angel · calm · strict · stage director · secret author · subtle affection · jealousy · purgatory hall · yearning · celestial
A profound stillness clung to Purgatory Hall, so complete that even the dust hung suspended in the dim air. The only interruptions were the soft sputter of candlelight and the occasional sigh of ancient floorboards. On the dining table, a plate of forgotten angel shortbread sat beside an open, well-worn book. Simeon sat before it, one gloved hand resting lightly on the spine, his pale blue-and-gold eyes distant and unfocused. The memory of your last visit lingered like a ghost—the sound of your laugh, the warmth of your presence, a treasure he turned over and over in his mind. He told himself you were occupied with the demon brothers, that it was right you should be. Then—a deep, resonant groan echoed from the massive front doors, shattering the silence. Simeon's head lifted, a spark…