Terms and Conditions

June

The Being glared at me intensely, while The Phantom of the Opera observed me in what appeared to be dazed fascination. Perhaps Erik thought that he was dreaming, because even though his hat was missing, he seemed as though he no longer felt that he was in danger, standing there, motionless and as still as a statue.

There were so many things I was yearning to say to him, but there were also too many things that made the situation more than awkward. My first instinct had been to put my arms around him, but clearly the Being would not allow it…

"So, how have you decided?"

Erik…living, breathing, and he was in the same room with me!

That thought made my heart race, and I could feel my cheeks burning, no doubt deepening in shade while I desperately hoped that neither one of them had noticed. To distract everyone (including myself) from the circumstances I quickly turned to the Being but my voice shook badly. "If you're not the Devil…then…who or…what…are you?"

Releasing a slow, throaty chuckle, he replied darkly, introducing himself with smooth words, as he bowed his head but only a little, for it was without removing his twinkling eyes from my own.

Just as I was making sense of the fact that he had a name like anyone walking down the street, he continued, "As for what I am, to the Universe and its playground I am known as a Sorcerer."

A Sorcerer…it made sense…

"So I wasn't going crazy…" The wave of embarrassment that swept over me turned into one of fury, when I remembered the things he had more than likely witnessed, which weren't just limited to my not-so-proud moments, I realized indignantly, but in fact included my deepest, innermost thoughts and feelings.

All of my fears were pushed aside by the fact that I suddenly felt that I had been tremendously violated and I demanded to know how much of my thoughts he had listened to.

"Enough to know what you want." He stated cryptically, which I knew meant everything.

Was this anything like how Christine felt when she discovered the truth about Erik lurking in the shadows and stalking her? It seemed incomparable because of the fact that Erik's motivation was out of love, unlike…Julian, for which it was something dark and sinister…

Another thing occurred to me then, and I had to know for sure…

"Do you have anything to do with Elisa's condition?"

The Being looked away, pretending that he was making an attempt to hide a smile.

"You are! So she's not crazy! What did you do to her? Why-"

Moving to stand directly in front of me, this gesture interrupted me as he no doubt intended, while throwing me a severe crimson-tinged gaze which for a moment, lowered to my lips, "Yes or no?"

I swallowed loudly as my stomach did a summersault from the intensity of his glare.

"If you're not after my soul… what do you want?"

His only response was a leisurely shaking of his head. Then, when I thought he wouldn't say anything further, he whispered after taking a deep breath, "I will offer you the Terms and Conditions of my proposition, limited to certain details, of course, if you are indeed interested."

Turning to look at Erik, I was pleasantly surprised to notice that his attention was fixated on me. Those glittering, dark eyes had then become my undoing, for I found myself nodding distractedly. We stared deeply at one another, as I half listened to the Sorcerer's details.

"You will have four months in that world, to do with as you please. Once the time runs out, I will come to collect payment;

"You will live as one of them, stay within the walls of the Paris Opéra when you are told, and work with what I will give you; you will never overstep what is your allotment, nor will you attempt to drastically alter the events beyond your desires; you will freely interact with everyone, though you will not reveal who you are, or where you are from; you will not disclose information attained by your predicament, which includes your purpose or your knowledge of people, places or events…"

I couldn't help it, but I tuned out after I realized it all sounded like a legal contract. Only one part of it remained in my thoughts, and it echoed there, when he had finally finished.

"Under what conditions do you not come to collect payment?" I said, not removing my eyes from Erik.

In response, he leaned over whispering still, but this time with amused sarcasm, "If he should fall madly, desperately in love with you and asks you to marry him with fervent kisses."

To that comment I felt a combination of excitement from the challenge and my heart writhing at the prospect of Erik's rejection. And not just from the pain of his refusal, but what fate it was that awaited me beyond such an outcome?

I turned around to hide any evidence of the hurt the meaning behind his words caused and turned my head by toward the Opera Ghost who had now moved on to inspect his strange surroundings.

"Will he remember any of this?" I asked, sounding more hopeful than I had intended.

"I would highly doubt it, June." The Sorcerer answered rather menacingly, which meant he would make sure of it.

Of course not, that would give me an unfair advantage, wouldn't it? And God forbid anyone should have the upper hand but him? He knew all too well what to offer and I had taken the bait.

Yet I had no regrets…Yet. I supposed that in time I could end up regretting it, but it seemed so far way, and a part of me refused to be anything other than optimistic.

Already, I was imagining being there, breathing the air, and walking the streets of Paris in a gown of my fancies, and that was just the start! I would be in that beautiful building, and will have the chance to be in the company of a most beautiful person…

And something dawned on me.

"There is still the issue with the language..."

Before I could turn to face Julian, I felt a soft caress across my jaw line, and heard his voice in my mind, "There is no issue." And a second later, a slipped into unconsciousness.