Chapter 8: Hoping

In the afternoon, I received an invitation to attend the final ball before the children were to head off to Tavill Academy in the capital. The grand ballroom was alive with the shimmer of gowns and the sounds of music, nobles and their contracted snakes mingling.

As I made my way through the crowd, I couldn't help but notice the air of arrogance among some of the nobles, each showing off their contracted snakes as if they were trophies. Among them, my dear cousin Dalton stood out as the most cocky of them all. He proudly displayed his newly acquired red snake, boasting about its potential to become a serpent like the patriarch's.

"Three factors determine how powerful a House of Shadows serpent grows," Dalton proclaimed loudly to anyone who would listen. "Firstly, it's the initial potential of the snake itself. Then, it's the potential of the one who forms the contract. And finally, it's how they grow together, symbiotically."

His words were met with nods of agreement and admiration from some, while others looked on with envy and a hint of resentment. The competition among the nobles to have the most powerful contracted snake was palpable in the air, each vying for status and recognition.

As I observed the scene before me, I couldn't help but wonder about the potential of my own baby snakes, still nestled in my hair. Would they grow to be powerful serpents, capable of commanding respect and fear like the patriarch's legendary beast, Nyx? They will. I'm sure of it.

Walking through the grand hall with the two snakes nestled in my left suit jacket pocket, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The realization hit me suddenly: by possessing these two serpents, I had unwittingly undermined the noble sons who had ventured into the Den of Serpents to obtain their own contracted beasts. 

Suddenly, the lights in the hall dimmed, casting an eerie glow over the room. Without hesitation, we all dropped to our knees, a sign of reverence and submission. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as we awaited the arrival of the patriarch.

When he entered the room, a wave of awe and fear washed over me. I couldn't help but feel envious of the reverence and admiration that surrounded him. It was a stark contrast to the treatment I had received as the feared Mafia lord on Earth. The feeling of want that had stirred within me upon seeing the castle of House of Shadows only grew stronger in that moment.

"Congratulations to our youth who have succeeded," the patriarch's booming voice echoed through the hall, breaking the eerie silence. "It is unfortunate that we have lost twenty souls today at the Den... Sorrows. But! Sixty of you have succeeded and survived. You have made us proud!"

As the patriarch continued to speak, outlining the achievements and losses of the day, my mind drifted. I found myself lost in thought.

"And finally, always remember," the patriarch's voice brought me back to attention, "'Serpentine Shadows, silent, swift, unyielding in darkness' embrace'!" With those words, the House of Shadows motto reverberated through the hall.

When the lights flickered back on, the patriarch was gone, leaving us to rise to our feet once more. 

As the nobles resumed their chatter, ignored by the others, I decided that lingering in the hall was no longer necessary. 

Stepping outside the grand hall, I found myself in the dimly lit corridors of the House of Shadows castle. The absence of guards was conspicuous, the halls eerily empty and enshrouded in shadows. However, I knew better than to assume this place was unprotected. The shadows seemed to move in a peculiar manner, hinting at unseen sentries watching from the darkness. It must be hell for anyone attempting to infiltrate this fortress, I thought with a slight snicker, imagining a spy meeting a swift and mysterious end.

My curiosity piqued, I decided to explore the castle further. As I ventured deeper into its corridors, I noticed a peculiar sight - a large number of snake figurines adorned various shelves and tables. They were intricately crafted, each one capturing the sinuous form of a serpent with remarkable detail.

Continuing my exploration, I found myself drawn to a neglected garden hidden within the castle grounds. The once vibrant plants now lay withered and dead, their twisted forms blending seamlessly with the eerie aesthetic of the castle. Despite their decay, there was a haunting beauty to the garden, its desolation mirroring the dark aura of the House of Shadows.

As I wandered through the garden, the shadows seemed to dance around me, but the shadows are my home now, it's not scary at all.

Interrupted from my musings in the garden, I heard a familiar sound that I desperately wanted to deny. But as it persisted, I couldn't ignore it any longer. The haunting melody of humming drifted through the rustling wind, accompanied by the softest of footsteps.

My heart raced in my chest as I strained to listen, convinced now that it was indeed humming I heard. And with it, a glimmer of hope began to stir within me. Could it be? Was she here?

Excitement and joy, emotions I hadn't felt since arriving in this world, bubbled up inside me. The two snakes nestled in my pocket seemed to sense my anticipation, peeking their little heads out to investigate the source of my excitement.

With a mix of hesitation and determination, I grabbed a stone from the ground and slashed my palm, a sharp pain jolting through me. It was a crude test, but I needed to be sure I wasn't dreaming.

The humming continued, beckoning me forward. With trembling steps, I walked towards the sound, each footfall echoing in the eerie silence of the garden. I prayed to any god that would listen, hoping beyond hope that she was who I believed her to be.

Approaching the source of the haunting sound, I could make out a vague feminine figure in the dim light. Her hair seemed to shimmer with a pink hue, and my heart pounded in my chest so loudly I feared she might hear it.

My feet felt like they were encased in lead, unwilling to move closer despite the urgency in my heart. The figure continued to move, the soft humming accompanying her every step. It was like a melody from a dream, drawing me in with its enchanting tune.

Suddenly, a sharp stinging sensation jolted through my palm, and I looked down to see the black snake had bitten me. It seemed to be urging me forward, pushing me to overcome my hesitation.

With trembling hands, I set the two snakes down and took shaky steps towards her. Every inch closer felt like an eternity, the weight of my hope and longing pressing down on me.

Finally, summoning all the courage I had, I spoke her name like a prayer into the quiet air. "Angelina," I whispered, the sound barely audible against the haunting melody of her humming.

The figure paused.

I held my breath, waiting for her response, praying with every fiber of my being that she would be my Angelina. The air between us seemed charged with electricity, the tension palpable as we stood there, two souls on the precipice of something unknown.