The silence in the manor had become a deafening roar. It had been seven days since the twisted knot of the birthday ceremony, since the prophecy had slithered into our lives, and seven days since Lucien had vanished. Seven days since a part of me had gone with him.
Everyone else seemed…relieved. Father, basking in the perceived certainty that I was the "savior" and Lucien the "doom." Even the coven elders nodded with grim satisfaction, their faces etched with a vindication I found sickening. They hadn't liked Lucien, not really. He was too…unpredictable, too human in his vices. Now, with the prophecy as their weapon, they'd banished him in their minds already.
But I couldn't.
It wasn't like Lucien to disappear completely. He was a storm, yes, a whirlwind of chaos, but he always circled back. He'd vanish into the night, indulging in whatever dark desires fueled him, but he always returned around midnight, a ghost lurking at the edge of my senses before disappearing once more. This time, there was nothing. Just an empty, echoing absence.
"Caspian, are you even listening?" Kael's voice cut through my thoughts.
We were on horseback, the crisp morning air doing little to clear the fog in my head. Kael, ever the loyal friend, had insisted on this ride, claiming I needed fresh air. He was always there, a constant presence, a warm light compared to Lucien's flickering shadows.
"Sorry," I mumbled, tightening my grip on the reins. "Just...thinking."
"About what?" Kael asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "You've been like this all week. Distracted, pale…"
"We're vampires, how else would I look if not pale?" Kael laughed at my comment. It's okay to note that he's the only one that finds me funny, I don't think I'm in touch with good humour, Lucien doesn't think so too, no one does except for Kael; he always finds something funny in my words and actions. He's a great guy, but he only cares about me. He, like everyone else, acted as if nothing was amiss. Father, with his usual stoic pronouncements, has been focused on preparing me for my future role. The Coven elders murmured their approval, their eyes gleaming with an unsettling hope. They saw me as the savior, the one destined to lead them into a new era of prosperity, while Lucien… Lucien was the shadow, the threat to be contained.
But I knew Lucien. At least to an extent, he's impulsive, reckless, a creature of the night who revealed his dark reputation. He disappeared often, a phantom flitting in and out of our lives. But he always came back, even if it was just to watch me from the shadows before disappearing again. But this time, it's different, it's been seven nights, seven moons since I last saw my twin brother and when I brought it to my father's notice, he just said: "He always does this, Caspian," Father had said, his voice a dismissive drone. "A tantrum, nothing more. He'll be back when he needs something." I didn't expect anything more, I had just wanted to point out his son's unusual behavior even though I knew he wouldn't pay any attention to it.
"Caspian?" I heard Kael call out but for some reason, his voice felt a little distant even though he's not far apart from me. He seems to have said something again but this time, I didn't hear his voice at all… then the world tilted suddenly. One moment I was on the horse, the next I was sprawled on the soft earth, a dull ache blooming in my shoulder.
"Caspian!" Kael was beside me instantly, his face a mask of worry. "Are you alright? What happened?"
"I… I don't know," I admitted, pushing myself up. "Just lost my balance."
Kael helped me to my feet, his grip firm. "You're not alright. You have dark circles under your eyes. Have you been feeding properly?" His voice was laced with concern. "You look weak."
"I'm fine, Kael," I insisted, though the truth was, I hadn't been able to stomach anything substantial since the ceremony. Food felt…wrong, somehow, tainted by the anxiety that gnawed at me.
"You fell off your horse! You are not fine," Kael countered, his voice rising slightly. "Let's go back. We can feed. You need to regain your strength."
"No." The word came out sharper than I intended. "I don't want to feed."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Then what do you want, Caspian? You can't keep going on like this."
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration building. "I just… I need to find Lucien."
"Lucien?" Kael's voice was flat. "Why? He's probably off somewhere indulging his…habits. He always comes back eventually."
"But it's been a week, Kael," I argued, my voice shaking slightly. "He always lurks around before disappearing again. This time he isn't."
Kael sighed, his frustration evident. "Caspian, the prophecy... maybe it's for the best if he stays away for a while. Everyone's on edge. Give him time to…sort himself out." He paused, softening his tone. "Besides, your Father wants you to focus on preparing. You have a responsibility now."
Responsibility. The word felt like a cage. All I wanted was to break free, to find my brother, to understand what was happening.
"I can't just ignore him, Kael," I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kael relented slightly, placing a hand on my arm. "Alright, then let's go back to the manor. You need to rest, and then we can talk more."
Against my better judgement, I agreed. I couldn't argue with Kael's logic. My body felt heavy, drained of energy. I couldn't search for Lucien if I was barely able to stand.
Back at the manor, after a brief, strained conversation with Father, I found myself drawn, almost against my will, to Lucien's room. It felt like a betrayal, an invasion of his privacy, something I would never do if he were here. But the silence, the emptiness, was too much to bear.
The door creaked open, revealing a space that was both familiar and alien. Unlike my own meticulously organized room, Lucien's was a controlled chaos. Dark fabrics draped over furniture, creating an atmosphere of shadowy intimacy. Strange artifacts – trinkets stolen from human antique stores, odd sculptures carved from bone – littered the shelves. It was unique, undeniably Lucien.
I walked further in, my fingers trailing over a tarnished silver skull on his desk. It felt cold, lifeless. The air was thick with the scent of sandalwood and something else, something…darker, more primal.
And then I saw… Books?
Lucien reads? What else do I not know about him? He doesn't even seem like he could sit still let alone read. What then does he do with these books?
Not the leather-bound tomes of history and art that filled our family library, the ones Father expected us to devour. These were different. Sci-fi paperbacks with lurid covers. Comic books with vibrant illustrations. And then a collection of… illustrative books with more images than words. Graphic novels, manga, books that told stories through pictures as much as through text. He definitely stole these from the human stores.
I picked one up, a worn copy of a comic book. The pages were filled with heroes and villains, epic battles and impossible feats. It was a far cry from the elegant world of vampire politics and ancient traditions.
Lucien, who always acted like he couldn't care less about anything beyond immediate gratification, read this?
I pulled another book from the shelf, a "science fiction novel" with a spaceship emblazoned on the cover. The edges were dog-eared, the pages worn, as if it had been read countless times.
A strange, unfamiliar feeling washed over me. It wasn't just surprise, it was… a reluctant admiration. A glimpse into a hidden world, a side of Lucien I had never seen before.
What exactly does he do in his alone time which is pretty much all the time. Does he really love reading these illustrative books?