Page 10 of Left Hand of the Divine
“You could put a light on,” I hissed as I moved further into the room.
“And spoil your fun?”
I snorted. “You meanyourfun. I’m not having fun.”
Silence hit my words, and it was deafening in the darkness.
“Hello?” No response. “Are… are you still there?”
I suddenly felt very alone. Had he gone?
Slowly, as if the dawn was breaking through a cloud, the shadows pulled backwards until a soft glow filled the room, and I got my first look at the space.
It was elegant and old-fashioned, like something out of a period drama. The lighting was still low, like candlelight, but I couldn’t see where the light was coming from. It was just… there. There was a massive dark wood four-poster bed with thick black brocade drapes hanging on each side, and the rest of the furniture was dark and masculine. Jeez, I bet Dracula would feel at home here.
I craned my neck upwards to the high vaulted ceiling and was instantly mesmerised by the twinkling stars hovering overhead.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
My head snapped to the corner of the room where there were still some shadows lurking. I could just make out a faint outline of a normal-sized man behind the dark veil, and I was grateful that he wasn’t troll-sized. I really didn’t feel like fighting a troll.
“Yes,” I replied, answering his question. “Who are you?”
“Someone who has waited a long time for you, little thief. A very long time.”
I peered through the darkness, but I couldn’t make any of his features out clearly. “Step into the light.”
“I’m not usually one for standing in the light,Asteri.”
Something about that word felt familiar, like a memory from long ago. But I could be imagining it. It wasn’t like I really had any memories of my time before being a Reaper anyway.
“Please,” I said as I stepped closer to him. I couldn’t explain it, but something was tugging me toward him. Like my soul recognised his, but that was impossible. I’d never been down here before, but he seemed to think I had. Did he know who I was?
“As you wish,” he said, his voice steady andsure.
Butterflies swirled in my stomach, and anticipation built in my veins.
He took a step forward, the shadows moving with him. They started to dissipate like smoke, fading from the thick dark shadows into a grey mist before finally disappearing completely and revealing the man in shadows.
Two black boots.
Sharply tailored black trousers.
A crimson brocade waistcoat.
A black silk shirt, open at his throat, revealing pale skin marked with dark shapes.
Then finally, his face.
I gasped. He was beautiful.Beyondbeautiful. He was… I didn’t even have words. Black hair fell about his face, the ends choppy like he’d cut it himself. There were shorter bits that fell in his eyes, which were scarlet and glowing brightly, and his skin was pale and shone like moonlight.
He looked like he’d stepped out of some gothic horror movie about Victorian vampires, but there was no denying how good looking he was. It was almost otherworldly.
“Who are you?”
His lips, which were almost as red as his eyes, turned down in a grimace. “It breaks my heart that you do not remember me. I have spent every waking hour imagining the moment that we would see each other again, and not once did I ever envision that you would have forgotten me.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, and strangely I was. “But I have no memory of you. Have we met before?”
