Shortly after Raziel departed, Nalia retreated back inside. If she was going to go speak with her grandmother, it would have been the perfect time. Thoughts clouded her mind though. Doubts and little voices telling her “Don’t do it” filled every crevice of her brain. Would she really be able to put her grandmother in danger just to save her own life? The notion sounded so . . . selfish.
What other options do I have? Nalia asked herself as she curled up on her couch. Dark thoughts began covering her mind. Would it be better to just let Asriel take me away? It’s not like I have anyone here that would miss me. Maybe Rose, Violet, and Grandmother, but other than that . . . She turned over onto her back. Maybe . . . Maybe I can make a deal with Asriel . . . My entire being for Raziel’s life here on Ennis. He has his whole life ahead of him. I’ve spend mine alone in this house. I have nothing left to lose other than him.
Slowly, Nalia sat up. She pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Save two lives for the price of one . . . . It sounded like a good idea. Would it be enough though? Would she be enough to appease Asriel? If not, what else could she offer him? She didn’t think she had anything of worth to a devil . . . . At least, she didn’t think she did. Nalia began combing her brain. There had to be something, otherwise he wouldn’t have wanted her in the first place.
Nalia . . . . Stop. Don’t think like that; you’ve come too far to give up now and give into the darkness in your heart.
The voice . . . it was always coming to bring her back to her senses before she sank too deeply in the depths of her own mind. This time Nalia wasn’t sure it could save her. She couldn’t bear the thought of her grandmother getting hurt, nor could she stand to think about what Asriel would do with Raziel. If this almighty voice was so concerned about her well being and life decisions, perhaps its body should reveal itself and save her. The sweet nothings were becoming more meaningless to her with every passing moment. She didn’t need kind words to comfort her anymore; she needed someone to save her. If no one was going to ride up on a white horse and vanquish her demons, she would take matters into her own hands. Instead of using a sword and shield, though, Nalia would use words.
Nalia, stop this. You know that regardless of what you say or do, Asriel will take what he wants. Go to your grandmother; she can help. Don’t do something you’ll regret when there are better ways of handling things, Nalia.
Nalia put her hands to her temples and squeezed. She didn’t want to hear it anymore. The voice seemed persistent this time; she couldn’t block it out, and it wouldn’t stop. Was her fate really that important to some intangible presence that had haunted her for the past ten years?
Go to her, Nalia . . . please . . . .
In the end, Nalia succumbed to the voice’s wishes. It wasn’t a quick process; Nalia had argued with what she figured to be her own conscience for about an hour before it finally convinced her that giving herself to Asriel was an idiotic idea. The idea still loomed in her mind though. If something went wrong and Nalia was left to defend for herself, it would be the only option she had left.
Cautiously, Nalia stepped out of her home and into the sunlight once again. The sun was shining brightly and the birds were singing. Everyone she passed by seemed to be in a chipper mood. All seemed right in the world. The truth was that nothing was right. Every shadow was a demon; every step Nalia heard behind her belonged to her soon-to-be captor. When she glanced over her shoulder, all she saw was the sidewalk behind her. Instead of comforting her, it only increased her paranoia. Her walking speed began to turn into a run.
Eventually, her grandmother's home came into view. When had the distance between their homes grown so large? Nalia quickly made her way to the front door and then took a moment to compose herself. After taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell with a shaky finger. Was such a simple process supposed to be so nerve-wracking? Behind the oak door that stood in front of her, Nalia heard the quiet sound of footsteps getting closer and closer to the door. She swallowed hard when she heard the click of a lock turning.
When their eyes met, Nalia's grandmother, Mistria, seemed shocked for a moment. Soon, a large smile formed on her thin lips. "Nalia! It's been so long! Where in the world have you been?" Mistria said as she took Nalia's hands in hers and squeezed.
"Hi, Grandma. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Nalia said with a weary smile. When had her heart grown so heavy?
For a moment, Mistria simply stood there in awe. Eventually, though, something seemed to spark within her. "Oh! Where are my manners? Come in, dear, you'll catch your death out here," she said as she began ushering Nalia inside.
