning strikes, with the consistency of melted wax. They were faded, of course, but they were still disgustingly present. Sometimes I had to refrain from the urge of scratching them off with my sharp nails. It was irrational, but there was always that urge to scrub my skin spotless of the mangled sight. It tarnished my clean skin.

I sighed, dropping my curtain of wet hair over my shoulders. Out of sight, out of mind. That's why Cera made us matching collars for our costumes. I knew she added them purposefully, but I couldn't help but be annoyed with Cera's consideration. It was a ridiculous thing: white with frills and ruffles, and a huge, silver bell hanging off it, but it hid the scars. I had slashed out the ball inside of it instantaneously, not being able to stand the ringing.

I slipped out of my robe and into the frilled costume, prickling as the cold air assaulted my skin. It was conveniently laid out on my bathroom dresser, and I scowled at how she managed to slip it in unnoticed. I kept warning her to stay out with her enchantments, lest Beastly be out and maw her to death, but she continued to defy me. Yes, she hadn't been in my mind since the whole scarves mishap, despite the mystery of of my recently-turned, eventful life practically eating at her alive, but she still found ways to be unbearably snoopy. Ibet was the only one who respected boundaries.