The Riddle Of Magic

Chapter 26: Sonata En Somnio

Charlie awoke to a dull throbbing ache that shook her from a black sleep.

It should have been localized to just her neck; but she felt it all the way to her toes, and the memory made her shudder.

It wasn't even as bad as it could have been, she knew, and that was a horror into itself. It could have been worse, if the spectre had bitten harder, tearing out the portion of her essence it had taken instead of drawing it from her.

She whimpered, turning to try to make herself slightly more comfortable where she was laying, and as she moved she felt a warm presence next to her.

Her eyes were hard to open from the crust of dried blood stuck to her lashes. As she wiped at her eyes, she noticed she was in Alastor's bed, lying next to him as he slept.

The princess jerked upright, embarrassed at invading his space, and immediately regretted that as a pulse of pain shot up her arms and back, harsh enough to make her hiss and fall back again. Her head thudded back onto the pillow and she squeaked, writhing in confusion and hurt.

She and Alastor's shadow had been beside the couch when it had drained her essence, how had she gotten to the bed?

Charlie called weakly for the spectre, but the shade didn't appear.

She didn't see any other spirits about either. It was the first time in days she had been alone outside of her own room.

Her fingers drifted to her neck, expecting a scar, but there was nothing - her skin completely unmarked. She would have to trust the spectre's word that there would be no permanent injury to her soul, though it wouldn't surprise her if it was lying, or perhaps merely mistaken.

It felt as though she'd been torn in half, and not just from a heavy, wretched pain. There was another lighter sensation as well, though she wouldn't dare call it pleasure. It was a strange sense of fullness, but an emptiness all at once.

Alastor shifted, and Charlie tensed, flushing as she stared at the demon beside her, expecting his eyes to pop open at any moment.

But a few tentative moments passed, and he didn't awaken.

The blonde demoness pushed herself up again, more gingerly this time, looking down at her partner. He'd been so still for the most part, but now she could glimpse the more subtle movements as he slept.

His brow was smooth and relaxed; his chest rose and fell with deep, steady breaths. His ear tufts wobbled ever so slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched on occasion.

She wondered what he was dreaming about.

Had his shadow made contact with him?

"I hope it's a good dream, at least," Charlie murmured, smiling softly at her friend. "Please wake up soon." She rose carefully to not disturb him, heading to the kitchenette for food and drink.

The ache had died somewhat, but as she crossed the room, the strange feeling of fullness mixed with emptiness crashed into her, and she nearly tripped over herself in her haste to get to sustenance.

Her hands were quaking as she went for the nearest thing she could grasp, the bowl of fruit on the counter. She snatched the peach on top as though it might have fled from her, nearly crushing it as she tore into it with a voracious hunger.

She wiped at the sweet juice trickling down her chin, embarrassed at her poor manners despite her solitude.

It tasted fine, but there was something missing.

She needed something more.

A slight panic quaked in her. Why wasn't it enough?

Charlie quickly drank some water, trying to settle her stomach as her heart raced, trying desperately to ignore the craving for something richer than fruit.