Empyreal, Book 1

Chapter 22

Roan walked into the servant's bathroom, and with a snap of his fingers, the disguise spell lifted, revealing Casper underneath.

Casper straightened his rumpled tunic and ran a hand through his tousled dark hair. Stealthily, he eased open the heavy oaken door, peering cautiously around the corner. His eyes darted about, searching for any sign of Malachi.

Where was he? Casper's pulse quickened, fear and anticipation swirling within him. He had risked so much to get this far. The lies, the betrayal, the stolen moments disguised as a servant - all to learn Malachi's secrets. Casper clenched his fist, steadying his resolve. He had to find out the truth, no matter the cost.

In the dim corridors, shadows seemed to shift and morph before Casper's eyes. He crept forward, his ears straining. Somewhere in this twisting manor, Malachi lurked. Casper just needed an opening, a momentary lapse in Malachi's vigilance, to find the answers he sought. Strange symbols glinted along the walls, remnants of Malachi's dark magic. What dangerous knowledge had he unearthed?

Casper shook away the creeping doubts that clawed at his mind. He focused on the task at hand, pushing aside thoughts of what grim discoveries awaited him.

Casper crept up the winding staircase, keeping to the shadows. He paused as a servant emerged from a side passage - Eden, making her nightly rounds. Casper held his breath, pressing himself flat against the cold stone wall. Eden's lantern light threatened to expose him as she ascended. She passed by Casper's hiding spot without noticing his presence.

Once her footsteps had faded, Casper resumed his stealthy climb. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, he peered carefully around the corner. The dimly lit manor revealed no signs of life in the hallway. He slipped out of the stairwell and made his way silently down the corridor, his senses alert for any hint of Malachi.

The hallway was lined with ornate wooden doors, but Casper's focus lay on the one at the very end - Sarah's room. As he approached, Casper could make out a soft glow emanating from within. He reached out with a slightly trembling hand and eased the door open, just enough to allow him to slip inside.

The room was bathed in gentle moonlight streaming through the arched windows. Sarah lay sleeping peacefully in her canopy bed, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Casper drank in the sight of her, a vision of innocence in this den of secrets and lies. His heart ached, knowing the sorrow that awaited her when she learned the truth. But first, he had to find it.

Casper turned reluctantly from Sarah's slumbering form. He had made it this far into the viper's nest undetected. Now he just needed an opportunity to locate the answers he sought and make his escape. The time had come to unravel Malachi's web of deception, no matter the risk.

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and slowly approached the bed. He knelt down beside it, gazing at Sarah's delicate features. A lock of Snow-White hair had fallen across her eyes as she slept. Casper reached out a hand to gently brush it back, then paused, reconsidering. He didn't want to startle her awake.

Instead, he leaned in close and whispered her name. "Sarah." His voice was barely audible, but her eyelashes fluttered slightly in response. He tried again, a fraction louder. "Sarah, it's me."

This time her eyes slowly opened, glazed with sleep. They focused on Casper's face looming above her and widened in alarm. Sarah's body tensed as full awareness hit her. Casper quickly pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shhh, it's alright," he murmured. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Sarah's eyes darted around the room wildly before settling back on him. "What are you doing here?" she whispered harshly.

"I've come to help you," Casper replied. "There are things you need to know, about your family, about...everything."

Sarah's brow furrowed in confusion and distrust. Casper's heart ached at her wariness, but he understood. How could she know yet that he was not the enemy?

Sarah jolted upright in bed, her newly emerald eyes flashing in the moonlight. "You have thirty seconds to convince me not to call Malachi," she warned, her voice low but firm.

Casper raised his hands in surrender. "Melina," he said simply.

Sarah froze, the name piercing her heart. For a brief moment, an image flickered in her mind - a woman with long dark hair, eyes sparkling like sapphires. A feeling of warmth washed over Sarah, a chord of remembrance resonating deep within.

But as quickly as it came, the memory dissolved like mist. "Who is that?" Sarah asked, though a part of her felt she should know.

Casper hesitated, seeming to wrestle with indecision. "Someone you once held dear," he finally said.

Sarah's brows knit together, more confused than ever. She wanted to trust the feeling Casper's words evoked, but she couldn't grasp the fading memories dancing just out of reach.

Sarah's reverie was broken by Casper's voice.

"Don't you remember?" he asked gently. "You were an incredible piano player. Your mother said you had a gift."

Sarah looked around the room with trembling hands. She turned to face Casper, her eyes glistening. "Why can't I remember?" she cried. "What happened to me?"

Casper hesitated, seeming unsure of how much to reveal. But in that moment of indecision, Sarah hardened.

"You need to leave," Sarah said firmly, though her voice quavered slightly.

Casper nodded and turned to go but paused at the door. "I'll be back," he promised quietly. "Just...keep trying to remember."

Sarah stared at the closed door, her mind spinning. Who was Melina? And why did Casper seem to think Sarah should know her?

She sank down on the edge of the bed, pressing her palms against her eyes. Think, she told herself. But no matter how hard she focused, the name brought nothing but a vague feeling of warmth and an image of dark hair and blue eyes.

After several long moments, she dropped her hands with a frustrated sigh. She couldn't make sense of the fleeting memories Casper had stirred. Glancing around the small bedroom, she hoped for something - anything - that might serve as a clue.

Sarah took a deep breath to steady herself as she heard Casper's footsteps retreating down the stairs.

Her gaze fell upon the piano in the corner of the room, draped with a sheet. Drawn by some instinct she didn't understand, Sarah crossed over to it. With trembling fingers, she pulled the sheet away, revealing the sleek black and white keys.

She sat down on the bench, resting her hands lightly on the keys. Then, with eyes closed, she began to play. The melody came haltingly at first but soon flowed forth, resonating through Sarah's core.

In that moment, she knew Casper had been right.