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Afternoon.
Niver Lake, Wyfellon.
Wyfn-Garde.
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"If I drown, I'm going to haunt you," she threatened.
Alaric's eyes softened just for a moment before he spoke, "Nothing will happen to you. Not while I'm here."
Her heart skipped a beat at the unexpected reassurance, but she quickly brushed it off. "What if you're the thing that happens to me?" she shot back, her voice laced with sarcasm.
His eyes gleamed at that. "I just might push you in if you keep stalling." he threatened this time.
Her eyes widened in mock horror. "What?"
"Don't tempt me," he quipped matter factly.
"I'm your wife!" she reminded him with an exaggerated whine, refusing to believe he would do this to his other half.
Alaric's smirk faded slightly, his expression becoming thoughtful. "Trust me, I remind myself of that every time I see you," he said, his voice lowering, darkening. "Now, get in the lake."
Salviana huffed, lifting her gown a little higher, but then hesitated, realizing she was still wearing her strapped heels. She bent down to untie the straps, struggling with the intricate laces. Glancing up, she noticed Alaric watching her with those intense black eyes. She sighed.
Without a word, he took two long strides toward her and knelt down at her feet. Salviana's breath hitched as he began to untie her heels, his fingers brushing her skin, sending shivers through her. She instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself when she almost lost balance.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Alaric paused, his expression unreadable, and she could feel the tension between them intensify. His breath deepened as her scent surrounded him, an invisible force that both unnerved and drew him in.
He looked back down to her feet and worked on unfastening the heels, while Salviana held her breath, he finished unfastening them quickly, standing up with a sudden sharpness. Salviana, still reeling from the moment, gathered her dress and stepped toward the water. Her heart raced, and just as she took a step into the cool water, her foot slipped on a slick stone.
Without thinking, she reached out, grasping the nearest anchor—Alaric.
Their gaze met again and he assured her with only a gaze, 'he was here for her' the look said and she found herself nodding despite wondering why he wanted her in the water in the first place if he was still going to be protective.
Salviana shivered slightly as her fingers grazed the cold water, her breath catching in her throat. "It's cold," she gasped.
"Relax," Alaric soothed, his deep voice like a balm against the icy sensation.
She stepped into it tentatively, her breath catching and rushing, he slowly let her go and she moved further in. Despite the chill of the water, it wasn't unbearable, and she found herself calming after he let go of her hand.
The water around her felt strange—thick, almost like a dense jelly—but still cold, moving sluggishly as it pressed against her skin. She was waist deep in it and still wasn't feeling col, just enveloped by a strange feeling.
Then she turned to face him with her brows raised in curiosity. "What now?"
Alaric, standing at the water's edge, watched her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. "Do you see anything out of the ordinary?" he asked, his voice layered with quiet anticipation.
Salviana frowned, scanning the tranquil pool and the surrounding trees. "Everything is extraordinary here," she muttered,
"Yes, not that, I mean something bizarre─that you might not have noticed before" he guided.
She blinked, her brow furrowing as she focused on the surface of the water. She didn't see anything and she didn't understand what he wanted her to find.
She place both palms on her waist and met his black eyes, "Can you give me clues as to what we're looking for?"
"Anything strange," he said.
"You're strange," she countered sharply.
"Salviana…" he bellowed a warning making her insides clench, she turned back to the water and examined.
"Okay the water feels nice, the wind breathable, the sky…." she trailed off slowly, her eyes scanning the area with more attention.
She noticed something strange after all, the water, despite the crystalline clarity of the body, something was missing.
Her reflection—there was none.
"The water…" she began only to trail off, her eyes widening in realization. She glanced at him, who was watching her with interest, "It's clear, but it doesn't reflect anything." Her gaze darted to the stones along the edge and the tall trees looming overhead—none of them mirrored in the glassy surface. "Not even the trees," she whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Alaric's expression darkened. "What?" His shock was palpable. He stepped closer to the water, his eyes narrowing as if seeing it for the first time. "You don't see your reflection either?" he asked, puzzled.
She pointed to the water. "Look. There's nothing."
He nodded slowly, clearly disturbed. "I always thought it was because I'm a vampire, but you're human—divine, even. Why can't you see your reflection?" His voice betrayed his confusion, a rare break in his usual calm demeanor.
Vampires, bound by ancient curses, are denied the sight of their own reflections in both mirrors and bodies of water or anything that reflects. It's said that their immortality comes at the price of their earthly ties, rendering them invisible to anything that captures the soul.
Unlike humans, whose reflections are cast in glass or rippling water, vampires exist outside of such natural laws, as if the world refuses to acknowledge their existence. This absence is a constant reminder of their separation from life itself—a shadow without form, a presence without reflection.
Salviana shrugged, still waist-deep in the strangely comforting water. "Maybe it's the water itself. Maybe it doesn't reflect anything, no matter who's looking." she said.
Alaric's lips tightened into a thin line, his eyes clouded with uncertainty. "I don't plan to bring anyone else here just to confirm that." His tone was darker now, almost possessive.