My head snapped up at the slink of chains that sounded in the darkness.
What was that?
Ears straining, I listened for the sound, but it had grown silent again. I turned my head, looking around where I sat, but I couldn't see anything. Not even my hand when I lifted it before my face, let alone the source of the noise.
The rattle sounded again, coming from a different direction.
My head turned, but as I expected, all I found was dark-
My eyes widened as a dim light flickered to life. A single flame of a white candle. It was secured to the concrete floor it illuminated with spilled wax and burned steadily, the flame strong and straight-
The light blinked out and shrouded the corner in darkness again before flickering back to life. It didn't return alone.
I inhaled sharply as the moving shadows on the concrete walls stilled with the flame to reveal a thin huddled figure. An emaciated man. Chains rattled as he shifted, lifting his head. Dark hair parted for the low light to reveal a familiar face.
The flame flickered as blue eyes pierced into mine.
"Ash." His name was a whispered prayer on my lips as I jerked forward, shifting onto my hands and knees and not once taking my eyes off him for fear that he would disappear. Before I could push up to my feet, his voice sounded, making me still at the ice it held.
"You lied."
I flinched back as though his words had physically slapped me.
"No, I didn't leave you," I shook my head vehemently. "Not willingly, b-but I came back. I'm here now and I'm going to get you out."
But... how did I get here? I was back in the basement stained with blood and tears, but... I couldn't remember how.
And the candle... when was the last time I saw a candle in the house? Did we even have any-
My focus shifted to the small flame, or where it would have been if it hadn't winked out once again, returning us to darkness.
"Ash?" I called out, unable to keep the tremor of fear from surfacing in my voice now that I could no longer see him. What if he was never there-
"You didn't listen."
A scream tore free, aggravating my dry throat as I scrambled forward, away from the voice that spoke in my ear. Rushing to my feet, my foot collided with something solid that nearly sent me sprawling as I whirled around to locate the source of the familiar-sounding voice with my heart in my throat.
No, he shouldn't be here. The plan was simple and straightforward, it didn't involve him following me here. He was going to drop me off at the warded house Hilda had set up through her connections, the place where I was going to live a boring life before dying with strict and detailed instructions on how my body and the Blood Stone were to be laid to a final rest, and then he was going to return home to Hilda once things had settled enough to. He wasn't supposed to be here.
My frantic search of the darkness halted as a creak sounded from above. Snapping my eyes up toward the noise, the familiar sound of someone grabbing hold of an old doorknob reached my ears before another higher-pitched creak followed. A slit of light grew as the door at the top of the stairs was swung open to hit the wall and a hauntingly familiar silhouette filled the frame.
Suddenly, the dark didn't seem so frightening anymore.
I took a step back but didn't make it far. My back halted my progress when I collided with someone. My breath caught when another hard body pressed up against my front, cutting off the sight of the approaching threat. I felt them both lower their heads toward me.
