Arthav slowly opened his eyes on the dusty floor of the study.
Unaware of how many hours he went black out.
On the right side of his head, he felt a sharp pain like something drilling inside of his frontal lobe.
“Was I blacked out for two hours? What a horrifying dream that was. And that shadow behind her.”
He pushed his hand on the ground and stood up.
Looking around that dark study, he found his torn shirt lying on the floor beside the desk.
“Fuck, that wasn’t a dream.”
The torn shirt was living proof of whatever he saw a few hours ago.
It was everything but not a dream.
Arthav exhaled deeply and looked at his wrist.
3:07 AM.
The vision flashed back into his mind in fragments of Reiha standing with a strange sphere and the black demonic shadow standing behind her.
Thinking about her, he instantly ran towards his room.
He didn’t even bother to pick up the shirt that was lying on the ground.
His steps walked through the hall, which was filled with a crowd, light, and music just a few hours ago; now only gloomy darkness and empty silence are buried there.
The paintings on the wall were lit by the moonlight coming from the stained-glass skylight.
With steady and slow hands, Arthav pulled down the knob of the door.
The moment he saw her, the turmoil in his heart just hushed and died away.
Reiha slept peacefully on the bed, a kind quietness resting on her lips; her face looked as peaceful as a stream in the forest.
One hand rested beneath her head, and another one was on her stomach.
Her raven-dark hair fell in soft waves on the ground.
Arthav stood by the door, watching the rise and fall of her chest silently.
He looked down and inhaled deeply, then he walked towards the bed and lay down beside her.
Gently he touched her fingertips and tapped a kiss on her knuckles.
Reiha stirred softly in her sleep and turned toward him unconsciously, placing her hand against his chest.
Pressing his lips together tightly, he froze, then exhaled deeply; a quiet, calm smile rested on his lips.
The stiffness beneath his skin slowly loosened and left his body.
Carefully he put one of his arms under her head, and gently he pulled her towards him.
He looked at her forehead and tapped a soft, gentle kiss on her temple.
Caressing her hair lightly, he closed his eyes; forgetting every worry in his mind, he fell asleep.