False perceptions

Samantha lowered herself into the cold water, feeling its icy sting seep into her broken skin. The metal bucket Cypher had given her was large enough to soak her feet, but tonight, she needed more. She wanted to drown herself in its cleansing chill, to scrub away the filth she had been forced to live with.

The water swirled with soap, its thin bubbles clinging to her arms as she pressed her hands into the surface. Cypher had told her the curse would fade with time, that each wash would strip away a layer of its grip on her body. He had spoken with such certainty, as if the mere act of bathing could free her from something so insidious.

But he was gone now.

He had left to find a permanent cure or something that would erase this sickness not just from her, but from the world itself. That was the kind of person he was, a man who could not stand to see suffering.

As Samantha stared into the water, the rippling surface reflected her own face back at her, framed by damp strands of chestnut hair. Hazel eyes peered into hers, hollow with exhaustion.

She hated that face.

Hated how sickly it looked. How hollow her cheeks had become. How it belonged to someone who had spent over a year locked away, abandoned by everyone except for one man.

Her fingers trembled as she touched her reflection, watching the water distort the image. For a fleeting moment, she thought she saw something else. Cyphers face instead of her own, smiling at her with warmth she did not deserve.

Her chest tightened, ' How could someone like him exist?'

A sharp knock at the door made her flinch. The sound was firm and equally restrained, as if the person outside hesitated before announcing their presence.

"Samantha?" A familiar voice called through the thick wood. "I brought your water."

It was Drake. Her fingers curled against the rim of the bucket, nails pressing into the cold metal.

"Cypher said it would make you better," he continued. His voice carried a measured patience, but there was a distant and obvious reluctance in it.

Samantha lifted her head slightly, water dripping from her arms as she turned toward the door. "Come in," she called, forcing a small thread of hope into her tone.

"You know I can't do that," Drake finally answered. There was no anger in his voice, no outright cruelty, but the sound of his refusal struck deeper than any insult could. A soft thud echoed outside,the sound of glass being placed on the floor. "I'll leave it here. Just take it when you're ready."

"Wait-"

But he was already gone. She could hear his footsteps retreating, fading into the distant corridors of the house.

Samantha swallowed the lump in her throat. Her hands clenched in the soapy water, sending ripples across the surface. A year and a half. That was how long she had been trapped in this room, with only the footsteps and sound s of carriages passing from the outside world reaching her through the usuailocked door of her room.

Her own reflection taunted her from the water again, but she couldn't bring herself to look. If she did, she might break.

Instead, she lifted herself from the bucket, shivering as the air clung to her damp skin. Reaching for the towel, she dried off quickly before grabbing the neatly folded clothes Cypher had left for her.

Only she hesitated to put them on immediately.

Pressing the fabric to her nose, she inhaled deeply. A familiar scent clung to the material, warm and distinct. It was Cyphers scent.

Her fingers tightened around the cloth as she breathed it in again, eyes fluttering shut for just a moment. It was pathetic, but she didn't care.

Then, a sound shattered the quiet. A sharp, wicked caw.

Her head snapped toward the window. A flash of yellow flickered past the glass, too quick to see clearly.

Then, their was a Knock on her door once again.

Samantha's breath grew heavier and her chest tightened with fury. Had Drake come back just to mock her?

"What do you want now?!" she snapped, voice laced with frustration.

After a brief pause a voice she hadn't expected spoke.

"Samantha? It's me, Cypher."

Her heart stuttered.

"Ah-!" She scrambled to grab the largest shirt, throwing it over her form in a frantic rush before hastily tidying the room. Clothes tumbled from her hands as she tried to make it look presentable. "Come in!"

The door creaked open.

Cypher stepped inside with his usual confidence, his presence filling the room like a steady flame against the cold. In his hand, he held a clear glass of water.

He glanced toward the doorway with a mild frown. "Did he really leave it outside?" His voice was calm, but there was an underlying disapproval. Moving toward her bed, he sat down in the chair nearby and extended the glass. "It's a shame. I don't know how they can treat you like this."

Samantha took the glass from him, fingers brushing his as she did. "It's… it's not their fault, right?" She hesitated, staring into the water as if searching for an answer. "I'm sick, so I-"

"No." Cypher cut her off, his tone firm but not unkind. "Even so, it's wrong. Drake shouldn't lock you away like some circus freak. I'll talk to him. He can't keep you in here forever."

He started to rise, but Samantha's hand shot out, gripping his wrist.

"Please, don't put yourself at risk for me," she pleaded. "I'm not worth it."

Her voice trembled. She lowered her gaze, clutching the bedsheets tightly as if they could anchor her.

Cypher knelt before her, taking her chin in his hand and tilting her face up until their eyes met. His touch was gentle, but his gaze burned with conviction.

"No, you're worth more than you know," he murmured. "Drake has wronged you deeply, and you deserve better. You should know… I would never lie to you."

"But-"

He took her hand and pressed it firmly against his chest, right over his heart. The steady rhythm pulsed against her palm, fast and unwavering.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered. "Don't trust my words, but trust my actions. Don't trust my appearance - trust my heart. And right now, my heart beats for you alone."

Samantha inhaled sharply. The sincerity in his voice, the warmth of his touch… she wanted to believe it.

"I trust you," she whispered at last, her voice barely audible. "Please… don't leave me."

Cypher smiled. "I'll never leave."

His form flickered. His voice stretched, warped, slowed into something unnatural. A deep, distorted pitch rumbled through the air, as if something else was speaking through him.

Yet Samantha didn't notice. To her, he was still there, warm and reassuring. To her, nothing had changed. To her, she had been pulled into his arms and for the first time in years, she felt at peace.

-----------------------

Cypher strode through the dimly lit courtyard, the scent of damp earth heavy in the air. Perched on his arm, Rain let out a sharp caw, wings ruffling slightly as the bird settled.

"Did you do it?" Cypher murmured.

Another caw followed. Rain briefly cast a glance over to Samantha's bedroom window at the far end of Drakes estate, as if to confirm his success.

"Good." His lips curled into a knowing smile. "Now, almost everything is set up."

Ahead, Drake stood at the entrance porch, his cane held tightly in one hand though his expression was guarded.

Cypher beamed, Walking over and leaning against the porch wall ,"How have things been in my absence, Baron? Is Samantha doing well?"

Drake's frown deepened. "Not so much. I heard her shouting just moments ago, that is, At nothing."

Cypher sighed, shaking his head solemnly, "I see… this disease is a terrible scourge on the mind. But we finally have a solution."

The moonlight glinted off the needle at his waist, "I just need a test subject to prove the vaccines effects."