Page 64 of Semblance

“Huh?”

“Lucien’s been passing around those files to anyone and everyone who would listen,” Shadow said. “Did you read them?”

I shot Shadow a nervous glance. “Truthfully?” I asked.

“I dislike liars almost as much as you do,” Shadow replied.

“Yes, I read the transcripts.”

Shadow leaned back in his chair and took in a deep breath. “And what do you think?”

“I think you’re still a wonderful person and the death of your parents was very tragic.”

“Do you know what my first thought was when I saw my dad lying there, dead?”

I shook my head.

“I was angry that he was dead because I could never prove to him that I was a worthy heir to the Tremaine estate, that it was possible for me to grow up into someone he could proudly call his son,” he said. “The soulless eyes of my father’s, the same ones that looked at me with disgust every time I failed—those dead eyes will haunt me for the rest of my life because they’ll never see the man that I would become. I will always be a failure to him, until the day I die.”

“That’s not true,” I said. “You’re not a failure. In fact you’ve become quite the successful man.”

“I have none of my father in me,” Shadow said. “So even if I’m satisfied with my own accomplishments, I don’t think they’ll ever be enough for him.”

“They never found the killer?”

Shadow shook his head. “It was an unsolved mystery. The Midnight Society was good at suppressing it in the media, allowing us to use our own brand of investigation—and justice when the time came. However the murder was a clean one—no evidence left, no fingerprints, absolutely nothing; only two dead bodies in a pool of blood with no signs of struggle. After five years, the Midnight Society decided to ease up on the investigation, conceding that this was one mystery that would never be solved.”

“Fuck that,” I shouted. “They need to keep at it. What if the psychopath decides to kill again? There has to be someone who’s still investigating their murder.”

“There is,” Shadow said. “Me.”

He broke his gaze away from mine and stared out into the street where a crowd began to form. Music blared from old speakers as people moved to the beats of songs popular ten years ago. There were plastic glasses in hand and many of them were drinking beer distributed from buckets. It looked as if the Cambodian New Year’s festivities were just starting.

“I guess this leads back to the original question of what I want to accomplish within the next five years,” Shadow said, his eyes coated with a thin layer of moisture. “I want to find my parent’s killer and make him suffer. When there’s nothing left but a pile of flesh and bone, only then will I be satisfied and perhaps my dad’s ghost can look at me and finally be proud of me.”

He took a deep breath.

“I want to have a life again,” he said, no longer cool and collected. He looked vulnerable now—desperate almost. “I want to start all over again, away from the Society, away from the politics and the lies, and most of all away from all the ghosts that constantly have a grip around my throat. Each and every day, I feel like I’m suffocating and the only way to escape is to disappear and never be found again.”

“I’ll disappear with you,” I blurted aloud. Lord, what a stupid thing to say. I let my emotions take hold of me in the heat of the moment. Seeing Shadow so vulnerable made me want him even more, to take him in my arms and be the one to comfort him and stand by his side while he faced the demons that controlled him. Curse these nurturing instincts of mine. It only made me look desperate for his attention and love.

Just as I was about to crawl under the table and hide from embarrassment, I saw Shadow smile at me—a genuine lovely smile that penetrated through my clothing and bare skin and buried itself deep within my heart.

“I’d love that Aria,” he said.

Holy shit! Did Shadow just say he would love to start a new life with me?

“Say that again,” I demanded.

“I’d love to have you by my side,” Shadow said. “But are you willing to wait for me while I hunt down my parent’s killer?”

“I’ll wait until the end of the world.” I reached out and placed my hand over his. Shadow smiled at the gesture, opening his hand and taking mine within it. It was the perfect moment that was accentuated by the sounds of celebration down in the streets.

After settling the bill for dinner, Shadow and I took to the streets, hand-in-hand.

The music was blaring and the locals were out on the streets dancing as if no one was watching.

“Let’s stay for a while,” I suggested, as I moved my body to the heavy beat. “I don’t remember the last time I heard the Backstreet Boys.”

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