NIGHTS OF HALLOW

By the time Sthena returned to his chambers, Perdita was already snuggled in bed, with the book she was reading open in her hand. Discarding his outer coat, he walked to the bed and covered her with the blanket just in time to see her eyes flutter open.

”You’re back,” she said, sitting up on the bed. ”What happened there? I can detect the smell of blood on you.” She continued, her eyes raking his clothes and face.

”Look at you, all over me with questions,” Sthena remarked and sat beside her. His hand naturally went to her waist to draw her close. ”Did you miss me?” He kissed her knuckles and gave them a gentle squeeze.

”You’re avoiding my question, Sthena,” Perdita sighed with pointed look on her face as she stared back at him. Knowing Sthena, she doubted whoever it was that shot her would go unpunished.

”So did you, darling,” Sthena chuckled over Perdita’s expression. He said, kissing her cheeks this time, ”Rest assured the person has duly received the appropriate punishment deserved. My only concern is that you are in good health. Do you wish to rest more?”

Perdita negatively shook her head and replied, ”No, I’ve had enough rest.”

”That’s good. There’s something I’d like to show you,” Sthena said, standing from the bed. He held out his hand for Perdita to take just as he wore his coat. ”Come with me,”

”Where are we going?” Perdita skeptically quizzed when she saw him walk into the bathroom.

”So many questions,” Sthena shook his head as they entered the bathing room. ”It isn’t bad to have another bathe with you, but that isn’t what I want us to do now.” He then walked to the cupboard that held towels and other bathing items and slid a coin into one of the openings carved in the middle. Before long, the cupboard shifted, surprising Perdita.

”A hidden room?” She asked, going closer.

”It is more than that,” Sthena replied and led the way. With a flick of his hand, the wall lamps came to life and illuminated the way as they continued down the passage. ”I believe you remember what I told you on the day of your first training? About using your invisible touch?”

”Ah, yes, I remember quite well,” Perdita replied, a small, contented smile appearing on her lips when she recalled the effect her ability had on the tree.

”Good, we are going to test it again using another method. We still have some clue markings that’ll lead us to our culprit to discover.” Sthena paused as they rounded a corner and came out to a clearing now outside the castle.

Perdita’s gaze wandered to where they had come to stop just by following the hidden passage in Sthena’s bathing room. The place looked different. A verdant land with tall trees around. Some of the trees also appeared lush, as though the snow hadn’t affected them at all. Did those who built the castle meticulously put that in the place for the king? ”Does anyone else know about that door?”

”No. It has been me and now you. Though Daemon has heard of it, he doesn’t know where exactly. I discovered this place when I first came to the castle through this pathway. Walking forward will take you out of this town and two towns away to where I resided with my mother.”

”You have not always lived in the castle?” Perdita questioned. This was the first time she was hearing this.

”No,” To her question, Sthena replied. He paused, his eyes distant as though recalling the past events, before continuing to say. ”It was the year my mother passed away I came looking for my father, who was the king then.”

”I’m sorry about your mother.” Perdita, not knowing how to process the new information, held Sthena’s hand. However, the new story had inevitably roused more questions in her head. Before she could go on to speak, Sthena interrupted her, saying,

”I know, judging from the look on your face, you are about to ask more questions. Though it is not my wish not to answer, we have come for another reason now. We shall have a time for all your questions, and I promise to tell you everything.”

Though disappointed, Perdita nodded in acknowledgement and kept quiet until they arrived at the only house she had seen until now.

”This here,” Sthena began as they entered the house with only a room, ”is where most of the vials I confiscated from some witches were put away. You will find most of the books containing spells here too.”

”Do not touch anything yet,” At his word, Perdita’s hand was quick to drop to her side. ”until you read what each vial is used for, can you use them. We don’t want you turning into a toad with no knowledge of how to turn you back.”

”Will I learn how to use them today?” She asked, her eyes shining in controlled excitement at learning more of the things she could use at her disposal.

”No. That would be for another day. A task, however, awaits to be completed by you.”

”A task?”

