Obsidian Ring

Epilogue

Even as the chapter comes to an end, the story lives on.

The coffeehouse collapsed. When it did, a thumb-sized house-shaped structure stood on the ground in its place. Aislinn picked it up, then dropped it into the jaws of one of her two floating skulls.

"When Etta is reborn, will you know who she is?" she asked.

"I will; as will you," Caisimir answered.

"Can we observe her?"

"We could even meddle. It is our task after all."

Aislinn smiled.

"What happens now?"

Caisimir wrapped his arms around her from behind. In the process, Aislinn's skulls expanded their sphere, orbiting around them both. Even if that changed, the steady largo pace always remained the same.

"Tell me, my queen, what you want to be done."

"To be done?" She considered it for only a moment. "Kazue Chinen."

A smirk found its way to Caisimir's lips.

"Then, we return to the castle."

She lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Is he to be released or executed?"

"I will return to him his memories this evening. I want him to come to us. And if he is executed...everyone else sleeps through tomorrow morning."

"You are very lenient after all," Aislinn remarked.

Caisimir spread his wings. Instinctively, Aislinn leaned into him, taking both his hands and closing her eyes in preparation of teleportation.

"I merely want some alone time with you," Caisimir clarified, without denying her claim. He paused for a moment as the two traveled, speaking only when they were once again in the room with dark curtains. "I am, after all, the devil," he whispered to her. His wings folded behind him, revealing her to the room. "I have desires of my own."

Until tonight, then, let me have you all to myself, my queen.

~ fin ~