Read Online Of Light and Darkness by Shayne Leighton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shayne Leighton
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couches. “It’s what I do. One spider’s trash is another spider’s treasure,” he said, sipping at his tea. “You wouldn’t believe the things I discover.”
“Thank you,” Charlotte heard Horris grumble under his music.
Charlotte took a sip, too, the hot steam bringing warmth back to her cheeks. She smiled when she tasted the milk and honey, exactly how she liked it. She sipped at it again. “So, who’s the other company you’re expecting?”
As if on cue, a familiar burlap figure came rolling down the tunnel, landing on his backside facing Charlotte and the spider, reeling from dizziness.
“Ah, Edwin! Just in time!” Mr. Třínožka said, one of his arms stretching out to hand him his cup of tea.
Edwin took it, eyes still spinning. “Thanks. Hi, Charlotte.”
“Edwin!” She giggled. “You sure know how to make an entrance.”
Edwin grumbled something incoherent and sipped at his tea.
The evening went on like that for just a while longer and the three talked and laughed while Horris continued to play the piano, seemingly oblivious to the goings-on behind him. Mr. Třínožka told stories of how he obtained some of his more interesting pieces before Charlotte finally stood up, stretching out her arms and legs.
“I better get going. Mr. Třínožka, thank you so much for your hospitality.”
“Any time, my dear. Don’t be a stranger! Say hello to Valek, and tell him not be so careless with a lovely little girl like yourself.”
Charlotte smiled once to Edwin, patting him on the head, before turning and exiting out the long tunnel from whence she came.
The wind had finally died down and the walk back to the steps of her home was quick. She could hear laughter coming from inside. That was when she remembered. Evangeline.
Charlotte burst through the front door, expecting to see the two of them just on the other side. The room was lit, but empty. She looked to see slight shadows moving from inside the library. Her stomach twisted with a feeling she didn’t recognize. She crept over to the library door, hearing Evangeline’s unmistakable, musical laughter. It made Charlotte’s cheeks burn.
Slowly peering around the threshold, the thing she saw next made something hard and icy shatter deep within her chest. Evangeline’s long, sleek body leaned over Valek, who sat in his armchair, tie undone, shirt slightly unbuttoned at the top. Her lips moved slickly across his neck and up to his mouth, and the worst part was…he kissed her back.
Charlotte froze in the doorway, wanting to run out again into the storm. But her legs seemed to be nothing but bricks of lead. A feeling twisted in her gut, like shards of serrated glass, as the onset of salty tears stung the bridge of her nose. She hadn’t realized her satchel had dropped to the floor, shattering the empty spell bottles inside.
Evangeline jumped at the sound and looked to see Charlotte standing there in the doorway.
Chapter Five
The Price of Sinning
“Char—Lottie…” Valek started quietly.
Charlotte saw herself out of body, staring back at him, slowly breaking into two pieces. Her mouth fell open in an effort to speak, willing something, anything to stumble out, but nothing would. Slowly, she turned and padded out into the night.
She walked a slow, even pace off the porch steps and back onto the stone footpath then stood there, sucking in a deep breath of rimy air. Exhaling, she could see her misty breath between the silvery plummets of rain. She straightened up and broke into a run. That was the only thing she wanted to do—the only thing her swimming mind could think of. She just wanted to run.
She prayed to God Valek was far enough away not to be able to hear her miserable thoughts, knowing if he had the opportunity, he would have been listening. Her throat felt thick as a fresh wave of bile crawled up her esophagus. Had she really just seen what she thought she had? Impossible. Out of every evil thing this nightmarish city
“Thank you,” Charlotte heard Horris grumble under his music.
Charlotte took a sip, too, the hot steam bringing warmth back to her cheeks. She smiled when she tasted the milk and honey, exactly how she liked it. She sipped at it again. “So, who’s the other company you’re expecting?”
As if on cue, a familiar burlap figure came rolling down the tunnel, landing on his backside facing Charlotte and the spider, reeling from dizziness.
“Ah, Edwin! Just in time!” Mr. Třínožka said, one of his arms stretching out to hand him his cup of tea.
Edwin took it, eyes still spinning. “Thanks. Hi, Charlotte.”
“Edwin!” She giggled. “You sure know how to make an entrance.”
Edwin grumbled something incoherent and sipped at his tea.
The evening went on like that for just a while longer and the three talked and laughed while Horris continued to play the piano, seemingly oblivious to the goings-on behind him. Mr. Třínožka told stories of how he obtained some of his more interesting pieces before Charlotte finally stood up, stretching out her arms and legs.
“I better get going. Mr. Třínožka, thank you so much for your hospitality.”
“Any time, my dear. Don’t be a stranger! Say hello to Valek, and tell him not be so careless with a lovely little girl like yourself.”
Charlotte smiled once to Edwin, patting him on the head, before turning and exiting out the long tunnel from whence she came.
The wind had finally died down and the walk back to the steps of her home was quick. She could hear laughter coming from inside. That was when she remembered. Evangeline.
Charlotte burst through the front door, expecting to see the two of them just on the other side. The room was lit, but empty. She looked to see slight shadows moving from inside the library. Her stomach twisted with a feeling she didn’t recognize. She crept over to the library door, hearing Evangeline’s unmistakable, musical laughter. It made Charlotte’s cheeks burn.
Slowly peering around the threshold, the thing she saw next made something hard and icy shatter deep within her chest. Evangeline’s long, sleek body leaned over Valek, who sat in his armchair, tie undone, shirt slightly unbuttoned at the top. Her lips moved slickly across his neck and up to his mouth, and the worst part was…he kissed her back.
Charlotte froze in the doorway, wanting to run out again into the storm. But her legs seemed to be nothing but bricks of lead. A feeling twisted in her gut, like shards of serrated glass, as the onset of salty tears stung the bridge of her nose. She hadn’t realized her satchel had dropped to the floor, shattering the empty spell bottles inside.
Evangeline jumped at the sound and looked to see Charlotte standing there in the doorway.
Chapter Five
The Price of Sinning
“Char—Lottie…” Valek started quietly.
Charlotte saw herself out of body, staring back at him, slowly breaking into two pieces. Her mouth fell open in an effort to speak, willing something, anything to stumble out, but nothing would. Slowly, she turned and padded out into the night.
She walked a slow, even pace off the porch steps and back onto the stone footpath then stood there, sucking in a deep breath of rimy air. Exhaling, she could see her misty breath between the silvery plummets of rain. She straightened up and broke into a run. That was the only thing she wanted to do—the only thing her swimming mind could think of. She just wanted to run.
She prayed to God Valek was far enough away not to be able to hear her miserable thoughts, knowing if he had the opportunity, he would have been listening. Her throat felt thick as a fresh wave of bile crawled up her esophagus. Had she really just seen what she thought she had? Impossible. Out of every evil thing this nightmarish city
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