There was silence as the Solomon sized up Olivia from the doorway.

“Me? Back in in business? What gave you that idea?”

Olivia smirked. “Oh? Don’t act innocent Solomon. We’ve heard a lot about a small pill that gives you a head rush and makes the world turn slower.”

She put two fingers on his stomach. Slowly, she walked them up towards his tie. Resting there for a second, she grabbed the dark purple cloth and pulled viciously. Solomon’s head rested even with hers. Her eyes flashed red.

“A pill that siphons the magic from its victim and leaves them dead.”

Olivia let go. She adjusted his clothing, returning it to its previous pristine condition. She patted Solomon on the head.

“Now, be a dear and let me inside.”

Loosening the tie around his neck a tad, Solomon brought out the glowing book from behind him.

“Wow, guess someone’s excited to see me. Even brought the grimoire out.”

Solomon gave Olivia a flat stare.

“Well? Get on with it.”

Small glyphs floated off from the book, spinning in the air until they merged to form a sigil. The sigil flew over and rested on Olivia’s left hand. It left a small stamp like impression on her flesh. The walls of the apartment pulsed softly with blue light.

Olivia blew a few strands of hair out of her face and pushed Solomon back. Striding inside, she made her way to the couch. Running her hands over the cracked leather, she gracefully took a seat. Her eyes scanned the room, resting momentarily on the bottle on the table.

“If you hadn’t warded your place, I would have just broken in you know.”

Solomon closed the door and grabbed a chair in the kitchen. Dragging it over, he sat in front of Olivia.

“Which is the point of warding it in the first place.”

She bit her lip. “So it’s true then. You’re back in the Shadows.”

“Not by choice.”

Olivia brought her hand to her face and inspected her red lacquered nails, switching angles every so often. After a minute, she glanced at Solomon. She made a vague motion towards the table in front of her.

“Really? Doesn’t look like it. You couldn’t tell a friend you were coming back?”

“Are we friends?”

Olivia paused. She gave out a dry laugh.

“Why wouldn’t we be. After all you did kill me.”

Solomon winced. He could remember the blood pooling on the ground. The look in the eyes of someone knowing they didn’t have any time left, slowly becoming blanker and blanker, until a glossy sheen was all that remained. His fingers resting on her eyes, closing them so that empty stare couldn’t reach him.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

He closed his own eyes.

“You had to bring that up.”

She gave him an incredulous look.

“I don’t know Solomon. Do you think I’d get over that anytime soon? What the fuck are you thinking? You made me what I am today and then you ran. Cut ties. You said you left for good.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

Solomon himself didn’t know which part he responded to. Maybe it was all of them.

“Oh you did have a choice you asshole. One that left me dead and out to dry! Sure I came back but my life was over.”

Solomon gritted his teeth.

“You were dying! Did you want to die for good? Leave this earth forever?”

Olivia scoffed. “You and your abandonment issues, clingy bastard. I had to leave everything behind.”

Solomon opened his eyes to glare at Olivia.

“Do you really want your family wrapped up in this? I thought I knew you better.”

Her eyes flashed red again.

“Funny of you to say that.”

Solomon sat there. He had nothing to say. She was right after all. A lot of things had happened to cause him regret. The past was the past and there was nothing he could do about it. He wondered if this is how criminals feel, trapped by the weight of their past sins. Heavier than any mountain, dragging them down to the depths of the earth.

“You need a haircut.”

Solomon blinked. Recognizing the signal for what it was, his heart felt a bit lighter.

“Not everyone is as vain as you Olivia.”

She ran her hand through her locks of hair.

“Please, at least I’m not stuck with boring brown hair like you.”

“At least I’m not a dumb blond.”

After a few seconds, they both saw the small smile on each other’s faces.

“Brings me back to before.”

Solomon’s smile faded.

“That was before.”

Olivia looked away from his grim face.

“I see you’ve avoided my first question Solomon.”

Solomon steepled his fingers together.

“It wasn’t me. I was tipped off that something shady was going on. I never wanted to come back in the first place. I want to find out who can copy my work and take them down.”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed.

“The pride of the genius huh.”

Solomon stood up. He walked over to his window and pulled the drapes to the side. The glass reflected the light from inside the apartment, leaving him staring into pitch darkness. He imagined the night sky, filled with stars, shining brightly. He saw them being snuffed out one by one. Mankind’s progress, the light of civilization. The pollution leaving nothing but inky blackness in its wake. Advancement has a cost. Sometimes it might not be worth it.

“You know the mistakes I have made. I have a lot to atone for. Someone has my work, my methods, and made something even more dangerous than I had before. I have a responsibility to stop it.”

Feeling a light touch on his shoulder, Solomon flinched.

“I understand. That’s all I need.”

Turning around, he saw Olivia move towards the door. She twisted the doorknob. Pausing, she addressed Solomon.

“Be careful. Thirty of our crest holders have went silent. I came here to be sure. I believe in you, but, others won’t. Figure this out quick before I have to take care of it. Retribution, as you know, doesn’t come cheap. Don’t die.”

She walked out the doorway.

“Oh also!”

She stuck her head back in.

“Tell Rofhessa I said hello. It’s been a while since I saw him.”

He sighed.

Slamming the door, Olivia was gone.

Solomon’s lips quirked upwards.

“She has no sense of dramatic tension.”

Picking up the pill bottle still on the table, he slipped it into his pocket. Holding onto his grimoire, he activated a sigil.

Store

The grimoire discorporated into motes of light as a small tattoo of a book was inked on the back of his left hand. Taking stock of himself, Solomon hummed under his breath.

“Honestly, why not? It’s time for a visit. It’d be a shame if I got suited up for no reason after all.”

Picking up his coat from the coat rack, he stood outside his door, breathing in the cool night air. Closing it behind him, Solomon reached into his pocket to bring out his keys. As his hands touched the cool metal, he froze. He looked at the plaque that read his apartment number. Letting go of his keys, he double tapped the sigil etched next to it.

Secure

Hearing the deadbolts click, Solomon headed off.

He had some work to do.