Chapter-25 Roommates And Realities

The apartment was tucked away in a crooked, ivy-covered building deep in the heart of the Night Court's twisted reflection of the city. By day, the windows seemed normal, fogged over with dust, but at night, faint blue light pulsed in strange patterns along the edges of the glass. The walls seemed alive with the faint hum of unseen magic, and the floorboards creaked in a way that almost felt like...breathing.

It was nothing like the life Frederique had left behind.

Or rather, the life she had been erased from.

The realization lingered bitterly as she stood in the middle of the strange apartment, bags dropped at her feet. Her parents wouldn't be waiting for her. Her friends... well, those few who hadn't been tormentors... wouldn't remember she existed. Some Fey trick had wiped her from their memories entirely, severing her from the mundane world.

The human world was gone. This was her life now.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips, her gaze flicking across the modest space. The apartment was small but cozy in a chaotic way, like a dollhouse stitched together from mismatched pieces. Faintly glowing moss crept along the ceiling in one corner, while the window by the kitchenette rippled like disturbed water when she stared too long. The scent of lavender and something more earthy lingered, mingling with the faint aroma of old wood.

It wasn't bad, really. Just...strange.

"Welcome to your super fancy new digs!"

The voice startled her as Lira practically kicked open the door behind her, arms overflowing with boxes. The cat-like Pooka had a wide grin plastered across her face, her tail swaying as she staggered in, nearly dropping a box labeled Emergency Snacks.

Frederique raised an eyebrow.

"You sure we're allowed to live here? Feels like I'm squatting in some wizard's forgotten lab."

Lira snickered, setting the boxes down with a dramatic thud.

"Hey, don't insult the place! Rent's covered for Corp members. Perks of being elite. You're lucky you got paired with me. Some poor sucker has to room with Eirlys. Imagine living with an ice queen who freezes the sink when she's moody."

Frederique blinked.

"Wait...we're roommates?"

Lira's grin widened.

"You betcha! Two fierce, fanged femmes living their best magical lives. Honestly, you should thank me. I'm the fun one. Plus, if you lose control and try to eat the furniture, I'm great at distractions."

Frederique groaned.

"I'm not gonna eat the furniture."

Lira pointed at her with both hands.

"You say that, but last week, a Redcap tried to eat a door. Whole thing. Hinges and all."

Frederique rolled her eyes.

"I have more self-control than a door-biter."

"Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that."

Lira flopped dramatically onto the couch, her tail curling as she stretched out, arms behind her head.

"So. House rules! Number one: No eating roommates. I like having a face. Number two: If you bring home leftovers, label them. If you eat my soulfruit cake, we're gonna fight. Number three: If something crawls out of the wall at night, just ignore it. It's probably a harmless spirit. Probably."

"...Probably?"

Lira winked.

Frederique crossed her arms, suppressing a smile despite herself. The Pooka's bubbly personality was contagious, even after the brutal week she'd had.

"So, how does this whole...rent-free thing work, exactly?" Frederique gestured vaguely around the room.

Lira shrugged.

"Eh, it's more like a status thing. Being in the Corp means you're useful, so the Court takes care of you. Food, shelter, protection. The whole shebang. Buuut if you mess up and get kicked out...let's just say squatting in a magical alley full of hungry things isn't fun. So! Best behavior, yeah?"

Frederique nodded slowly, the weight of her new reality sinking in.

"And the whole...my parents forgetting me?"

Lira's ears drooped slightly, her grin fading for a moment.

"Yeah...that part sucks. Fey magic can sever ties like that. Cleaner that way. You're one of us now, Red. It's better to just...not dwell too hard on the past."

Silence stretched for a beat too long.

Then Lira clapped her hands together, breaking the tension. "ANYWAY! Wanna see your room?"

Frederique blinked.

"Wait... there's more than this one space?"

Lira grinned, hopping off the couch.

"Sure! Check this out... magic door!"

She kicked open a previously invisible wooden panel along the wall. Behind it was a narrow hallway that definitely hadn't been there a moment ago.

The room Frederique stepped into was small but cozy. A bed with a moss-green quilt, a low wooden table, and a small dresser carved with strange symbols. A window... crooked and warped... looked out into the Night Court's endless twilight sky, where pale stars hung in swirling patterns of purple and black.

The air felt...calmer here. Less charged.

Frederique exhaled softly.

"It's...nice."

Lira popped her head in from behind.

"Yup! Your very own slice of weirdness. So, settle in! I'm gonna grab some food from the market. Glamour bottles, soulfruit pastries, the works. Wanna come?"

Frederique shook her head, exhaustion weighing heavy on her limbs.

"Nah...I think I need to sleep for, like, a year."

Lira gave a mock salute.

"Suit yourself, sleepyhead! I'll bring back something extra tasty. Maybe a steak soaked in fear. Ooooh, or anxiety cupcakes!"

Frederique snorted. "You're so weird."

"I know."

Lira grinned, tail swaying as she backed out.

"Night, Red!"

The door clicked shut, leaving Frederique alone again.

This time, the silence didn't feel as heavy.

She sank onto the bed, fingers brushing the wood of the frame. It was smooth, old. And as she concentrated...

Old. Rooted. Cut. Remembered.

The whisper echoed not in sound, but in meaning.

She felt asleep with the wisper of her bedframe not knowing why she heard it.