The market in the capital felt like a living labyrinth—voices calling out their wares, scents of spices and dyes, silks fluttering in the wind, and the constant hum of footsteps.I still fought to steady my breathing, to keep the tide of human heartbeats from pulling me under again.
Selene, ever perceptive, took my hand with a casual ease that made my chest tighten."Come, I want to show you something," she said, her eyes glinting with mischief.
I followed her through the crowd until we stopped before a small, almost hidden shop nestled between two taller buildings.The entrance was framed by an arch of onyx and black curtains embroidered in silver thread.Above the door, a carved sign read: "Echoes in Obsidian."
"A jewelry shop?" I asked, raising a brow.
Selene smiled."Not just any jewelry shop. The owner is… peculiar. But trust me—it's worth it."
When we pushed the door open, a soft metallic chime greeted us.Inside, the room glowed with a faint bluish light from crystal lamps.Dark wooden display cases held necklaces, rings, and gemstones that seemed to shimmer with a life of their own.Some didn't reflect the light—they drank it, swallowing the glow around them.
That was when I felt it—a presence, dense and enveloping, that raised every hair on my skin.
"Welcome, travelers."The voice floated from the back of the shop—smooth as velvet, yet echoing from somewhere deeper than a human throat.
From the shadows emerged a tall woman with skin pale as moonlight and hair that fell like a river of obsidian.Her eyes were entirely black—no iris, no pupil—bottomless.When she smiled, her teeth looked just a bit too sharp.
Selene bowed her head slightly."Nyx, this is Eris—the owner of the shop… and an Umbriphage."
The word cut through me like a blade.I had read only fragments in forbidden texts: beings who fed not on blood or flesh, but on the shadows of souls—on the fears and secrets people tried to hide.
Eris moved closer, gliding rather than walking, and fixed her gaze on me.Her lips curved into a curious smile."What an interesting visitor the wind has brought me…"
Instinctively, I stepped back."What do you mean?"
She tilted her head, studying me as one might examine a rare jewel."Your shadow isn't like the others. It beats. It breathes. It almost… speaks to me."
The darkness at my feet stirred restlessly, reacting to her voice as if it recognized her.
Selene stepped between us, her tone calm but firm."We didn't come to cause trouble. We only wanted to see your work."
Eris laughed softly—a sound that was both melodic and unsettling."Relax. Not everything that feeds on darkness seeks to destroy it. Some of us… learn to shape it."
She then revealed a tray filled with exquisite, eerie pieces: rings that gleamed like black moons, necklaces woven from threads of solid shadow."Perhaps one of these could help you, Nyx Veyra. Not to hide what you are… but to master it."
The air grew heavier.She wasn't just a jeweler.Eris knew exactly who I was.