Author Games: Empty Night

Task Six Entries

Mal Lilystone

Mal felt Leo's fingers brush hers as they walked on the sidewalk towards Garfield Park. Within this park is a certain conservatory that they were hoping held answers and would help them get closer to solving this case once and for all.

Dorian H'Langraash had caused a hell of a lot of trouble for a hell of a lot of Others and it had ended in misery for a large majority of them. There weren't many of them left now, and even some of those that had survived had abandoned the investigation in the hopes that it would keep them alive.

Mal had long-ago resolved to see this investigation through till the end. It didn't matter if it pulled more life from her than she had left, it merely mattered that Dorian would receive the justice that he deserved.

At whatever cost, Mal would pursue the end to this tragedy then-and only then-would she rest. Dorian was a friend of hers, and he at least deserved to know who had ended his life.

"What do we say to the Fae?" Leo was hesitant to voice his concerns, and Mal knew that this was because he was used to knowing everything. Mal knew that he hated politics and wouldn't have done research to understand the danger of the present circumstances, but she also knew that Leo was smart enough to keep his mouth shut when he was supposed to.

"We tell them why we are here, as they know better than to stand in the way of a murder investigation and then we ask to see the Word of Atropos," she said this as if the current political climate made this easy.

In her head, the entire thing was simple. When put into action, Mal was quite aware that the entire investigation was them walking on a very, very thin tightrope.

Mal had never been good at balancing in even the most tame situations, and now she had to add in the gaping chasm of nonexistence on top of that. She struggled wearing a pair of heels for the longest time and they weren't even extreme heights.

"Mal," Leo placed his fingers through hers and gently squeezed her hand, "out of anyone in this entire world, you are the most capable of handling this investigation. You will solve this," his voice was reassuring and calm. His eyes bore into hers and she knew that he was using his abilities to try and ease her worries.

She forced him out of her mind and drew her hand back.

"Don't put your own sanity at risk to try and assist me. I can handle myself, Leo" Mal didn't mean for this to sound as harsh as it did when it escaped her lips and she immediately let her features soften upon hearing the bite to her words as they whipped against the air.

She had never meant for her tone to seem so bitter, and the hurt look that crossed Leo's face made her recoil in disgust at her own behavior. This entire time she'd been fighting to bring monsters to justice and solve a murder when here she was being a monster herself.

"I'm sorry, Leo, I just want you to be able to remain completely mentally intact for as long as you possibly can," her voice was soft now and she averted her gaze, staring out at the broad expanse of trees that stretched perpetually onwards.

This was Garfield Park, and the cheerful laughs of various specimens had made the place seem lively and peaceful. Mal knew the truth to be opposite though, and she saw beneath the veil to the Others hidden beneath. Hellions were replaced with Demons and the smiles of proud parents had been turned into the sinister grins of Wraiths.

Humans would not be able to sense this as an Other would, at least not until it was too late for them to do anything about the evil descending upon them. Their guts would be ripped out, their blood drained, and their souls harvested to fulfill the desires of whatever needed them.