Oh god. Oh god.
Separation from Julian was one thing. Separation from Julian in the palace was something completely different.
Guards swarmed the area, bustling about in the light of day. How we managed to get in undetected was beyond me, and even after visiting the library again to search for any more insight to a past neither of us could remember, there was only so much I could do to keep Julian disguised. My magic worked well enough, but only for short bursts of time, it seemed, and having Asra's countenance suddenly turn into the man who allegedly murdered Lucio…well, that's not exactly what I was going for, and neither was he.
My heart raced as I sped down a deserted hall–odd, I thought, but I would take it. Where had we last been together? The library, for sure, but how had we gotten separated? Last I knew, Julian had delved behind a bookshelf, studying the tomes within, and the next….the next, I was alone within the library walls, his sudden disappearance an enigma. Regardless, I took my possessions, filed everything together as it was, and fled the chamber, magic reaching out to find wherever he might be. It was as though I could see tendrils of magic flow from my hands, winding down the glistening, marble hallway, hunting like a hound for any sign of the good doctor. To say I was panicked was an understatement; my breath seemed to catch in my throat, invisible hands tightening around my neck as I pushed through.
I closed my eyes for a moment, coming to a halt at the base of a ghostly staircase. The magic tugged me up the stairs, into the unknown corridor above, and I could almost feel a frigid breeze floating from above, forcing an uneasy shiver down my spine. The warmth of my magic's trail grew as I cautiously placed a foot on the first step, glancing over my shoulder for any sign of life. Not even Mercedes and Melchior were at the base of the stair, and listening intently, I was certain that I was quite alone. Inhaling sharply between clenched teeth, I alighted the staircase quickly, taking the steps two at a time.
The corridor was significantly colder than the hall below. Another shiver coursed through my body, and I felt the tug of magic pull me further into the darkness. My footsteps echoed in the emptiness, off the ivory, marble walls, and I barely noticed the portraits lining the way on either side, all of the same figure, all with their eyes torn out. There was little else on my mind than to find Julian, and the further I drew, the stronger the bond between us through our magic grew. My heart raced, and I was vaguely aware of the unsettled sensation in the pit of my stomach, causing the hair on the back of my neck to rise. It was as though I was being watched, even followed, and as I drew nearer to where the magic gathered, a pair of double doors–pure white and inlaid with intricate, golden designs–came into view, the magic pulsing from the other side.
I ran straight into the doors, my hand running along the enamel surface. I noticed a large, intricate 'L' in the center of either, below them a large, golden knocker. It was vaguely familiar, and I pursed my lips, eyes sweeping over them in interested. Where did I know them? When had I seen them? This was the first time I had encountered these doors during my stay in the palace, and yet this wasn't the first time I had ever seen them. As I struggled to comb my mind for hidden memories, fist clenching against the door, a pair of pale eyes, the whites irritated and crimson, flashed before my vision.
Not seconds later, I cried out in pain as a splitting migraine plagued me. It was so sudden that I was taken off guard, and I found myself slipping to the ground in a huff, forgetting why I was even there. My hands clenched into fists pressed against my temples, and I could feel the corners of my eyes prickling as the tears welled. It was so painful, so excruciating, that I could barely concentrate on little more than the unrelenting agony wracking my brain.
And suddenly, it was gone.
Julian came to mind again, and quickly, panicked, I rose shakily to my feet, hand grasping the golden handle tightly enough that my knuckles turned white. With a shaky breath, I pushed open the double doors, forcing myself into the room, long forgotten, wild eyes searching for where my magic pulled. The room was dark, abandoned, and I pushed forward, ignoring the faint dust that lifted off the ground with each step I took. The bookcases to the left were charred, the tomes within ruined piles of ash on once-elaborate shelves. The canopied bed to the right was likewise burned, the curtains that once blocked the view of the mattress no longer a silken white, but covered in countless burn marks and gaping wholes within the fabric. The fireplace, directly in front of me, was empty and cold, and before it was a high-backed chair, and slouched within it….
