Mirrors & Shadows

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈

գ 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥𝔰 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔯~ 𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔡'𝔰 𝔰y𝔪𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔫y

Before you read: I changed the format for the dialogue. Tell me which format you prefer in the comments. This one of the old one?

Every sense alert, Henry continued down the lifeless tunnel. The floor was wet, and the sound of his footsteps resonated. Every time he came down here, his mind's eye would see a silhouette mirrored across from him to match the echo of his steps. Yet, he stopped abruptly, the figure fading instantly into darkness. Despite being completely motionless at that instant, footsteps that weren't his own echoed ahead. Whoever it was, was walking straight toward him, the little bundle of light contracting and bursting repeatedly ,mimicking the person's heartbeat. Henry was ready to strike. However, as the person stopped in front of him, a soft rose fragrance he would be able to recognize anywhere swept over him. It was the woman whose kiss was as delicate as her bite was harsh like a rose whose petals are as silky as the thorns are sharp. The woman who had made his soul wilt. The woman who had tortured a broken heart into beating eternally. Lucinde. Each was aware of the other's presence, of the other's identity as they stood still, face to face in the darkness, listening to each other's heartbeats while trying to guess the other's reaction.

"I told you already. It's a shame you left. I saw it in your past. The potential for so many things yet to accomplish."

"Saw what? What did you see in the memories of a blind man?"

Maybe she too was remembering their last conversation. Had she found Edmond before he did? Was this silence one of triumph? Or was she waiting for him to say something?
He was startled as her delicate fingers touched his neck but he didn't draw back. Then her soft touch faded away and he watched astounded as the shining light moved past him back into darkness.

She had let him walk away although they were from opposite clans at war. Maybe had she wanted to remind him that she was his real dame, that by blood, they owed each other loyalty? Nor Edmond nor Kyan had ever been his sire or his brother.

He walked on pensively, navigating in the city's vast intestines, swallowed it seemed, by darkness itself until the odor of blood was perceptible. To his astonishment, a faint light glowed ahead. He strode cautiously toward the pulsing light of a heart. It was Edmond's, he realized. His friend, from the looks of it, had managed after all to remove the weapon lodged in his heart yet, he lay there, everything still except for his calm breathing and his heart that had already healed from its injury, beating steadily.

"Edmond?" Henry called, a hint of surprise in his voice. If he was unharmed why hadn't he exited Nox?

"I thought you would find me." Edmond stated serenely.

As Henry tried to move forward, he stepped on something metallic sending echoes traveling down the tunnel. It was surely the weapon used.

"I'm tired, Henry. But I mustn't fall asleep. Not here." Although Edmond's voice was low, almost murmured, it was amplified by the vastness of the place, in such a way you'd think they were surrounded by a crowd of listeners in the darkness, whispering to each other what had been said.

"We have to get back to the surface. Can you walk?"

"Not now. I fear I will fall asleep. Will you stay here a while longer?"

"Yes... If you wish." Henry sat down on the cold, wet floor next to his friend.

"We are very similar you and I. We both have never been part of our sires' clans. We both are outsiders to our own clan. We both have never even seen our sires."