"Grandma, it's the beginning of spring. I think it's a little too hot to 'catch your death' at this point," Nalia mentioned with a slight smile on her lips.
For a moment, her grandmother paused. She then shrugged and went on with her business, "Same difference. Make yourself comfortable, dear, I'll go get the cookies." Before Nalia could object, Mistria had already scurried away. It didn't take long for doubt to begin creeping up once more, but luckily, Mistria returned with a plate of cookies only a minute or so later. The platter of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies smelled divine, but it only made Nalia's stomach churn more. As if she could sense Nalia's feelings, Mistria hesitantly set the cookies off to the side. Slowly, she took a seat beside Nalia and smiled. "So, dear, where have you been all this time? I can't remember the last time I saw your precious face."
For a moment, no words would reach Nalia's lips. Doubts and regrets began washing over her faster than she could push them away. I can't do this. I can't. What right do I have to put her in danger like this? I've never done anything for her, and yet she shows me all of this kindness with no hesitation. How can you repay something like that with a death wish?
Don't, Nalia. Tell her. You don't know how this will end. This could be what saves you! You've been waiting for this opportunity, haven't you? Take it!
Nalia bit her lower lip and sighed. Slowly, she pulled her knees up to her chest and looked at her grandmother. "That's . . . That's actually what I'm here to talk about, Grandma," she mumbled hesitantly. Mistria looked at her for a long moment, as if waiting for her to go on. "Is there somewhere private we can talk? It's, uh, a very sensitive matter . . ."
Mistria slow began rubbing her chin, "How serious is this, dear?"
Part of Nalia wanted to pull the same old white lie she had pulled for years. "Oh, it's nothing serious. Just, uh, personal stuff, you know?" She knew that she couldn't do that this time though. It was all or nothing. "Gravely," Nalia whispered.
No words were spoken for a long moment. Mistria seemed to be fighting with herself for a long moment, but eventually, she nodded. "Alright. I believe you. Come with me, dear."
After Mistria stood and began making her way to the back of the home, Nalia began to follow suit. They entered a room, and before them were four doors. Quickly, Mistria made her way through one of the doors that led to an identical room. They repeated this process several times until they reached a staircase going up. This staircase led to two other staircases: one going up and another going down. Mistria chose the staircase leading down. "Don't let go of my hand while we're descending, dear," she said quietly.
The descent felt like it lasted for ages. Eventually, the two made it to the bottom. Before them was a heavy wooden door. Nalia couldn't quite see where she pulled it from, but in her grandmother's hands was a ring of at least a hundred keys. Effortlessly, Mistria picked out a solid black key and then used it to open the door. With a little pushing, the door opened slowly with a creak. What lay ahead of them was void of darkness. "Stay here," Mistria said as she entered. After a couple of minutes, she returned and took Nalia's hand once more.
Soon, a small area began to illuminate. In this area, there were two chairs and a table.
Mistria sat down first and then motioned towards the opposite seat. Once Nalia was seated, Mistria folded her hands on the table. "This is probably the most secure place on all of Ennis. No one knows about the existence of this room but me. Whatever you need to tell me, dear, this is the best place to do it."
It felt secure, but Nalia didn't know if it was as secure as her grandmother thought it to be. Maybe it the past it had been, but even magic fades with time. Still, if there was one thing that was true, it would have been the most secure place. Even with that in mind, Nalia still didn't want to reveal the secrets that had haunted her for years. She didn't want to put her grandmother in danger. "Grandma, what I'm about to tell you could be . . . life-threatening. I'll understand if you don't want me to tell you. It's just . . . I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Honey, I'm old. I've lived far longer than I should have already. Death doesn't scare me anymore. Whatever is on your mind, though, obviously terrifies you. Just get it off your chest. I'm listening," Mistria said as she smiled softly.
In that moment, Nalia hesitated for a half a second, and then the gates opened. Every secret she had held for the past ten years began flowing out like water; Asriel, his return, the letters, the voice, Raziel, their dark future, all of it. " . . . and I just don't know what to do anymore, grandma. I'm so terrified, for myself, for Raziel, for you. I-I . . ." the words stopped following. Nalia was speechless for a moment. When the words came again, they came with a sob, "I'm scared."
