Page 54 of Of Night and Blood: Special Edition

Death, it would be a kindness.

Instead of admitting what he already knew, I just repeated him, my voice a bored monotone, “I will not venture out on my own. I will not harm any of you unless you attempt to hurt me. If I am in danger, I will fight for my life.”

Before he could argue with my lack of enthusiasm, a shadowy figured appeared to my right. I jumped back, screaming at the barely corporeal form.

Henry laughed as the shadow took shape, forming legs, arms, a head.

“Cyprus you truly are the worst.” Lian scoffed.

My jaw nearly hit my feet as the false guard materialized in front of me, a smile lighting his features. Cyprus’ shaggy brown hair ran past his shoulders, shaking with him as he chuckled. Gray shadows still swirled around his russet cheeks, as if they were not ready to fade. When I backed up further, I hit a solid form. Turning, I saw nothing, causing me to yelp once again.

This time everyone in the group let out laughs as Luca, the other guard who pledged himself to me nearly a fortnight ago, seemed to become visible before my eyes. His blonde hair and blue irises brought his youthful charm into view, but his skin seemed nearly translucent rather than the cream color I remembered it as before.

“Hello again Your Highness, it is wonderful to see you once more,” Luca said, bowing at the waist. He, too, had that drawl that the demons possessed.

As he straightened, the color of his skin returned. I was baffled, my mouth slightly open and eyes wide. What could I say? The two of them had appeared out of nowhere, as if flashing into existence. It seemed different than portaling. “Allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Luca Braviarte.”

“What are you?” I asked, not knowing how to go about asking kindly. Luca did not seem upset, or even fazed. Instead, he smirked, eyes alight with a sort of mischief I had not seen within the palace.

“I am a wraith. I believe your fae call us ghosts.” He shrugged. I was briefly stunned into silence once more.

Ghosts were terrifying. Every tale told in my realm about ghosts said they were evil creatures that haunted the living. That they were dead.

“So, you are not alive?” I asked, once again being quite insensitive.

I tried to remind myself to be more thoughtful in how I spoke to him, though I was unsure whether or not I would be able to at the rate this conversation was going.

“Last I checked I am very much alive,” Luca chuckled.

My brows pinched together as I attempted to understand what the wraith was saying. He was a ghost but was somehow alive? He must have sensed my confusion, because he clarified.

“Wraiths are born with the ability to blend into our surroundings. We do not go invisible per say, though it is quite similar. Ghosts are a twisted version of a wraith, a lie created to isolate us from the masses I imagine.”

“But,” I said, turning towards Cyprus, “you do not seem as though you blend at all. It was as if you turned into a shadow.”

Cyprus was equally amused at my line of questioning. He held up a hand, palm facing the night sky. Though the demon light did not allow for an easy view, I was able to make out a sort of black mist leaking from his skin. In a mere moment I could no longer see his hand at all.

Both mesmerized and horrified, I took a step closer. Cyprus did not seem to mind. He gently took my hand and placed it under his, allowing the mist to fall onto my skin. It was ice cold, but otherwise felt like air.

“I am not a wraith, I am a whisp. We are similar in many ways, seeing as we both function as fairly great spies.” At that I raised my eyebrows, surprised he would so openly admit to being a spy. Then again, they all appeared to be relatively confident that I was not going anywhere, made all the more clear by his accent being revealed to match Luca’s.

“I am able to turn my body into black mist, sort of like a shadow. It comes in handy at night more than in the day, but I can make myself unseen at any time,” he explained.

Then, Cyprus lifted my hand through his, as if it were not there at all. I gasped, equal parts impressed and intimidated.

The whisp flicked his arm, causing the black mist to vanish and his hand to return once more. Both corners of my mouth turned up slightly, unable to hide the awe. Cyprus smiled back, wider than before, and leaned down to place a kiss on my hand he still grasped.

“Luca is right, it is amazing to see you again. I am Cyprus Papatonis, eternally at your service.” I blushed at his flattering statement, which sounded far more inappropriate than it had when spoken by Luca.

“Okay that is enough introductions,” Bellamy growled, grabbing onto my hand. Cyprus let go reluctantly, winking at me as Bellamy pulled me back to the other side of the circle. I rolled my eyes, but did not argue. If he wanted to act like a jealous idiot then that was his prerogative. No part of me had the energy to care, as my mind still raced through my impending doom subconsciously. “Now that we are all here, lets head out.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“Why not just portal us there?” I asked no one in particular, Bellamy’s hand still wrapped in mine and guiding me forward.

I attempted to tug it back, but he only tightened his grip ever so slightly. The idea of traveling on foot halfway across the Demon Realm—Eoforhild—did not sound appealing in the least, especially in the cold.

Noe appeared at my side, her red cloak blowing back in the light wind. She was in good spirits as we made our way across the grass towards a large wooden structure in the distance. In fact, all of them moved with excitement and energy, a bright ball of light following each of us as we walked.

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