I regarded him warily, uncertain whether to be impressed or afraid.
"So, you have the ability to levitate me," I said, my tone cautious. “What else can you do?”
“I also have the power to hypnotise you,” he replied, teasing.
"So that's how you keep me so fascinated," I replied, trying to sound sceptical, though I could feel the pull of his voice.
"Not at all. I haven't used that power on you yet. Any feelings you're experiencing are entirely your own” he said with a gentle smile.
I felt the heat rise to my face before I could contain myself. Was he telling the truth, or was this part of his game?I didn’t know.
"I didn't mean to suggest that I had feelings for you, only that I'm confused."
"Is it me you're trying to convince," he asked with a glint in his eye, "or yourself?"
Annoyed by how my feelings had betrayed me, I tried to regain my composure, but the intensity of Cillian's gaze made it difficult. I felt awkward, as though I struggled with a schoolgirl's crush.
"Can you at least answer one question?" I asked, hoping to defuse the situation. "Why are you so sure I'm the one you've been waiting for?"
Cillian’s expression relaxed, his smile lines fading. “The reason is bigger than both of us. It’s not about control, it’s our destiny”
"And what if I choose never to decide?"
"Eventually you will," he said, his smile teasing, but certain.
TWELVE
THE INVITATION
“You must be starving,” Cillian said quickly, clearly intent on avoiding any more questions. “You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, and I’m sure your experience in the dining room was more than unsettling.”
He gestured towards the door. While I had to admit I was hungry, it was the unease about the answers that might have been waiting that truly unsettled me.
“You seem distant. What burdens your thoughts?” His tone was gentle, implying concern that caught me off guard. He escorted me through the bedroom as though he were a prince leading me onto the dance floor at a magnificent ball.
“Who are you really, Cillian?” My voice trembled, driven by fear and a desperate need to understand the man standing before me.
“You have a curious mind,” he said with a smile that sent a shiver down my spine. “It’s fitting for an artist of your Calibre. I admireyour spirit. Of course, you want to know about us. Believe me, I do intend to tell you all about us, in time”
I could offer no argument as he led me into the hallway past the stunning tapestries draping the walls. This time, I stopped to inspect them more closely. As I touched the silken fabric, I felt a peculiar connection to the scene.
One tapestry in particular caught my attention to the point where I couldn't tear my eyes from it. Cillian watched me carefully, his eyes measuring my reaction to a depiction of a man and woman standing in a dreamy garden bathed in ethereal light. It looked like it could be on Earth, but somehow, I knew it wasn’t. The images were so lifelike I could have sworn I saw them breathing, their chests rising subtly against the soft breeze of the imagined wind.
The man bore a striking resemblance to Cillian and his brothers and appeared around the same age. He was dressed in a similar way with breeches and a billowing white shirt.
Beside him, a woman wore a stunning pearl-encrusted cream satin and lace domino mask concealing her upper face, but from what I could see, she was stunning.
Almond-shaped eyes of the deepest mahogany peered through the openings. Full cupid-bow lips curled into a secret smile reminiscent of the Mona Lisa, and her perfectly sculpted oval face was framed by a thick mane of shimmering platinum hair.
The couple clasped hands and gazed into each other's eyes with a look that could only be described as adoration. What struck me the most was how much the woman resembled Seraphina. The more I looked, the more fascinated I became by her timeless beauty.
A question burned on my tongue, who was this woman? Yet a part of me hesitated, fearing the secrets that her identity might unveil. I wanted to ask Cillian who she was, but I was afraid of the answer.
He seemed to wait for my question, but I kept silent. He offered his hand. I was hesitant about taking it. I didn’t want him to think that I was willingly playing along with whatever was happening here. I slowly reached for his hand. It was warm and firm, and I felt a spark of his flesh against mine as he led me down the hallway.
Descending the spiral staircase, I watched the rainbow reflections of the chandelier crystals dance around the room.
Appetising aromas drifted from Rosenwwacht-Halle.
