A/N: Finally caught up! Yeay! I hope your enjoying this. Let me know what you think. Love ya all. Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-eight
Cold
Why had he been in the hallway? She had been lost in thought when she had heard movement. Most people would not have heard the soft sound but her time on the streets had improved her hearing. Likewise her vision had improved from looking for things and people in the shadows. She had felt a strong impression not to let Nadilee see him. She probably wouldn't have seen him anyways but Darcey hadn't wanted to chance it.
She and Nadilee had gone shopping after grabbing their coats. She had bought two pairs of regular gloves and two pairs of fingerless gloves that she could wear even when she was playing the violin. They were now walking towards her room when the director appeared and walked quickly towards them when he spotted them.
"Ah. Just the two young ladies I was wanting to see. I've decided I want you two to play a duet together. Here's the music. Please try to run through it and we'll work on it after next practice if that's alright?" They both nodded. "Good! I look forward to hearing it. Have a good day." He hurried on leaving the two girls in shock at the good news.
"Can you believe it? We are going to have a duet in the next production!" Nadilee exclaimed excitedly. "I have to tell my family! My little sister will be so jealous!" She gave her a quick hug before running off. "I'll see you later!" she called before disappearing out of sight.
Darcey felt a pang in her heart and she turned to continue on to her room. She wished she had a family to run home to and tell her good news. Even her own family would be welcome. She shook her head. There was no use wishing for something that would never happen. She entered her room and immediately saw the note on the ground in front of the mirror. She hurried over, picked it up, and broke the familiar red seal.
Darcey Dubois,
You will have heard by now the news of the duet you will be preforming with Mademoiselle Nadilee Bonet. I give you my congratulations. I know you have the skill to do it. You will be a good match. I would like to hear a trio with Monsieur Mark Tomas but that will have to wait for another time. Thank you for not giving my presence away to Mademoiselle Bonet. I prefer my presence to be known but not seen. I wish you luck in your future.
-Erik Destler
It didn't say what she had hoped for but it didn't say what she had expected either. She had not expected it to be as friendly as it had been. Even the way he had addressed people said something. Though she wished he hadn't tacked on her last name, she was glad he had dropped the "Mademoiselle." He had also signed with his real name. Now that she closed the note, she noticed the seal was not the usual skull but was his initials. Maybe they could still be friends. She didn't want to get her hopes up with hardly a basis for them but she couldn't stop the feeling from entering her heart. There was still a chance. Even a slight chance was welcome when previously she had thought it impossible.
Darcey placed the note into the bottom of her jewelry box on top of the other notes she had received from him. She put on the head band and another ring that had caught her fancy when she had looked through the contents of the box. It had a treble clef on it as well as various music notes going around the band and it fit perfectly on her littlest finger of her left hand. She admired the silver band against the black leather of her fingerless glove for a second before getting her violin and playing through the song for the duet. She spent the rest of the afternoon practicing except for the few minutes she had spent talking to Meg who had come to congratulate her.
Now Darcey laid curled up in a ball on her bed, trying to get warm. She was freezing. She shouldn't be this cold. She dearly wished for warm arms to be wrapped around her. She shivered before an idea entered her mind. She had gone to Erik's room before. Maybe she could do so now. Instead of seeking comfort, she was now seeking warmth. She tried to shake the thought but it persisted. She got up and grabbed a candle. She must be crazy to do this. To go down there in the middle of the night. What if he caught her? What would she do then? She was too cold and tired to care at the moment. She would figure that out if and when that happened. She opened the mirror, closing it behind her. She could hardly think about anything but how cold and exhausted she was and how much she wanted to be warm. She started off, her bare feet silent on the stone floor. She didn't even think about the turns she made but continued on, not really noticing the change in temperature. The closer she got, the warmer it was but she was so cold it didn't really make a difference. She emerged into darkness, the only light coming from her candle.
She walked shivering, with numb feet and chattering teeth towards Erik's room. She was so tired and cold. Why was she so terribly cold? She walked through the doorway. "Erik? Are you awake?" she whispered, approaching the bed. She heard no response and she promised herself that she would leave before he woke up. She climbed under the covers and pulled the blankets up. Her fingers were so cold it made the effort difficult but she managed. She then fell asleep almost instantly.
Erik woke a few minutes later confused. Why was the bed shaking? He rolled over and his eyes widened. There was Darcey, shivering like a leaf in the wind. He put his mask on and touched her arm. It was ice cold. He didn't even hesitate before pulling her into his arms. She was so cold. He heard her breathing change and he looked down to find her looking up at him. "I'm sorry," she said, her teeth shattering. "I shouldn't have come here. I'm just so cold."
He shushed her, rubbing his hands up and down her back. "It's alright. Would you like me to get something to warm you up?"
She shook her head. "Just hold me," she whispered before falling back to sleep. He pulled her closer so that her head rested on his chest. She was so cold, it made him worried. She was no warmer than she would be had she been made of ice rather than flesh. Her hands and feet were positively ice and he flinched at their contact. His chest was bare against her hands and her feet were freezing as they touched his own. He adjusted the blanket to cover her better before closing his eyes.
