VESPER

CHAPTER 6

The village festival was in full swing, with laughter and music spilling through the streets like vibrant colors splashing against a canvas. Lanterns swung gently from the eaves of cottages, casting dancing shadows that flickered on cobblestone paths. It was a night meant for joy, but for one tall man cloaked in darkness, it was a night tinged with the weight of memories-both beautiful and haunting.

He stood at the edge of the gathering, a silent sentinel watching the celebration from the shadows. The hood of his cloak pulled low over his brow, obscured his sharp features, but the glow from the lanterns flickered across his face, revealing the intensity of his gaze. Though the warmth of the community swirled around him, he felt a coldness deep within, a lingering ache that was as familiar as the dark fabric he wore.

Suddenly, a soft voice cut through the melodic chaos, jolting him from his reverie. "You shouldn't be here." It was her, his sister, the only one who understood the burdens he carried. Her voice, though gentle, was firm. Her presence was like a ghost from the past, yet she stood there as vividly as the present.

He turned to her, a mixture of relief and frustration pooling in his chest. "I was just watching," he replied, his voice rich and velvety, like fine wool against the chill of night. "But it seems I cannot even indulge in that pleasure without you appearing."

The woman sighed, her hand resting on his muscular shoulder. "Bumping into Mavis Cavanaugh was foolish," she admonished gently. "This is the second time I've seen you here, in the heart of the festival, hiding away, watching her like this-it's unwise" she continued, her tone laced with the maternal concern she had carried for years.

The man's jaw tightened as he glanced back towards the vibrant celebration. "I could not resist," he confessed, sorrow weighed down in his tone, "the resemblance... it's uncanny. She carries the Cavanaugh name with pride, and she stirs something within me I thought lost." Memories surged like a tide-the fleeting moment when Mavis had collided with him, the brush of her warmth against his body. He had felt both nostalgia and an inexplicable sense of possessiveness, a bond that tightened like a vine around his heart.

His sister's grip on his shoulder became firmer, more insistent. "You must let her be. Move on from what haunts you. It only leads to pain, and that girl... she is innocent."

The irritation in his chest flared. "You say that every year," he growled. "But why should I forget when she stands before me? I am not about to let go, not now that she's within reach."

Her gaze hardened subtly as she pulled her hood closer to her face, though he could feel the weight of her concern. "You don't understand. Agnes Cavanaugh, Mavis's aunt, already suspects your presence. You have to consider the risk, brother."

His vision remained fixed on the festival lights that twinkled like stars captured in a jar. He turned to face her, the concern etched into her visage tightening something deep within him. "Agnes would only suffer if she tries to do what her sister once attempted. It would be the same all over again." His voice held the gravity of experience-a life lived under the shadows of choices made.

"I'm sorry for using you and your powers for so long, dear sister," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. Regret washed over him like a tide. She had sacrificed so much for him, and even now, she stood with him, hiding in the shadows.

Her gaze softened, her features momentarily revealed. "I hope Mavis will understand what lies in her fate. She will have to battle the evils coming for her-some of which are drawn to the Cavanaugh name like moths to a flame."

The man nodded slowly, determination shifting through his veins. "I will do everything in my power to keep her safe, to protect her from the shadows I've carried for too long" he vowed, his resolve igniting as fiercely as the flames of the bonfire illuminating the night.