"Julian!"
I rushed toward him, nearly tripping on an upturned, once-plush rug, and I slid to a halt next to the seat, finding Julian sleeping soundly in the chair, his hand resting on his stomach, an open book resting, page-down, on his lap. I eased myself in front of him, placing a hand gently on either side of his thin face, and I ran my thumbs along his cheekbones, bringing him to wakefulness.
"Julian…Julian, wake up," I murmured softly, and several moments later, he stirred, eye fluttering open lazily, fixing on my worried gaze. He seemed perplexed, but after a moment, realizing it was me who stood before him, his lips lifted in a broad grin, brows raising knowingly.
"Athena, dear, if you wanted my attention so badly, you could have just said something~" His tone was teasing, to the point of alluring as he flicked his eyebrows, and though my lips twitched slightly, relieved to see he wasn't effected by whatever magic brought him here, my concern was far more prevalent on my features. It took him mere seconds to notice my expression, and he sat up straight, reaching to curl his fingers in my crimson hair.
"What's wrong,?" he murmured, and his eye drew away from mine, flickering about the room we were currently in. "This…this isn't the library…"
I shook my head quickly. "No, this is…." I paused, swallowing as the realization hit me. This was the room that had been set ablaze. The room where Lucio had been burned alive, murdered. And something within this palace had brought us to this place.
He rose quickly to his feet, and without thought I threw myself into his arms, the fright of the sudden headache still shaking me to the core, and the fear of losing him in the palace–where a guard could very easily send him to the gallows–caused a choked sob to fall from my lips. His reaction was instant, and he threw his arms tightly around me, his lips brushing against the top of my head.
"Athena…"
"Don't you ever leave my sight again…"
He said nothing, only holding me tightly, until a sudden chill tore through us both, emanating from the empty fireplace and flying away from us, an odd, translucent fog coalescing between the two bookshelves at the far wall, in front of a masterfully painted portrait of a man…a man who could be none other than Count Lucio.
Julian and I stood frozen, eyes wide before we fixed them on each other. "Well, this is all fine and nice," he said, voice catching in his throat as the mist took on a more monstrous form, glinting, crimson eyes fixing on either of us. "But I think we've overstayed our welcome…"
I didn't have time to say a word. Suddenly, I was tugged forward, hand captured in Julian's as he darted from the room, pointedly avoiding the portrait and the figure which stared us down as we passed by. Still, I could not help but to feel the warmth of a clawed hand upon my shoulder as I spared a glance, eyes catching a glimpse of a goat-like monstrosity, eyes glinting knowingly, with a familiarity I could not place.
"Athena~"
I did not stay to find out what the creature wanted. With a grunt, I pushed passed Julian with a speed surprising to even me, frightened and stressed that whatever the thing was knew my name. Regardless, I turned a hidden corner into the darkness, forcing Julian into the corridor with me, pressing him against the wall, my brow resting against his lips as my chest heaved.
"What was that…?"
Julian voiced both our concerns when I pulled away slightly, eyes fixing on his. He seemed just as shaken as I was, and with a sight, I bowed my head, eyes fluttering closed in thought.
"I…I don't know," I replied softly. "But whatever it was, it knew me." I took a ragged, shaky breath, and my arms wrapped around his torso, resting my head against his shoulder. His hands trailed along my back, on of them reaching up to twist in my hair. It was a comfort, having him there, though there was still a lot I had to think about, and even more to discuss with him when neither of us were as shaken as we were now. "We can figure that out later, though. We should get you back to my shop, Julian. You're not safe here."
A bitter chuckle escaped his lips, and he moved back, resting his fingers under my chin and lifted my gaze to his. He brushed his nose against the tip of mine gently, and I gave him a weary smile. I doubted I would be alright until we got out of the palace, and this was just the beginning of our journey. He brushed his lips softly against mine, before pressing his brow to mine.
"Sounds good to me."