Julian
For a brief moment, a ray of sunshine struck the old windows, spilling a warm, gentle light into the surrounding darkness. The rain fell with desperate intensity, as if it had a pulse of its own. Each bitter drop seemed to mark time, almost singing as it struck the stones and leaves.
Tiny flecks of dust floated in the single beam of light, twirling and twisting in the air. You thought you could anticipate their fall, but they always surprised you, spinning upward again, caught in an endless, playful loop. Their dance would soon be swallowed by the shadows, leaving no trace of light behind.
It had been three days since I last saw Asteria, and the image she left me with shattered my heart completely. Her pale skin lay motionless against pure white sheets. Her hollow blue eyes were fixed on the storm outside, or maybe not even on the storm, but on an abyss beyond it. No movement. No sound. Nothing. She was only a shell of what she had been, and I wondered if I would ever get her back. After that, they would not let me see her again. They said they were taking care of her, but I could not trust them.
I was pacing the room, lost in thoughts of my sweet love, when I heard Ignes and Orin passing in the hall. A deep breath steadied me and nudged me to follow. They stopped at the far end of the corridor, where it opened into an inner garden. Its ceiling was the sky, its walls, the cottage itself, wrapping protectively around a fountain in the middle. Bushes of flowers hugged the cold stones, vines climbing toward the roof and brushing against secretive windows. I scanned the walls, wondering which window belonged to Asteria's room.
"It is incredible, is it not?" Orin whispered with fascination as she slowly lifted her fingers, as if trying to catch each raindrop individually.
"Indeed. Looks like she has a lot to mourn," Ignes murmured, mostly to herself. "Can you imagine what else she could do if she can do this?"
The women stood under the eaves, watching the rain in thoughtful silence. For a while neither spoke, until Ignes finally drew a breath and broke the stillness.
"Do you think she will ever recover?" There was a tremor in her voice.
"I hope so," Orin sighed, as though trying to soothe something deep inside her. "What do you think she is really like? She cannot be that bad, right? She cannot be worse than what we are supposed to face." She nodded to herself uncertainly, as if trying to reassure herself.
"Even if she is, can you blame her?" Ignes laughed bitterly. "What she has been through... You felt it too, did you not?"
Orin nodded.
"That incredible pain. My body was tearing itself apart. I thought I would die there. Orin, that is why the others died. I think they just could not bear her suffering."
Ignes stopped suddenly when she saw Orin begin to shake, tears spilling down her face. She kept nodding in small, frantic motions, as if trying to shake the memories loose, the darkness, the sorrow.
"It is our fault," she choked between sobs. "The pain, the abyss... I cannot shake it off me. The others dying... and her... What if we made it worse? What if we broke her for good?" She wept in Ignes's arms like a frightened child.
My chest tightened. Asteria was not safe yet. I did not know what to think of these women anymore. Nothing made sense. Part of me wanted to hate them, another part wanted to reach them, to give them hope. They had always seemed fierce, threatening even. Seeing them like this, fragile and frightened, changed everything. I clenched my fists. The situation was worse than I thought. There were dangers still coming, ones I could not yet understand.
"What if she never forgives us?" Orin whispered once she had caught her breath. "We took her happiness and safety away. We ruined the only chance she had."
"Well, then I suppose we are walking corpses, my dear," Ignes said quietly. She stared at the rain, her voice trembling. "We had to do it." A long pause. Then again, firmer, as if she needed to convince herself first. "We had to do it. It was our only chance. We had no more time, no more options. If not, everything would have been for nothing. So many deaths in vain. We had to do it."
They exchanged a look, a pact, silent but binding, meant to hold them together a little longer.
Outside, the last beam of light vanished behind the storm, and I wondered if Asteria would ever find hers again.
"What about the human" Ignes asked, and I felt my heart stop.
"His name is Julian," Orin sighed "And I don't think he trusts us yet, but I guess I cannot blame him. He seems to love her deeply. Of course we are the enemies.We took her away from him and hurt her."
"I still do not trust him," Ignes murmured, falling into thought. "There is something wrong with him. I feel it, and Lucien said he is immune to compulsion."
"And since when do you trust Lucien" Orin snorted in irritation.
"I do not." Her voice sharpened. Anger rose inside her like a spark. "I think he knew our sisters would die. Maybe he hoped we would die. Honestly I do not even know why we survived, but I am sure he is behind the disappearance of the other covens. We cannot trust him with her life. Never. Do not forget what he is."
The rain continued heavily.
"But he is right about one thing. There is something about this Julian." Ignes paused for a long moment. "I suppose it is better if we keep an eye on him. And maybe she will not tear us apart when she wakes if she sees him." Her attempt at lightness barely landed and Orin did not flinch.
"Speaking of the devil, have you heard from him" Orin asked, ignoring her attempt at humor.
"No."
"I wonder what he is preparing."
"I wonder the same," Ignes replied with a sigh. "I am going to keep an eye on him at all times. You just watch our dear guest you like so much." She smiled teasingly at Orin.
"I would not worry about that," Orin answered with confidence. "I placed a barrier so he cannot take her. And I do not think he will leave without her." She paused, studying the rain again. "You are right. There is something about him. I cannot put my finger on it, but he is certainly something else." A faint smirk touched her lips and her cheeks flushed with pink.
"Ooh, my dear Orin. Now she surely will rip you apart when she wakes up." Ignes laughed heartedly nodding her head at her.
"Oh, my dear Orin. She will surely tear you apart when she wakes," Ignes said with a warm laugh, nodding at her knowingly.
"Can you blame me for having the same cravings" Orin replied, shaking her head. Out of the corner of her eye she suddenly caught sight of me.
She turned slowly followed my Ignes and sighed.
She turned slowly. Ignes followed her gaze and sighed.
"That is rather rude. Eavesdropping like that," she said with a pout, her green eyes gleaming in the shadows.
The rain stopped, but the air grew dense and I could see them freeze in shock and fear. A low thunder broke the silence making me flinch. They slowly bowed their heads and knees and remained in place like the same well sculptured statues around the house. I turned slowly so I could see the motive of their horror and my jaw dropped open when I saw her standing behind me, cold eyes hovering over the kneeling girls.
Asteria.