Wake of Darkness [1]

Chapter Ten

♕ Blood Curse ♕

The city of sun was submerged under the night sky. No sounds of people laughing or the sound of music in the air, nothing but deserted streets and pitch-black night. As if every single person was too scared to breathe under the reign of the moon.

Aubrette ran away from the palace, not caring to look back twice. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen such a quiet night before. It almost felt lifeless. There was no moon, no flicker of light above her, nothing but the tapping of her steps against the ground.

And although it was true that she'd never actually seen Blackstone while on daylight, she was sure it did not look like this. After all, the moon had never turned their back on them.

When Aubrette was halfway through the north gate she shifted her path towards the sea. The gates were most likely guarded heavier than in the day, but the sea... It was a long shot, but still she doubted they covered every single point of the Silent Grave. It was better than not having an opportunity at all.

The wind blew in her face stronger than the day before. Perhaps that was the sole indication of it being fall and not summer. To her surprise, it wasn't completely unbearably hot. As she continued running south, and the soft breeze of the sea started making itself present, Aubrette did not think it was the most awful feeling in the world.

She did not watch the sea until a couple of blocks later. The houses stopping abruptly before the rock of the streets mixed with the sand. Aubrette remained hidden behind them, waiting to see if any guards walked down the shore at all, of it simply remained unguarded through the night.

There was no one, and if there was, they did not dare come so far to the edge.

It was a stupid idea. There was no doubt in that. She did not know how far she'd actually have to swim before passing the glass wall, nor was she the most experience swimmer as all of her experiences began and end in the lake in Wood Sorrow. But that didn't stop her for making herself rush to the sea. It was her only option.

She'd tried to memorize the rhythm of the water the previous day, had practice swimming against the tide until her muscles had ached. Had practice holding her breath underwater until her lungs had gotten used to the pressure of the sea. Aubrette had realized if she went far enough to the edge, where the sea ended and the city began, she might as well had a shot at passing through the wall.

There wasn't anything at all that would've made her think something was wrong. But as Aubrette's feet touched the warm water she knew something wasn't right. She noticed the lack of wind, the water in front of her barely moving at all, even as the wind blew her hair into her face.

Her eyes searched across the shore, miles of sand perfectly untouched stared back at her, more than a few boats waiting for morning to come to leave and merge into the sea. But it was so calm that the silence seemed to shout back at her. Aubrette forced herself to walk towards it.

As she stepped closer to the fleet, she saw the hint of a golden uniform running away from in between them, rushing out of the beach and unto the city. Aubrette kept her pace low, making sure that her trail was washed away by the water. Keeping her eyes on them as they disappeared in the night.

When she reached the boats, she felt her soul drop to her feet.

At first it looked like nothing but a rock hidden underneath the sand. And maybe she would've believed that, if it hadn't been for the small fingertip that burst out of the sand.

Aubrette took a step closer. Falling onto her knees next to the hand. She could feel her heart beating all the way up to her throat. The palms of her hands sweating. Taking a deep breath, Aubrette reached for the hand, and gently pulled it out of the sand.