Page 91 of Sweet Venom

I reached for the nearest book—one of Azariel’s old favorites,The Little Prince. I had seen it many times on his shelves, but I had never picked it up. Perhaps tonight would be the night to finally dive into its pages, to lose myself in its words, and perhaps forget my thoughts of Azariel for a while.

As I flipped open the cover, a peculiar thing happened. The pages didn’t feel quite right. They were too thin, too smooth, as if something else was hidden within. I blinked in confusion,pulling the pages apart, and before I could even process what was happening, something small fluttered to the floor.

My breath caught in my throat as I watched a few delicate, folded pieces of paper spill from the book. I bent down to gather them, my hands trembling slightly. Each letter was marked with my name—Poe—written in elegant, sweeping blue handwriting that seemed too familiar. The letters were in a neat stack, each one sealed with a small, blue wax stamp.

I hesitated, my heart racing with curiosity. What... What were these? Why were they insideThe Little Prince?

I carefully opened the first letter, my eyes scanning the words as my heartbeat began to quicken.

Little Fox,

I lied.

— AS

The first letter made no sense. He lied? What about?

I tear open the next one.

Poetry,

I find myself thinking of you when night falls. I’m not supposed to. I know this yet I can’t help myself. I try to keep my distance, to protect you from the darkness inside of me, but every day it feels like an impossible battle. You’re in my thoughts every moment, in every corner of my world. Even in my veins, like a poison that should kill me but instead it gives melife. I see you in places you haven’t been, and I hear your voice in the silence of my mind.

I should bury your memory, but I can’t seem to do that. You have become the only light in all my darkness. I’ve lost myself in you.

— AS

My breath caught in my throat. My fingers were trembling as I unfolded the next letter.

Poe,

You make my world brighter, even when I feel like I’m drowning in the shadows I created. You make me want to fight for things I never thought I could fight for. You make me want more and be… more.

I think about you constantly. About how you would look if you were standing beside me. About how beautiful you would look in my garden surrounded by my roses. I think about how you make everything seem more... bearable. How your smile pierces through my cold heart. You’re not here and yet you make everything less painful. I can’t imagine what it would feel like if you were next to me.

But it’s not our time, not yet. I’m not enough for you, Little Fox, I don’t know if I ever will be but I’m trying.

—AS

Tears welled in my eyes as I held the letter in my hands. This couldn’t be real. Azariel—my cold, closed-off boss—had written these? This had to be a dream.

These were the words of a man who had poured his heart into these letters. His words felt raw and unguarded. These letters felt like a confession. One I had never expected from him, and yet they felt so... him. So achingly real.

I wiped a tear from my eye and as I looked down at the stack of letters scattered across the floor, I realized that there were more. So many more. I reached for another book nearby, trembling as I opened it.A Tale of Two Cities—one of the thick, old classics I too love. Again, the same strange feeling washed over me as I held it in my hands. Like the last one, the pages inside were empty... except for more letters, folded carefully between them.

What?

My fingers moved in a frenzy, pulling letter after letter from book after book, my pulse quickening with each one I uncovered. I must look like a mad woman.

There were dozens ofletters to me. All from him.

You graduated top of your class today. You looked like a goddess among mortals as you stood there silently absorbing the world around you. You didn’t see me there when you smiled at the crowd looking for your family but I was there. My heart was filled with pride as you held your diploma in hand. I wanted to walk to you and tell you all the things I’ve wanted to say since I was ten years old and I hurt your heart. But I didn’t. I can’t. I don’t know how to show you the side of me I keep in chains. I don’t know ifyou’ll ever see it. But I want you to. I want you to see all of me, even if it’s ugly. Even if all there is… is darkness.

You are all that’s good about me.

I don’t deserve you, but I can’t help but want you anyway.

— AS

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