The Crimson Snow (A Realm of Chaos and Void #1)

Chapter 29

The Traveling Fox

When the world turned dark and cracked,

The realm of souls was painted in red tears and black roses,

A haunting reminder of what was lost, a trail left to be discovered,

A secret whisper of what they would become,

Clinging to the hope that their one would return

To reclaim the throne and rule over the world once more.

Retrieve from Poems and Songs from the Underworld by Unknown.

Seraphine Ashcroft

Seraphine looked at the envelope with her name on it. She instantly recognized her sister’s handwriting. Evren had been considerate enough to leave the chamber, giving her time alone with the letter.

Her heart wasn’t beating fast or fluttering like butterflies. It was softening, like the snowflakes that fell on the snow. Evren had gone through all this trouble to make her feel comfortable. Having him as a roommate will be chaos.

Still, she was eager to be wrapped in that chaos and so much more. Things were different now, and perhaps, after the quest, she might want to keep something from Evren.

Maybe I just want to keep him.

She unfolded the paper and read her sister’s letter.

Seren,

You wouldn’t believe the sight I woke up to this morning. A stranger appeared at the front of our cottage. He seemed nice, but there was something more to him, something I couldn’t quite place. It made me wish you were here because you were always a source of comfort.

After the ball, you disappeared, and the rumor started flying. They’re saying you’re dating Evren Wraithwood. Can you imagine? They even say he proposed to you! At first, I thought it was utter nonsense, considering how much you’ve always claimed to hate him. But then that stranger showed up, offering us plenty of money on Evren’s behalf, enough to cover our expenses. He mentioned you were with Evren on some kind of trip.

I still don’t believe it. I hope you’ll tell me it’s not true.

Regardless, know that I miss you, Seren. I miss you as much as I miss our father. I don’t blame you for what happened that day. I would have died for you, just like I know you would have done for us.

Come visit us soon. Write me a letter. Anything.

P.S.: I asked the stranger to take some of your stuff to you. And Scarlet! She misses you terribly.

With love and longing,

Aeliana

“I don’t blame you,”

Seraphine repeated, tears gathering. She laughed the tears away because Aeliana’s lightheartedness shone through even in a letter. Maybe after the quest, I could go back and visit her. The idea of having a future that involved her sister made Seraphine hopeful again. Still, it was thanks to him, to the one that made her life a miserable but beautiful storm.

But why would Evren make up such a tale about us dating?

They certainly weren’t. Seraphine wouldn’t even want that.

Liar, liar, liar.

Saving the letter in her new wardrobe, she took out what seemed to be a soft, dark and shiny nightgown. Moving into the bathroom, which was impressively large, with a massive tub and mirrors all around, she changed into the nightgown and brushed her hair.

The day had been filled with too many adventures, and all she wanted was to rest. Tomorrow, they would go to Dorah’s to check on the enchanted book. Now that she was embracing her emotions again, she needed to see her friend.

As Seraphine exited the restroom, she found Evren lying on his bed with a book in his hand. When he looked at her, she wished she could break the deal about behaving. However, she held herself steady.

“Black looks good on you.”

His eyes followed her every step. Seraphine made sure to slow her pace, moving in a way that might have shown too much of her skin as she crawled into her bed. “You are making this a sweet torture for me, Crimson Eyes.”

She giggled at that, and Evren moved his hand, snuffing the candles that lit the room. She tried to close her eyes, but knowing that he was just a few meters away was devastating in the best way possible.

The worst part was she needed to sleep.

Seraphine sighed exasperatedly, and she heard Evren whisper almost mockingly. “Sleep issues there?”

His voice embraced her in the darkness like sweet poison.

“No.” Yes.

“Want to hear stories of all the shameful things I did when I was younger? There are some fun ones you’ll find delightful,”

he offered.

While she couldn’t see him fully because of the dark, she spotted those snowy blue-gray and impossibly enchanting eyes of his.

“I would like that. Make sure to be detailed on the parts where you made a fool of yourself,”

Seraphine whispered back.

Evren told her stories about how he tricked humans before the veil was created. He made her laugh, and she wondered if this could be their every day and every night.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered closed while Evren spoke. In the back of her mind, which had been embraced by dreams, she heard him say three words that, instead of scaring her, left her breathless.

Two familiar eyes were looking at her, eyes she knew so well she could draw them from memory. The spring was all around, leaves and flowers bursting with colors. Just like every afternoon, she hid in the secluded waterfalls near her town. There was something so peaceful about this place—maybe the sound of the water or the almost knowing silence that enveloped her.

