"Are we close yet?" she asked, her voice soft, almost childlike.
Alaric chuckled lightly, the sound deep in his chest. "You'd better not sleep on me."
Salviana scoffed, the sound muffled by his cloak. "Don't be a prude."
He smirked, shaking his head. "I mean it, Salviana. You better stay awake."
"Mm-hmm," she hummed in response, the weight of her head pressing a little more against his back.
Alaric glanced over his shoulder, a knowing look in his eyes. "Are you listening?"
"Of course," she murmured, but her voice was distant.
Moments later, he felt her head fully slump against him, her breaths soft and even. She was asleep.
"And she slept," Alaric muttered to the air, shaking his head in disbelief. "After everything tonight, you manage to fall asleep?" He chuckled, though he couldn't hide the fondness in his voice.
The moonlight illuminated the road ahead as they approached their destination. The ruins of the mansion loomed in the distance, a haunting silhouette under the stars.
Alaric slowed the horse, his eyes scanning the area before coming to a stop.
"Salviana," he called, his voice low and teasing as he nudged her gently.
She mumbled incoherently, shifting slightly but refusing to wake.
"Salviana," he said again, this time tapping her cheek lightly.
"Mmm?" she moaned in protest, nuzzling into his back as if trying to escape the waking world.
"Don't fall over," he warned, his tone firm.
"What?" she gasped, sitting upright in a sudden burst of awareness. Her green eyes were wide, her hair slightly mussed under the hood of her cloak.
"We're here," Alaric said with a soft chuckle, watching her blink rapidly as she tried to orient herself.
She looked around, taking in the eerie sight of the abandoned mansion.
The old carriage parked out front caught her attention immediately, its door swaying ominously in the wind.
"Where's here?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.
"The place we came for," he replied, dismounting the horse gracefully. He turned to help her down, his hands firm on her waist as he lifted her.
Salviana shivered as her feet touched the ground, the cold seeping through her boots. She glanced at the mansion again, unease curling in her stomach.
"This place is… unsettling," she admitted, stepping closer to Alaric.
"Stay with me," he said, his tone gentle but commanding. He offered her his arm, and she took it without hesitation, drawing strength from his presence.
Their destination loomed ahead: the ruins of an old mansion, its silhouette haunting under the pale moonlight.
It was a place steeped in memories and mystery, a relic of Alaric's past.
The journey there was quiet, but Salviana couldn't shake the unease curling in her stomach. When the mansion came into full view, her breath caught.
Its crumbling walls and shattered windows spoke of abandonment, yet there was something about the place that felt alive—an energy that made her skin prickle.
As they approached the mansion, the creaking door seemed to beckon them inside and they noticed something out of place. An old carriage was parked in front of the ruins, its wooden frame worn but intact.
The horses that had pulled it were gone, and the door to the carriage was left ajar, swinging gently in the night breeze.
Alaric tensed immediately, his eyes narrowing as he slowed their approach. Salviana, too, felt the shift in the atmosphere.
The air was heavy, charged with something she couldn't quite name. She shivered, leaning closer to Alaric for warmth and reassurance.
"Who would come here?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Someone who doesn't belong," Alaric replied grimly, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.
Manni rode up beside them, his staff already glowing faintly with protective magic. "This place should be empty. No one has obviously lived here for years."
"Clearly, that's no longer true," Alaric said, his tone sharp. He dismounted first, helping Salviana down before signaling for Manni to stay alert.
Salviana's gaze shifted to the mansion. Its imposing frame seemed to watch them, its broken windows like hollow eyes.
She wrapped her cloak tighter around herself, the cold seeping into her bones.
"What is this place?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"It id probably my father's childhood home," Alaric said, his voice softer now. "Before I was born."
Salviana glanced at him in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know about it before, I didn't think we'd ever come here," he admitted. "It's… a place of ghosts."
The weight of his words hung in the air as they approached the front steps. The carriage sat like a silent sentinel, its door creaking as the wind pushed it open a little further.
"Stay close," Alaric warned, his hand brushing against Salviana's to steady her nerves.
They stepped inside the mansion, the floorboards groaning under their weight. Dust hung thick in the air, catching the faint moonlight that streamed through the broken windows.
"Hello?" Alaric called, his voice echoing through the empty halls.
There was no response, but the tension in the air was palpable. Salviana clutched his arm, her eyes darting around the darkened space.
"It feels… wrong," she whispered.
Before Alaric could respond, a faint sound reached their ears—a shuffle, like footsteps on the floor below. All three of them froze, their gazes snapping upward.
"Someone's here," Manni said, his voice low and steady.
Alaric nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. "Stay behind me," he instructed Salviana, his protective instincts kicking in.
She didn't argue, though her curiosity burned brighter than her fear. Whoever—or whatever—was here had drawn them for a reason.
They descended the staircase cautiously, each step creaking under their weight. The sounds grew louder as they neared the second floor, a rhythmic tapping followed by the occasional scrape.
When they reached the landing, they found a door slightly ajar at the end of the hall. Light spilled through the gap, flickering like candlelight.
Alaric motioned for them to stay quiet as he pushed the door open slowly, revealing a room that seemed untouched by time.