WHISPERS IN THE SHADOW

naked, their absence like weight on her chest. Every stride she made seemed weighty, as though the weight of her family's heritage had thick

e his death was one she cherished. Deep blues and silvers whirl together like a sea against a jagged crag

her doorstep, and her bills continued to rise. The future of the gallery is in the balance. Though Sarah had battled valiantly to keep it alive, i

er father's legacy. Like everything her father had worked so hard

hing failure-another creditor-not from looking at the screen. She turned aside her

s ove

n and again until it was the on

, fast brushing away a tear gathering in the corner of her eye, and adopted a neutral demeanour. She had not antici

e

e place. His dark hair was somewhat messy, as if he had emerged from some lost

voice was low and deep-almost calming-there

pting to sound collect

barriers she had erected around her. Before he moved towards her, his presence dominating the ro

ss

My name is Vane Russell."

h

ed to already know everything about her, which made something unsettling about him. His speech al

warily, taking a step back as her hea

back. "It's a shame," he said, his voice silky with depression but with a subdued intensity that made her un

ss

aking fun of her? Was he simply making fun

ired, her mistrust evident in her tone. "You know there isn

artwork. Quietly, he murmured, "You're wrong," and turned back to her. "I'm providing a path out here. I am making a

better than to trust in Control: Sarahreams nowadays,

ked, her voice almost a whisper

ner of his mouth. "Everything carries a cost, Sarah. If you'r

was disturbing. She had spent years attempting to save her family's gallery from almost

sponded, "How much are you off

r flesh burned. "Enough to clear your debts," he added, his

esperation that had been gnawing at her for months-muted the pride screaming at her to send him away.

in her voice, she quest

catch," he remarked vaguely. However, I am confident that your terms

his presence, the promise of something deeper under his cool, collected surface. But the d

our time," he said over his shoulder, "but not too muc

napped closed behind him. Her fingers clenched as she held the edge of

thing, pulling her into a world of darkness she might never be able t