However, she wasn’t alone. Nearby, a wolf lay on the ground. The same one she had spotted weeks ago. It was beautiful, and she wondered if it was just a wolf. She had heard stories of Nemera’s creatures—tricksters, evil—but she always thought of them as fascinating.

This wolf seemed to enjoy her company too. It was larger than average, its fur a striking blend of gray and white. She had never seen eyes like that, gray with bluish hues and white dots that seemed to move as if they had a life of their own. The wolf moved closer, and she patted its head and ears, marveling at the feel of its fur.

Seraphine smiled at the wolf, and she swore it smiled back at her. Then, she heard it, clear as the water—the wind calling her. It was a name she didn’t recognize but had seen the crimson-eyed woman mouth in another dream.

A dream.

She heard the wind or herself saying, “No,”

before waking up. “A memory.”

“Checkmate,”

Seraphine said, a triumphant smile on her lips. Dorah’s roses, nestled in her hair, seemed to snap back in irritation.

“That was barely a checkmate,”

Dorah retorted, her tone sharp but playful.

Seraphine had traveled to the Shadowmarket with Raggart to ask Dorah about the mysterious book. She didn’t mention anything specific about the book or its forbidden nature. While she trusted Dorah, she didn’t want to get her friend in trouble.

Dorah explained that opening a book depended on it, which led Seraphine nowhere since she couldn’t take it out of the library. I could talk with Evren about it. Hopefully, there was a way. Meanwhile, she decided to enjoy the rest of her morning with Dorah.

They assisted some customers with their bizarre requests. One customer, a sith with piercing green eyes and a sly smile, asked for a poison that could induce nightmares. Another, a selkie with skin still slick from the sea, sought ingredients for a potion to make shadows dance. A banshee, her wailing voice like a distant echo, requested venom potent enough to paralyze a spirit. The atmosphere in the Shadowmarket was always a blend of the mystical and the sinister, and today was no exception.

Later, a little close to noon, they decided to play shadow chess. Seraphine had already won three times.

“You seem content, Seren,”

Dorah noted, her voice lacking its usual warmth. Seraphine observed Dorah, noticing how her friend’s hair had become greasier and her eyes, usually so vibrant, were now dull and shadowed.

Seraphine nodded and took Dorah’s hand, feeling how cold they were. “Is there something wrong? You seem… off.”

Dorah laughed it off, though her laughter was hollow. “Nonsense, Seraphine. Maybe it’s Evren’s bugs sticking to you.”

She waved away Seraphine’s concern, but she knew better. Something was amiss with her hag friend.

Picking up the chess selkie figure, she examined it thoughtfully. “I’m glad you’re safe, Seren,”

Dorah said, not looking at her. It seemed someone—probably Raggart—had told her about the incident with the soul eater. Seraphine asked about it, but Dorah, as usual, gave another cryptic comment. “Maybe you need to stop praying to the wrong Ancient.”

Dorah had said that before. Could it be possible that Dorah knows more than she’s letting on?

“I’m all right. I won’t die and leave you to your boredom,”

Seraphine said, standing up and giving Dorah a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Raggart stood up with her, eyeing Dorah oddly. Beside him was Shadoweater. Seraphine had asked Evren for his cat sith’s company that morning, explaining her desire to take a detour today. He hadn’t been pleased, but he couldn’t deny her, knowing Shadoweater would be with her.

With that, Seraphine left the shop and breathed in slowly as she wandered across the Shadowmarket, the sun up but shadowed, no soul eaters since they mostly appeared at dawn.

Today was meaningful, and Seraphine was excited.

“You must come here at midnight,”

Raggart said as they walked through the bustling market toward the well-known arch tree that would take her to the human world.

Seraphine nodded, pulling on Evren’s white cloak. If she was to use the red one he had gifted her, they might recognize her. He had also lent her some leaves and briefly explained how to use them if necessary, which she hoped wouldn’t be since she barely remembered the meaning of the colors.

“Shadoweater can morph into a human or something akin to that for some minutes and deliver the letter to your sister without putting you at such risk, Lady Wraithwood,”

he repeated for the tenth time.

“I know, and yes, I know I won’t be able to actually talk to her. But I want to see her. Make sure she is doing all right. And I have Shadoweater here, Raggart. He can eat whoever crosses my path.”

The cat sith purred and moved around her legs, like a giant, monstrous cat. His kind was one of the few that could move across realms, making him the best companion.

