[Author's note: Cassie has discovered Syn, arranged in her favourite gown on her chaise in the office of the Lost and Found. She isn't moving; there's an empty bottle of pills.
Reader discretion is advised.
Meanwhile, drinking downstairs in the club with Adam is Ashley (
I03
,
I04
). As per
CR3
, I always keep my promises.]
---
SLEEPING WITH GHOSTS
Flashes of light, fragments of pain. Whiteness, then the howl of noise like a thousand car radios turned up way too loud. Faces. Voices. A crushing pain that was stopping her from breathing, like knives stabbing into her lungs whenever she tried to snatch a breath. Her mouth opened but no sound came out.
In all this, words, and a strange swirling gravitational motion, pulling towards her head and then towards her feet, and then pushing her back into, what? Soft leather? The smell of leather. Familiar. Car leather. The sound of people screaming at each other.
She screwed her eyes closed as the pain washed over her again, opening to see a gap between seats and a body through the gap. Black dress, bare legs, skin the colour of coffee, hands gripping a steering wheel. A man's grim voice from the other seat, the words: "Fuck the lights."
Hands pressed against her cheeks, the feeling of a body supporting her head. A familiar face above hers. Blonde hair, tears. Looking down her body, another woman, older, her face set in grim determination. White heat in her chest again as she tried to breathe.
Darkness.
---
Light.
Birdsong.
Soft white sheets. Syn opened her eyes.
She found herself in a room painted in ivory and cream, with a high ceiling. She turned her head and could see that the wall next to the bed was given over completely to windows in wooden frames. They were open, letting in a warm, spring breeze. The air was so clear. Syn took a tentative breath, fearing the return of the crushing pain but finding it all gone away. Her lungs filled with crisp, clean mountain air.
She sat up in bed, looking out at the view of distant, towering peaks bright with snow. There was a knock at the door and Syn turned to greet the visitor. A man walked into the room without waiting to be called.
Syn considered him for a moment. He was middle aged, well built, with short hair gone prematurely silver. He was dressed in a polo shirt and jeans, casual yet understated. He entered the room like he owned it, lighting up his face with a dazzling smile that made Syn's heart melt. He crossed the floor and perched himself on the edge of her bed.
"How are you, poppet?"
For a moment, Syn couldn't speak, fighting to control the emotions roiling inside her.
"You may speak freely, I permit it."
"I... I'm well," Syn managed, cursing herself for her clumsiness.
"I'm here, like I promised. Are you happy to see me?"
"Yes. Very much," she managed, weakly.
He frowned. "Did you think I wouldn't keep my promise? That you would never see me again?"
"I... I don't know," Syn stuttered, "I began to doubt."
At this, he leaned towards her, gathering her up into his arms. She buried her face into his neck, taking in the scent of him.
"You should never have doubted me, poppet. You are the most precious thing in all of this world."
He held her for a long time and she was content to listen to his breathing, basking in the feeling of being held in his arms.
"It feels like an eternity since I last had your body against mine," he murmured. "Have you missed me?"
"More than you could possibly know."
She felt the rumble of his laughter through his chest.
"Oh, I think I really could possibly know. Being separated from you has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do."
He broke off the embrace, leaning back, running a hand through her hair.
"And how have they been treating you here? Madame Roberte tells me you've been progressing in leaps and bounds."
Syn didn't reply, not trusting herself to say the right thing.
"What's the matter?" he asked, "You must tell me what's on your mind."
"I," she stammered, "I'm, uh, I...."
He laughed again. "It's not a trick question, I promise. What do you think's going to happen if you tell me the truth?"
"I'm not permitted."
"You are now."
"Matrone hasn't permitted me."