Afraid of the Dark

Chapter 31: The Price

Avinalyn wipes the dampened cloth over their face, staring at themself in the mirror as they lower the towel. Something in their eyes looks different somehow. They haven't been able to place it, but since leaving Manatria, they haven't felt quite the same.

Normally, they wouldn't be too concerned. If they ever feel unlike themself, they'd typically just bounce back after a drink and do something perhaps a bit reckless, and they'd feel better. But this time is different.

Maybe it's because of Reela's father that they currently have locked up in the other room, which they'll get to in a moment. She did explicitly warn them to leave him alone. They didn't think too much about it at the time, but now that they have him, they can't help but wonder what she might do if she finds out.

Or maybe it's Mog. They admit, they lost their temper. While they don't regret most of what they said, they know themself well enough to know that hitting her was too far. They put up with a lot of things, but if there's one thing they do not tolerate, it's abuse. Of any kind.

But knowing Mog, she'll get over it and find new work within a day. Probably something safer than working for them. Regardless, she's out of their way, and their life. So they don't have to worry about her anymore.

Whatever the case, they need to pull themself together. It's been a few hours since they returned to their castle with Reela's father. The poison they used on him wasn't long-lasting, so he should be awake by now.

So they guess it's time to pay him a visit.

They set the towel down on the counter and take a deep breath, straightening their shoulders and nodding sharply to their reflection before turning around and leaving the bathroom. They glance down the hall, first in the direction of their room, then down the opposite way, the direction of the room they're keeping him in.

They make their way down the hall towards the room they left him tied to a chair in. They know how to treat their guests, after all. When they reach the door, they remind themself to straighten their posture again and hold their head higher. It's not normally this difficult to forget how they typically carry themself. They really are off tonight.

With a silent breath, they go to unlock the door, but it's already unlocked when they grab the knob.

Did they really forget to lock it when they left?

At least they tied him up for extra measure. They slowly open the door and step into the room, but their forced smile instantly vanishes.

He's not in the chair. They don't see him anywhere.

Avinalyn glances around cautiously before hurrying over to the chair, seeing the ropes they had used to restrain him are laying on the floor. Looking back over at the door, they see now that the knob from the inside of the room is slightly damaged. He forced his way out.

"Shit," Avinalyn sighs and hurries back out to the hall. Again, they look both ways. He has to be in the castle somewhere. If he's anything like Reela, maybe he went to the kitchen. They take a step in the direction of the kitchen, when they hear a glass shatter in the direction of their bedroom.

With another sigh, they hurry towards the sound.

They find their bedroom door wide open, and before entering, they prepare a flame in their hand in case of another ambush. Slowly, they enter the room. They had been expecting Reela's father to be hiding and waiting to strike from the shadows, but he's instantly not hard to find.

He's standing over by the fireplace with one of their wine bottles raised to his lips and he's chugging it down vigorously. It even takes him a moment to notice they entered the room, and when he does, he keeps drinking for another few seconds before lowering the bottle and wiping his mouth with his sleeve.