Gunmage
Chapter 90: Shadows in silk

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Shadows in silk

Mirelle stared into the mirror as she brushed down her flaxen hair.

It was already nighttime, and she didn’t have any appointments, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have to keep in style.

She’d rather die than be caught looking ungraceful, no matter the time of day.

Her pursuit of beauty had reached the point where she learned to sleep like a corpse—still and unmoving, unwilling to wrinkle her night garments or ruffle her hair.

Just then, there was a violent banging on her door.

She exhaled sharply.

"Who is it?"

"It’s Lirienne. I’m coming in!"

Her younger sister’s voice echoed, and before Mirelle could respond, the door swung open.

The room itself could only be described as an extension of Mirelle’s vanity.

Velvet curtains of the deepest royal purple framed the windows, overlooking the gardens below.

The large bed was covered in violet silk, its canopy towering above.

Plush cushions and extravagant pillows littered the floor, inviting repose but offering no true comfort. Mirelle had them custom-made, of course.

The scent of roses, mixed with vanilla, clung heavily to the air.

Then there were the mirrors.

On the shelves, behind the doors, mounted on the walls, they were everywhere.

"Lirienne?"

Mirelle was initially surprised but quickly regained her composure.

"What do you want, twerp?"

A vein popped on her sister’s forehead, but she didn’t argue.

Typical Lirienne

Mirelle thought.

She only had bite when it came to snapping at the servants.

Her sister spoke, trying to calm her tone.

"Have you heard the news?"

Mirelle glanced at her sister’s hand. There was no newspaper.

"What news?"

She asked, somewhat confused.

"Mother and sister Sela are finally back."

Mirelle paused. The brush in her hand stopped running through her hair. She stood from her seat.

"Which means... the annoying kid is back."

Her lips curled into a cruel smile.

"Lirienne, I’m guessing you didn’t come all this way just to tell me this?"

Her sister shuffled awkwardly, clearly hesitating.

"Er... yes, I was thinking we could ask mother for permission to see him... together."

"Permission? Why do we need permission? Let’s go see him now."

Mirelle moved, already set on her course.

"But mother—"

"Lirienne, you need to stop being such a coward."

"I’m not a coward!"

The younger sister snapped, loud enough that even the servants nearby could hear.

"Did I hit a nerve?"

Mirelle assessed her sister, her smile growing more teasing.

"Sheesh"

She began

"No need to get all snappy about it. I was just telling you to man up—Errr... lady up? No, that’s not right."

Her clumsy attempts at making a metaphor caused Lirienne calmed down. The harsh tension ebbed away.

Phew

"But we don’t even know where he is."

"There’s only one place he could be—"

Mirelle shot back.

"That small, drab room on the ground floor. They’ve probably locked him up there as usual."

"But that place is trashed"

"Do you think mother cares? No, in fact, that is precisely why he will be there."

The words sank deep, but neither of them cared enough to linger on it. As far as they were concerned, the boy was a pest.

Their visit this time was purely out of curiosity, nothing more.

They made their way to the groundfloor. Lirienne tried to open the door. It was locked. With a click of her tongue, she resorted to her signature move, violently banging on the wood.

The guards in the vicinity immediately reacted, but once they saw the two young misses, they resumed their patrols.

Mirelle observed the deployment patterns.

Curious

She was also sure that her sister Lirienne had noticed this, maybe even more. The girl was a lot smarter than she usually let on.

Bang, bang, bang!

The door still didn’t open.

"Who the hell does he think he is?!"

Lirienne growled in frustration.

"Are you dumb?"

Mirelle asked

"The lock is opened from the outside."

A loud "Oh!" followed, and the door opened to reveal Lugh holding a book in a messy room.

It wasn’t the same person they knew.

His figure was a strange mix of enchanting and terrifying. His blonde hair was unruly, small strands falling over his pale face. It contrasted sharply with his red eyes, which glowed with an eerie intensity.

Despite his age, there was a certain timelessness about him, something that suggested both fragility and immense power.

Mirelle and Lirienne both froze for a moment, staring into his eyes. Those unnatural eyes that seemed to peer straight through their souls.

The air between them grew thick with a strange mixture of admiration and horror.

"What are you doing here?!"

A sharp voice broke the tension, drawing them out of their trance. Both girls turned back in hesitation, a bit of fear coloring their expressions.

"M-mother."

...

The large double doors opened before Vaelith could even touch them.

The chamber beyond was a world unto itself, dark and enigmatic.

The air was thick with the scent of roses, an oppressive calm settling over the room.

Blood red velvet drapes cascaded from the ceiling, pooling onto the floor in rich, heavy folds.

The furniture was minimal, yet extravagant. Black lacquered chairs, a polished obsidian table, and a bed that seemed more like a throne draped in dark, shimmering silks.

Everything exuded an aura of foreboding beauty.

In the center of the room, lounging on the bed with its rosy themes, was a woman dressed in pure black.

The gown was a masterpiece, light in texture but heavy in presence, its fabric seemingly woven from shadows themselves.

A delicate black veil covered her face.

Beneath the veil, silver hair shimmered like moonlight, but there was something chilling about her stillness, something that made the room feel even darker.

"What about the seal?"

The woman’s voice sliced through the silence, low and deliberate.

Vaelith paused, contemplating before responding.

"It still holds strong."

She raised an eyebrow, her purple eyes glimmering through the veil.

Vaelith added, her voice cold

"But there are some irregularities."

The woman’s posture remained perfect, her hands clasped together as she listened in silence.

Vaelith was allowed to speak from start to end without interruption, a rare courtesy. When she was finished, the enigmatic woman finally spoke.

"Wow! How exhilarating. You must’ve had a lot of fun."

Vaelith kept silent, her head lowered.

"But Emrys, huh?"

The woman’s voice softened with a note of surprise.

"I didn’t expect that kid to still be alive. Well, no matter. The Covenant of Broken Flesh would have lost two important members in this accident. That’s good enough."

The woman stood, slipping off the bed with an ethereal grace. She seemed to glide across the ground, her long black dress flowing behind her like the very essence of darkness.

Vaelith couldn’t help but follow her movements, transfixed by the quiet beauty of it.

"And the Ring of Nyx?"

"I couldn’t find it."

"It’ll probably be in the ruins."

"Are you going?"

"Oh heavens no"

She responded, her voice suddenly light, almost playful.

"Who will keep an eye on the church if I’m gone?"

By now, she was only a breath away from Vaelith, her figure towering, yet possessing an eerie elegance. She wrapped her arms around Vaelith’s neck with slow, deliberate movements.

"You’ve done well. What reward would you like?"

Vaelith, caught off guard, contemplated for a moment, unable to bring out the words.

The woman’s grip tightened subtly, drawing her closer, she whispered into Vaelith’s ear.

"Third Prince, Lovainne?"

Vaelith’s heart skipped a beat, her composure nearly faltering as a chill raced down her spine. She had to remain composed, even if her body betrayed her.

The silence stretched between them, tense and heavy, until the woman broke it.

"I guess it’s no surprise, considering how much he resembles him."

Vaelith couldn’t hide it this time. Her entire body jolted in shock, her mind spinned.

The woman pulled back slightly,

"Just don’t make the same mistake again"

"Yes, ma’am"

Vaelith responded hastily.

There was an immediate pause, the room turned deathly still.

"Ma’am?"

Vaelith quickly corrected herself

"Yes mother"