For what felt like an eternity, Mistria said nothing. The weight of the silence was almost too much to bear. Finally, a deep sigh escaped her lips. "This is a grave matter indeed. I might be able to help you, dear, but I'll be honest with you, there's not much I can do at this point."
In that moment, Nalia's heart plummeted.
It must have been obvious how crushed she was. Her grandmother seemed to be searching every crevice of her mind for something that would help. At that moment, Nalia would have taken anything. "There are very old spells that might buy you time, though," Mistria said slowly, almost cautiously.
"How much time?"
"A year, maybe. I wish I could help you dear, but I'm not as strong as I once was . . ." Mistria mumbled. The future became even bleaker. No one said anything. Just as Nalia thought all hope was lost, Mistria perked up. "There's something I can do. It's not guaranteed, but it just might work . . . "
"What is it?" Nalia asked hopefully.
"I can't reveal the details, but if it works, your safety and Raziel's will be certain," Mistria said as she stood. It was as is some kind of fire had begun burning within her. "Come, darling, if I'm going to attempt this, I'll need as much time as possible. I hate to be rude, but that means you need to go on home. I'm sure Razi will be getting home soon anyway," Mistria chirped as she practically pushed Nalia in the direction of the exit. For the longest moment, it felt as though she were in a daze. She couldn't quite come to terms that she and Razi had a chance of ridding Asriel from their lives. Slowly, though, the joyous news began to set in. With every step they climbed, Nalia felt her heart climb two more.
When they made it out of the labyrinth, the two hugged and said their goodbyes. "Thank you, grandma. Thank you," Nalia said. Almost as if someone had planted a seed inside of her, hope began to blossom. She could feel it spreading through her body. It was a good feeling, something she hadn't felt in a long, long time.
* * *
It was only when Nalia was long gone did Mistria finally sit down. She rubbed her face and sighed. "Asriel, you snake. Only you would take revenge this far," she mumbled, her voice sounding old and weary. It felt as though the weight of her true age had come down upon her all at once. Shakily, Mistria reached over to a side table to grab the handset of an ancient phone. "Etoile, it has happened."
If there hadn't been anyone around to spectate, Nalia would have skipped home. Her grandmother had looked so hopeful. Of course, whatever trick her grandmother had up her sleeve wasn't guaranteed to work, but Nalia couldn't help pushing that thought from her mind. She had a chance! There was actually a chance now that she and Raziel could live a happy life. Who wouldn't want to tell the world such wonderful news? Who wouldn't want to demonstrate such joy?
It was almost ten-thirty when Nalia made it home. Raziel would be back in thirty minutes. "I haven't made him something tasty in a few days. I'm sure he'll appreciate a hot meal after a long day," she said as she began gathering the materials. In the privacy of her home, Nalia couldn't help but sing and dance a little as she worked. It felt so nice to feel alive, even if it was only for a short amount of time.
Behind her, Nalia heard the front door she had forgotten to lock open. Happily, she spun around. Just as she was about to speak, the words left her.
"I'm home."
* * *
"What a pity. So late in the game, and she decides to peep. Are you sure you aren't making this up? Such concentrated magic is awfully strong. I'm beginning to have doubts about your shadows."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. How old is that bat? Two hundred? Magic fades, Asriel, you know that as well as anyone," she grinned. "It doesn't take much for a shadow to slither through even the tiniest cracks in that thin little protection field. She's didn't just 'peep' either, she spilled it all."
"Every last word?"
"You heard me."
Asriel sighed, "And here I thought this was going to be a smooth ride. I suppose I'll have to pay Mistria a visit. I do hope she's aged well. I remember her being such a pretty thing. Your shadows remember the path to her little crypt, correct?"
"Shadows don't forget. If they do, though, it shouldn't be too hard for you to find your way out."
"I suppose that's true. Well, I'll be seeing you again soon. Until then, I'd suggest you lay low. Even the sneakiest of shadows can be seen by the wisest of wizards."
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