[Sytze]

Her bright blue eyes lock stares with my dark brown, but she can’t hold it for long, even her eyes are trembling.

“Now you know who I am, who killed your father.” I whisper softly, engagingly. “Know that he deserved it without question, but also know that if there was any other way I could have handled him, I would have gladly done so.”

Her face is wrought between surprise and complete indignation. Tears are now dripping down her face, while her lips start moving, unsure of what to say.

“I warn you, filthy bastard, if you harm one hair on her I head, I swear I shall… ”

Venray’s son draws the saber on his belt and goes for my throat. My hands move to a hidden dagger beneath my cloak, but stop in their tracks when I notice I don’t need to keep the young man in check. Venray’s daughter, her arm outstretched, urges her brother to stay back.

“Don’t come closer, Hariald, please. Stay… stay back. Please.” she stammers.

He looks at her hesitatingly, then looks around with doubt, hoping to find support. When he receives no clear answers he stays put as requested, respecting his sister’s wishes. For the moment.

She reluctantly turns her face towards me, but doesn’t say anything. Whether because she’s still unable to or because she simply doesn’t want to, I do not know. The glittering in her eyes don’t tell me clear story either. I see hatred, sadness, but also deep emptiness.

I nod curtly and take a step back. I hear several relieved sighs when I take my distance from the woman.

“I am truly sorry,” I say one last time before whispering something else under my breath. The engravings on my cloak light up in the blink of an eye, before turning blood red just as fast.

Now she opens her mouth, but it’s too late, I’m no longer there in physical form. The words that were supposed to come out turn into sobs when she falls to her knees.

She’s losing control now, I can see it. She grasps the air where I just stood, but finds nothing but empty space. Empty space and more uncertainty.

Scared and inquisitive voices cry out, ask questions, demand answers. A call for my death sounds from every direction.

I lay my hand on her shoulder, which startles her from her sobs. “I have information, answers, and reasons,” I say heartily, “if you want them, leave a message on your balcony in the near future, and I might provide them.”

Still invisible, I turn around to leave the place unnoticed, but remind myself that I haven’t told her everything. Silently, I squat next to her.

“But I warn you,” I say, now more firmly, “this information might hurt you more than you might think. It will hurt the image you have of your father deeper than you will expect.”

I wonder if she even hears my words, so distanced does she look. Perhaps I shouldn’t have shown myself to her, shouldn’t have told her this. Not so soon. But I couldn’t leave her like that, unknowing. Could I?

I don’t know, and I’m at a loss.

She swallows the big lump of pain in her throat and answers the questions for me. “Get away from me!” she suddenly snaps furiously. “Leave me alone!”

Before I can react, she lashes out at me and hits me square in the face. No small feat considering I’m still invisible. The hit staggers me back and I almost bump against her brother, Hariald, who has no idea what’s going on or who his sister is screaming at.

I manage to find my balance in time. But now I’m again torn between what to do, give her the paper in my pocket or step away from all of this, leave them alone. I want to tell them why I did this, why Galdron Venray had everything coming, but I know that will only end with me dead on the floor, crossbow bolts sticking out of my chest.

I shake my head and turn away from the painful scene in front of me. A lifeless Venray in my wake, his family torn and broken, just as the party. I took a decision, I need to accept the consequences, no matter what my heart screams. Answers can’t be given bluntly, not now. That’s for the ones who are left behind to decide. And apparently she already made her decision. One I can’t blame her for. I just showed her the deep hells of Atkathla, no one would forgive anyone such a thing.

No, my part in this disastrous play is over. For today.

Today, one of those days.