The Shadow's Melody || The Phantom of the Opera || Book One

Epilogue

Epilogue

Erik

Tying my cloak around my neck I skimmed last week's headlines: Queen Antoinette Renoir Declared Dead After Horrendous Accident!

Beneath the headline is a brief article about how Mélodie's brother, Prince Dantes Renoir, had recovered from his coma and came to Paris to tell his sister himself. Then it read:

It pains me to have gone so long without seeing my sister Antoinette and to have her pass away in my arms. Words cannot express the despair that I am feeling. New France has lost a great woman and a great queen.

That they have. A great woman and a great queen.

Even though I no longer needed to sneak my way through the Opéra Populaire, I still weaved in and out of the shadows. A hand touched my arm and I quickly turned. It is Violette who touched my arm. She kept her gaze averted to her laced fingers, her voice quiet and shy, "Monsieur Erik."

I looked down at her, her head barely coming to my chin, "Bonjour, Violette."

I waited patiently while she fiddled with her hands, "I know I have already apologized but," she glanced up at me then back down to her fingers, "please...you must know how sorry I am. If it wasn't for Maurice and I-" she cut herself off, her voice cracking slightly.

While Violette composed herself Maurice walked by, still dependent on the crutches. He saw Violette and me here in the semi darkness. Maurice and I locked eyes for a moment before we nodded at eachother and he continued on.

Violette looked back up at me, "Please, Monsieur Erik, forgive us."

This has been Violette's plea everyday for the past week. I thought about Mélodie. She wouldn't want me to forgive them but if it wasn't for Maurice and Violette I wouldn't be here today. After all it was Violette who lead Mélodie's brother to us and stopped Valentin's men.

I looked into Violette's pleading blue eyes, torn between what I thought I should do and what Mélodie would want me to do.

I let out a deep breath.

Mélodie wouldn't want me to forgive them but at the same time it was her who pushed me to be a better man. In the end, forgiving them would be the right thing to do, right? I mean, how many mistakes have I made? Countless, really. And Mélodie had forgiven me for them. All of them.

I sighed, focusing on Violette, "I know you did what you did to protect Mélodie. Knowing my reputation, I would have done the same thing if I were in your place."

There was a moment of silence, her big eyes blinking up at me. Swallowing, she asked, "So you forgive us?"

Shifting onto my left foot I said, "Yes, I do."

Out of the blue Violette smiled brightly and hugged my torso, nearly knocking me over, "Thank you, Monsieur! Thank you!" She hopped up and kissed my cheek, sending a wave of shock and embarrassment through me. I waited until her red curls were out of sight before I discreetly wiped my cheek.

It felt strange walking down the Opéra Populaire's front steps in broad daylight. I kept my hood over my face to cover my mask, wanting to limit the amount of stares I received. The carriage ride to the manor was short, the passing scenery white with fresh snow. Arriving at the large manor I walked past the guards and into the office without any resistance.

"Ah, Monsieur Destler, right on time." Mélodie's brother stood from behind the desk to greet me. He offered me a seat, which I took, and he sat on the opposite side of the desk. His smile seemed to light up the papers spread out between us, "It is a great pleasure to finally meet the famous Opera Ghost my sister used to obsess about."