〖 Love is an Illusion 〗➻❥ LYNEY × READER

♦ Chapter 17 ♦

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Through the door. Through the hall. Through the garden. Through the street.

The girl ran. Without tears running down her cheeks, the wind ran warm against her face. She ran as far as she could without looking back. All she could think about was...well, she couldn't think about anything.

She just wanted to get away from that hellish place. The farther she ran, the better she felt; and eventually, she stopped at the cliff of a forest.

Sitting down at the edge, she looked up at the moon. She wished it were full, because then it would have been so pretty. But as she gazed at its bumps, craters, and crevices, she began to love its crescent shape.

The trees behind her whispered. Felicity!

"What is it?" She whispered back.

Felicity, return home.

"No," the girl said. "Never."

The trees, at this point, stopped whispering, and their leaves began wisping in the wind. Perhaps I'm crazy, thought the girl. They were always trees.

She looked over the edge of the cliff and saw more trees. Trees across the floor of the earth, extending farther than the eye could see. The horizon was so far.

"I want to go there," the girl said to herself, standing up and brushing herself off. She started to run again. But this time, she had a destination.

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It's the day of your meeting with Felicity. As you stand in front of the mirror, fixing your appearance, Lyney pops his head out of the bedroom door and asks where you're going.

"Meeting with a friend," you call back, picking at a strand of hair.

"Mind if I tag along?"

You pause, staring at yourself. Felicity certainly wouldn't mind, would she?

"No," you say. "I don't."

"Great!" Lyney says, smiling. He exits the bedroom and plants a chaste kiss on your cheek.

The two of you arrive at Café Lucerne and see a head of silver hair turn around and smile. But when she sees Lyney, her expression subtly darkens.

"Oh, and who might this be?" Felicity asks as you sit down. You motion for Lyney to do the same.

"My boyfriend, Lyney," you reply. Lyney takes a seat next to you and places his hands in his lap innocently.

"The Great Magician," Felicity says, surprised. She then smiles and offers him a handshake. "I'm Felicity. It's nice to meet you, Lyney."

As they shake hands, however, Lyney feels the same cold shiver run down his spine as it did many times before.

"...Likewise."

As per usual, you begin to ask Felicity an assortment of questions; the ones you wrote down the other day, and some that you come up with on the spot. Either way, Felicity finds a way to express her answer.

And as per usual, Felicity also finds a way to redirect the topic to you. The conversation slowly turns into an interrogation with herself being the interrogator and you being the suspect.

"But enough about me," she laughs. "What about you? How long have you two been together?"

You smile and look at Lyney. He returns your smile, although it seems a bit forced.

"Oh, a long while," you say, your attention turned back to Felicity.

"You seem like you have a beautiful relationship," she says, smiling. "It feels authentic."

"It is," Lyney says through his smiling teeth. "But I think it's about time we take our leave."

You look at him. "Already?"

Lyney takes your hand and stands up. "It was lovely meeting you, Felicity." He then pulls you away as you look back at the perplexed woman.

"Felicity," you call. "Tomorrow?"

She nods with wide eyes, watching the two of you leave.

Lyney gently drags you back to your home, staying silent the entire time. Once you arrive at the door, he finally says something.

"I have a bad feeling about her," he whispers. "I suggest being more wary of her."

"That's exactly what my father said," you sigh, unlocking the door and inviting Lyney inside. "I think you guys are being a little..."

"Overprotective?"

"...maybe."

"We're just worried for you, mon ange." Lyney sits on the couch and offers his lap as a pillow, where you lay your head.

"I know, and I appreciate it," you say. "But it's really important that I talk to her. I need answers."

"Really?" Lyney asks doubtingly.

"Mhm."

"Because from the way it looked, she was the one asking you the most questions," Lyney says softly, raising his eyebrow.

You remain silent, reaching up towards Lyney to touch his hair. He smiles warmly down at you.

"I guess I never realized," you laugh. Your laugh quickly fades as your hand falls to your side and you sigh. "How am I supposed to find out what happened to my mom if I can't even get the answers I need?" You ask yourself. "It's all so confusing..."

Lyney brushes your hair out of your face. "Don't stress yourself too much about it."

Meanwhile, Felicity is still at Café Lucerne, sipping her tea calmly while the cold wind blows around her.

"The Magician, huh?" She whispers slowly. "...Interesting."