Mon Espion || Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 29 - Confessions

It hadn't been too long since the last time they had seen each other but Nadir knew that Erik had to be up to something just by the lack of his presence. One of the main reasons he knew of this was due to the fact Erik's home was completely abandoned and messy; papers had been sprawled about by his main sitting chair as Nadir walked over them, not really paying mind to read what shapes the ink made on said papers. They were mostly sheets of music from what he could tell just by casually glancing; which was not suspicious to the retired policeman due to Erik's artistic nature. Nadir continued walking around the house on the lake, even checking the hidden rooms to see if Erik had been hiding away but only grew more curious when he found them to be empty. Sighing to himself, he walked back to the main living room and sat down on Erik's stool, casually glancing around the stone walls that surrounded his person. He knew touching the piano would only anger Erik but the man had never said anything about sitting down while he awaited his return, whenever that would be. Curious to the current time, he read his pocket watch against the dim candlelight to discover it was just a little after midnight. Perhaps Erik went to check in on Constance? He knew Erik would not stay in her room for the night considering she shared it with Mademoiselle Daaé. However, when Nadir went to visit Constance prior to searching for him here, he had found the young ballerina unaccompanied.

In a curious search for his dear ghostly friend, he knocked thrice upon the ballerina's door. He waited for a few moments before he heard some shuffling from the other side, followed by more light emitting from underneath the door. Another minute had passed before the brunette herself decided to open it, noticing she was in a comfortable looking robe to hide herself from her nightgown.

"Monsieur Khan? Is anything the matter?" Constance asked sleepily, clutching onto the soft blue robe to secure herself before him.

He chuckled softly, noticing she was not letting him take a peek inside her chambers, "Nothing of an emergency if that was your concern. I was wondering if I could speak to you?"

"Now?" Constance asked skeptically, looking down both ends of the corridor before pulling Nadir inside quickly. She shut the door behind him fast, making sure to lock it hastily behind him. Slowly her body turned toward him as she spoke, "Monsieur Khan-"

"Nadir please," he responded softly, moving his gaze over to Mademoiselle Daaé's bed to find it empty and completely made.

He slowly raised an eyebrow to himself as he tried to remain uninterested. However Constance saw through his façade and shook her head at his expression, "I honestly do not know where she is. I caught up with my parents, my managers, even Madame Giry but Christine apparently left before I even had a chance to speak with her."

"I am sure she knows of your return," Nadir responded honestly, trying to remain neutral even though a horrid feeling arose in his stomach. He could not find Erik and now Christine was missing from her chambers?

"I heard from Meg that Raoul escorted Christine to supper this evening but am surprised she had not returned," Constance continued, seemingly able to read his mind, "and it is quite late. She does not strike me as the type of girl to be caught up in the moment. Yet again," she paused, walking slightly towards her bed as her hands toyed with the edges of her robe, "neither was I."

Nadir watched Constance as she sighed dreamily, no doubt thinking about her and Erik's trip to London that only just ended recently. He smiled at her then, hoping that one day he and Mademoiselle Emily Bronte would be able to have a relationship like that. He had not written back to her yet since arriving in Paris; yes he would do so tonight, after finding Erik of course. The image of Emily plagued his mind as her charming smile, her demur laugh, her blushing cheeks and her soft brunette locks invaded his thoughts, leaving Nadir a lovesick fool miles away from his lover. He had regrettably only spent a few days with Emily before returning back to Paris, promising her to write often. He shook the thoughts of Emily away, knowing if he spent his free time thinking of her that he would not get any work done.