"Excuse me…" the voice was faint, almost hesitant, as if afraid to disturb him. Silas stirred, his body feeling sluggish as he blinked against the dim light of the room. Rubbing his eyes groggily, he sat up, his movements slow and deliberate as he tried to shake off the last remnants of sleep.
He rose from the bed, his bare feet making no sound on the wooden floor as he crossed the small room. When he opened the door, his teal eyes met the gaze of a young girl standing before him. She looked no older than seventeen, her dark red hair cascading in soft waves down to her shoulders, framing her face. Her green eyes were wide and nervous, and a blush quickly spread across her cheeks as she took in the sight of him.
For a moment, her breath seemed to catch in her throat as she looked at him, her gaze lingering on his features—his tall, lean frame towering over her at 190 cm, the flawless cream of his skin, his long, wavy black hair that spilled down his back like dark silk. And then, there were his eyes—those unique, hypnotic teal irises that seemed to pierce through her, making her feel exposed. His lips, soft and pale, were like pink lotuses, slightly parted as he gazed down at her with mild curiosity.
"H-hello, sir…" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes darted away from his face, as if she couldn't bear to meet his gaze for too long. "I just wanted to make sure you were…okay. You've been in the room for five days now…"
The nervousness in her voice was palpable, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron as she tried to maintain her composure. Silas, for his part, didn't miss the way her cheeks flushed deeper with every passing second. A soft, knowing smile spread across his lips, one that held both charm and a touch of seduction.
"I'm fine, love," he said, his voice low and velvety, laced with an effortless warmth that seemed to put people at ease. He chuckled lightly, the sound soft and intimate, as though they were sharing a private joke. "I hadn't realized I'd been sleeping for so long. I must've been more tired than I thought."
His eyes never left hers as he spoke, and she could feel the heat rising in her face, her heart racing in her chest. "T-thank you for waking me up," he added, his smile never fading, and for a moment, she was left speechless, caught in the intensity of his gaze.
"O-of course…" she finally managed to stammer out, her voice trembling slightly. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to maintain her composure despite the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Would you like… some breakfast?" she asked, almost in a rush, as if she was eager to do anything to help him.
Silas' smile remained gentle, almost teasing, as he shook his head. "I'm alright, actually. Surprisingly not hungry," he replied, his voice still as smooth as silk. "But thank you for the offer. You're very kind."
The girl's blush deepened, her green eyes glancing up at him through her lashes. "L-let me know if you need anything…" she said softly, her voice dropping an octave. Her eyes lingered on his face for just a moment longer before she added, almost shyly, "…anything."
With that, she turned on her heel and hurriedly walked away, the soft sound of her footsteps echoing down the hallway as she disappeared from view. Silas watched her retreat, a small smirk playing on his lips as he closed the door behind him. He could still sense the lingering warmth of her presence, the way her nervous energy had filled the space.
He shook his head, amusement flickering in his teal eyes as he glanced at the small window, the world beyond the inn obscured by the thick fog that clung to the landscape. His thoughts briefly returned to the conversation he'd had with the woman of the Void, her promise of a report to the Void itself.
With a sigh, Silas returned to the bed, his mind already beginning to slip back into the dark recesses of sleep, the quiet of the room wrapping around him once more. The Void's influence was always near, a constant hum at the back of his mind, reminding him of his purpose, his mission.
And though the world outside continued its steady march forward, for now, Silas allowed himself to rest, knowing that the storm of the Void was never far behind.
Silas chuckled softly to himself, his amusement barely contained as he shut the door to his room with a quiet click. The girl's nervous energy still clung to the air, but he brushed it aside like a fleeting thought. He moved with a languid grace, each step deliberate as he dressed, the soft fabric of his clothes clinging to his well-toned body. Once fully clothed, he took a moment to glance at his reflection in the small, cracked mirror across the room. His long black hair, still slightly tousled from sleep, cascaded down his back like an inky waterfall, and his teal eyes shimmered with mischief and a quiet, simmering power. With one last look, he smirked, straightening his collar before leaving the room.
As Silas descended the narrow staircase of the inn, the soft murmur of voices from outside grew louder. The air seemed to crackle with tension, and by the time he stepped through the inn's door and out into the bustling street, it was clear that something had stirred the city's heart into a state of anxious frenzy.
The streets were filled with uneasy whispers. People huddled together in small clusters, exchanging furtive glances, their voices low but filled with palpable fear. Silas walked among them, blending seamlessly into the crowd, though the aura of quiet menace that clung to him was unmistakable to those who dared meet his gaze.
The number of guards patrolling the streets had nearly doubled. They moved in pairs, their armor clinking with every step as they performed their rounds with a new urgency. Every so often, a guard would stop to exchange a few hurried words with a fellow officer, their faces grim, eyes constantly scanning the crowd as if they expected something—or someone—to leap out at them at any moment.
Silas's sharp hearing picked up a nearby conversation between two citizens, their voices low but filled with apprehension.
"Did you hear…?" one of them whispered, his voice shaky as he leaned in closer to his companion. His eyes darted around nervously, as if fearing someone might overhear them.
"What?" came the quick, hushed reply, filled with equal parts curiosity and dread.
"Apparently… the entire Fairbourne family was wiped out last night," the first man continued, his voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial tone. "And not just them—every noble in attendance for the coming-of-age ceremony. Slaughtered. All of them."
The second citizen's eyes widened, his face paling as the weight of the words sunk in. "By the gods… do they know who did it?" he asked, his voice trembling.
The first man shook his head, casting a quick glance over his shoulder before answering. "No. No one knows for sure. But… they suspect it was the work of some kind of monster, judging by the wounds on the bodies. Some people are saying a demon escaped from the underworld."
The second man gasped, his hand instinctively covering his mouth in shock. "A demon? Here?"
The conversation quickly devolved into a hushed, frantic exchange of rumors and speculations. Talk of demons, forbidden rituals, and dark magic spread like wildfire, each theory more outrageous than the last. But Silas, walking past them with a casual stride, could only smile.
A shadowed, obscured smirk curled at the edges of his lips as he moved through the city, his presence unnoticed by most, save for those whose gaze lingered on him for too long. They would feel an inexplicable chill run down their spines, a sense of something dangerous lurking just beneath the surface.