Raggart sighed. “If something were to happen to you—”

“It won’t. Send the prince my regards,”

she interrupted, stepping through the arched tree. Just like that, the world once again turned upside down.

Cold snowflakes touched her cheeks, and she took a moment to feel it all. Seraphine had missed the Weeping Forest. She couldn’t say the same for her town or most people.

She looked at the cat sith and decided to use one of Evren’s magic leaves. She needed to ask him about those later, curious about where he had procured so many.

Pulling one out of her hidden pocket, she chose a red leaf. That one was a tracking leaf. According to Erven, she needed to think about what she was looking for, and it would lead her to it. So, she thought about Aeliana.

The leaf took flight, and Seraphine and Shadoweater—who would be invisible to most humans—moved through the Weeping Forest, across the snow and past the dead trees. How many times have I crossed this path, feeling anguish and searching for an escape?

However, this time, she was experiencing it differently. She was marveling at it. The white snow was no longer needed to wipe away all the bad things.

As they approached the entrance to Coldhaven, Seraphine put on the white hood that would hide her face and checked her gloves.

The leaf moved through Coldhaven. The streets looked just as they had before—old and rotten. The people seemed frigid and cold. She guessed one might change, but cruelty stayed the same. She moved slowly through the crowd, knowing she was well hidden. No one would expect her here. No one would care.

The leaf stopped at the frozen clock tower, stuck in time. Then, just nearby, Seraphine spotted her.

Aeliana was laughing with a young boy. She had cut her hair and seemed a little more mature. Her sister seemed happy, and that was all Seraphine needed to know. Mere days felt like years.

She felt Shadoweater pushing against her legs. “All right, I need to send the letter, make one more visit, and we can take a break, okay?”

Seraphine voiced quietly. She took the small envelope in her hand. Evren had enchanted it, just like the leaves, so it would appear in the desired place.

Seraphine touched the mark on the envelope, and as Evren had said, it turned into a creamy leaf. It flew across the street and slipped into Aeliana’s green and yellow dress pocket.

That was it. One thing to do and—

“Seren?”

Aeliana’s voice cut through her thoughts. Aeliana had reached into her pocket for something and found the envelope. Seraphine had hoped for Aeliana to find it later. Damn my luck.

Her sister seemed to be looking around for signs of her, tears in her eyes. While Seraphine yearned to get closer and hug her, she hid farther behind the clock tower. Aeliana seemed torn, and the boy was holding her, trying to calm her.

At that, Seraphine closed her eyes and slowly drifted from the scene, moving between the small buildings toward her final destination. I will be back for you someday.

Evren Wraithwood

“Just let me have one more, Raggart,”

Evren said, his voice slurred, barely holding himself upright. Seraphine was out in the human realm. He had wanted to tag along, but there was still a lot of research to do.

While he was concerned, he missed her the most. Instead of continuing his search in her absence, he decided to indulge in a plate full of those berry roses Seraphine liked so much.

Raggart moved the plate out of Evren’s reach. “Mr. Wraithwood, you can barely stand. I suggest not to—”

Evren grabbed Raggart by the ears and gently lifted him off the table.

“Have you received any letter from Theron?”

he asked, biting into another berry and finishing his glass of wine.

“I have not. Maybe he is on his own quest. Sometimes, he can stay up in the air for years,”

Raggart replied.

Evren could no longer transform, which made him feel half-empty sometimes. Still, he hoped Theron would respond soon. Evren needed him.

Evren sighed, his thoughts drifting to Seraphine.

“She will be back. She also sent you her regards,”

Raggart said, as if reading Evren’s mind.

“Of course she did. And I know, I just...”

He reached for another glass of wine.

Raggart climbed up again, perching at the corner of the table. “You need to tell her, Mr. Wraithwood. Sooner or later, she will find out anyway.”

However, Evren couldn’t. Seraphine seemed so content and full of life these days, and there were too many things happening. Adding that specific burden could ruin everything. “I won’t burden her with that.”

“You won’t. She might surprise you, like she always did, like she always does.”

He put his hand in his hands. “She will hate me. She already hates me, but she will hate me more if she finds out that… I—”

Raggart looked at Evren empathetically. “She won’t. It was not your fault. And she does not hate you. I might say that is quite the opposite.”

Evren laughed bitterly. “Lust is not love, Raggart.”

It was my fault, what happened centuries ago. Evren took another berry rose, savoring the bittersweet taste, and let himself drown in the memories of Seraphine while waiting for her return.