[35.4] The Orange Eyed Shadow

As I walked through the garden, I had no idea about the events unfolding just right behind me at the banquet. I was too busy staring at Moni trying to figure out why I felt so comfortable and familiar in his presence.

I don't think it's a romantic feeling…

But…

Well, I really can't say.

It's like I've known him my entire life, but how?

"Reika." He suddenly stopped walking and turned to look at me. His orange eyes reflected my confused expression. He whispered in a husky voice, "There's something I want to ask you."

Before I could respond, I realized he was leaning in closer to me.

I felt my heart pounding in a panic.

Is he going to kiss me!?

I quickly covered my mouth with my hand, but he stopped just shy of my mouth.

His lips curled into a sly smile, "Did you think I was going to kiss you?"

"Why else would someone get close to me for!?"

He gently grabbed the hand from my mouth and raised it to his own to kiss it. He smirked, "I am a gentleman, my lady. I would never steal a kiss."

I raised my eyebrow, "Well you just stole a kiss from my hand."

He laughed, "I couldn't help it. It was too beautiful."

A hoarse voice cried out behind me, "M-Moni!"

I looked over to see Zephyr panting crazily with a pale expression.

Cyrus ran after Zephyr, but he too looked confused by Zephyr's panic.

I raised an eyebrow, "You know his name?"

Zephyr cried out, "GET AWAY FROM HIM REIKA!"

"Huh?"

The hand on mine tightened.

A cruel and emotionless voice spoke beside me, "Oh look. The traitor."

My head spun around in surprise to see Moni with a completely different expression.

It wasn't a kind and charming look, but instead a hateful and malicious one.

I let out a gasp.

Those eyes!

They were the ones I saw as a child!

They were the eyes I saw when we were in the illusionary world!

I tried to pull my hand back, "Let go of me!!"

He grinned and spun me around before wrapping his hand around my waist, "Oh, but my dear. I just got here."

Cyrus summoned his blade with a shout, "She said to let go!!"

Moni raised an eyebrow unimpressed, "You could have had her, but you didn't even want her. So why do you care if I have her or not?"

Cyrus shouted, "She's not an item!"

I felt touched, "Aww Goldilocks…"

Moni laughed, "Reika, my dear. Now isn't the time to be seduced."

"Seduced!?" I turned to him in irritation but took a deep breath. I forced on a smile, "If anyone's seduced, it's going to be you by my extreme hotness."

He scoffed, "Are you really that arrogant-"

A small flame burst out on the spot he was touching, forcing him to pull away.

He disappeared as a shadow and reappeared far from me with a frown. He rubbed his hand, "Naughty girl."

Cyrus and Zephyr ran in front of me.

Cyrus pulled out his sword with a bloodthirsty aura, "You're going to regret touching her."

Zephyr hissed, "That's right!"

Moni crossed his arm and rolled his eyes, "Oh look. My darling little brother is siding with the murderous humans over his own family again."

Zephyr and I both flinched and looked at Cyrus.

Cyrus slowly turned to look at him, "Um… Did he say little brother?"

Zephyr forced a smile, "Through marriage?"

I nodded quickly, "That's right!"

Moni burst into laughter, "Not through marriage. We are both demons."

Cyrus paused and looked at me for an explanation.

I forced out a laugh, "Whaaaat?"

Cyrus frowned, "Reika."

I bit down on my lip, but couldn't hold it in. I blurted out, "Okay, he's a demon."

Zephyr groaned and shook his head, "Seriously."

"What!? I can't lie!" I glanced at Cyrus timidly, "Especially to him."

Cyrus let out a sigh, "Let's discuss this later."

Moni clapped with laughter, "Haha! How touching. I definitely thought that would cause some tension, but I guess it will take more than that."

Cyrus raised his sword at him, "It will take MUCH more than that."

Before Cyrus could launch an attack, Moni raised up a hand, "Before you try anything, don't you think you should check on the other guests?"

"Huh? Other guests?"

*BOOOM*

I fell forward from the blast behind me but was caught by Cyrus.

I looked back in a panic.

I could feel my heart in my throat, but when I noticed the barrier created by the Headmaster, I let out a sigh of relief.

Everyone's safe.

Moni laughed, "You're probably thinking everyone is safe, right? But I wonder what happened to your two friends who weren't near the other guests?"

I gasped, "Felix and Hazel!"

Cyrus clenched his sword, "You better not have hurt them."

He laughed, "That wicked woman is fine, I'm sure. For your other friend… If he is alive, he won't be for very long."

Before I could ask why, shadows started to warp and come alive. The Shadow men rushed out and jumped into the building through the broken windows.

I could hear fighting from inside.

I cried out, "Crybaby!"

Cyrus glared at Moni, "So you're the one responsible for all those attacks!?"

Moni gave a bow, "That's right. I'm the one you've been pursuing. The leader of the Demon sympathizers... Now you have a choice. Fight me, or help your friend."

I looked at Cyrus feeling conflicted and saw he too was conflicted.

We both wanted to catch Moni and bring him to justice, but we also were worried about Felix.

Cyrus shouted at me, "You go save Felix!"

I shook my head, "No way! I can't leave you alone!"

"Well someone has to go help!"

I looked at Zephyr, "Go help, Zephyr!"

"And let you get corrupted again!? Not a chance!"

Moni laughed, "Aw, how sweet. You three are so wholesome and loving that it makes me want to spit out blood."

The whites of his eyes slowly changed to black, but other than the unnatural shadows dancing around him and his orange eyes, he looked completely human.

I took a step back and looked at Zephyr, "He is a demon, right?"

Zephyr nodded, "Oh yeah. He just has no horns."

Moni laughed, "Horns don't make the demon."

"You're right." I smirked, "But now I realize you're just overcompensating for something."

Moni smiled tauntingly, "And you're using humor to cope with your trauma."

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the two boys look at me. I broke out in a cold sweat, "Trauma? What trauma!?"

"You really are good at blocking out bad memories. But, my dear-" He pointed to his head, "I'm already inside of your head and I've seen everything in there."

With a flick of his finger, dark smoke flew through the air, striking me in my forehead before any of us could react.

Stars exploded over my vision, revealing a face from my memory.

I let out a shriek of pain and fell to my knees as I held my head.

How could I forget!?

How could I forget how much it hurt to hold his hands…

How much it hurt when he held my shoulders…

No amount of time will ever take that pain away.

Cyrus reached out to me in a panic, "Reika!?"

I slapped the hand approaching me in the darkness of my vision and screamed, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

My eyes shrank back once my vision returned.

It wasn't him, but Cyrus.

I quickly checked my wrists, but I couldn't find any bruises.

It was just in my head.

I tried to hold my arms to stop my trembling body, "I-I…"

Moni laughed, "It's not good to bury memories, my dear. They'll always come back from the grave."

How embarrassing!

Why did I shout just now!?

And why can't I stop trembling?!

It wasn't real!

It wasn't real…

Zephyr charged at Moni, "Leave Reika alone!"

Moni avoided his attacks flawlessly, "Little brother. You always were the weak one out of all of us."

With one motion, he kicked Zephyr in the chest, sending him flying backward.

Zephyr landed, holding his sides while whimpering.

Moni clicked his tongue, "This is a waste of time. I have more important things to do."

Cyrus looked between the three of us conflicted as to whether to attack Moni or help one of us.

"Let me leave you with a warning as thanks for the date, darling Reika." As the lower part of his body started to disappear he gave me a wink, "An enemy of an enemy doesn't make a friend."