”Yes,” Sthena nodded in acknowledgement. He walked out of the house once more, now standing with his hands in his coat pocket. ”There are about twenty markings that have been made on some spots and trees here. I want you to find them all. Each marking is embedded with a black seed, which you must take back with you. Also, you are not to touch the trees nor the ground to find them out; only your ability of invisible touch is needed.”

Perdita blinked, not knowing when her lips opened at the instructions listed. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it back, not knowing what to say. She had only used that ability once, to find twenty markings in this vast land?

”Note,” Sthena continued as he reached into his pocket and brought out his watch, ”you have only ten minutes to do this. As a bonus to this, you can use other abilities of yours but not touch to find the markings. Your time starts now.”

”Wha-what?” Perplexed, Perdita squeezed her eyes shut, her forehead creasing with a notable frown.

”The more you stand there, the more your time clicks. Failure to discover all twenty markings, a deserved punishment awaits you.”

”You’re unbelievable.” Perdita glared at him from where she stood. She started from the nearest tree, trying hard to focus on it to reveal the markings, but to no avail.

’Feel it, project it, and then implement it.’ was the continuous chant that rang in Perdita’s head as she walked to every tree and every spot she could cover, but yet, she found no marking.

She sighed for the sixth time she could remember, her brows creased in slight frustration at not having found anything.

”You’re five minutes gone,” came Sthena’s voice from where she had left him.

”Thank you for reminding me of how much time I’ve wasted!”

”You’re welcome,” shouted Sthena back to her, chuckling at the end, and Perdita, on the other hand, glared at him as though he could see it.

She suddenly halted in her steps and took a deep breath with her eyes closed and her fist clenched by her sides. When she opened her eyes, they appeared a darker shade of green with specks of red swirling in them. She remained silent, her focus sharp and her movement fast when she moved again. On her index finger, a faint blue light swirled in curls.

From where Sthena stood, he felt the change from the way Perdita initially moved, and not long after, he heard her shout, ”Found one!” bringing a smile to his face. He remarked to himself, ”Finally figured it out after running around in frustration.”

More minutes passed in silence, save for the movements that came from Perdita as she went from one spot to the other.

Sthena announced while staring at his watch, ”You have a minute left. You better hurry lest your punishment await you.”

Before he could finish speaking, Perdita was already in front of him with a narrowed look. ”Always ready to give a punishment, I should at least have a reward for completing the task.” And she placed the seeds on his outstretched palm.

”Of course, darling. I am a generous king after all; you do deserve a reward.” He smiled, eyes crinkling at the end. ”Step closer,” he instructed, and when she did, he leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. ”There you go now, darling.”

Taken aback, Perdita blinked, having not expected him to kiss her. She shook her head and said, ”With the way you smiled, I was certain you had some mischievous thoughts in your head.”

”Oh, you hurt me, darling,” Sthena sighed and placed his palm on his chest dramatically. ”Not everyone gets a sweet kiss on the lips from the king.”

”I am most honored, Your Majesty,” Perdita curtsied.

”That’s more like it now,” And she rolled her eyes at his words, making him chuckle.

”Is there another task I must complete to get a kiss reward from His Majesty?” Perdita questioned when Sthena started walking back to where they had come from.

”Yes, darling. You would get not only a kiss but something more once the task is completed.”

”Don’t tell me I am to dig graves now, am I?”

Sthena chuckled, amused by Perdita’s words. ”That sounds like a fun idea,” and Perdita gave him a sharp glance. He further said, ”But no, we have some place and some persons to pay a visit to tonight.”

”The witches involved in the Blackfang town killing?” Perdita quizzed, and he replied, ”Yes, darling. Excited to meet some of your sisters and brothers?”

”After your head, your mouth should be the next thing checked.” Perdita muttered under her breath, which Sthena heard.

”I didn’t know you loved me this much. How delightful it would be to have your lips check this mouth of mine.” Sthena whispered in Perdita’s ear, causing heat to rush up her face, and a blush appeared on her face in seconds, making her quicken her steps to avoid more of Sthena’s teasing remarks.