One shimmer. My stomach drops. It's not him? There's a heartbeat pause before his body lights up again in a second shimmer.

I bring my hand to my mouth to cover a gasp. I knew it. Oh, I knew it.

"You're my husband, aren't you? My Nikki," I repeat, struggling to keep the emotion out of my voice.

Two shimmers. Yes.

Adrenaline rushes through my veins, and I lose sight of everything but him. Before I know it, I throw myself over him, my arms reaching out for him, to hold, to caress, to love.

Yet the most I feel is the cold air that brushes against my limbs—his cold air. That is the only evidence he exists in this space—the only way he can physically interact with me.

"Oh, Nikki," I cry out. "Thank you! Thank you for staying by my side," I say as I search for the gathering of dust that represents the essence of my beloved.

The mist lights up twice. A yes.

Even knowing I can't touch him, I move closer to him, lifting my hand and swirling my fingers through the mist. It's cold to the touch, but also warm—a warmth that goes beyond physical temperature.

Another step, and I move closer, so close I'm almost one with him. Every particle of his shadowy body brushes against my corporeal one. Every atom of his being caresses my own. Icy wind skims my right cheek, and as I close my eyes, a sigh escapes me as I imagine it's his lips that lay a trail of arctic kisses that melt into my skin.

Seconds turn to minutes that seek to turn into an eternity as we succumb to this unorthodox embrace. All the yearning I'd buried deep within erupts to the surface, and I can feel the yearning in him too. It's right there, in the erratic flicker of light, the shift in temperature, and the storm of dust that swirls everywhere around me.

"I missed you," I murmur. "I missed you so much, Nikki. But don't you worry. I'll bring you back. I'll do everything in my power to make sure you come back to me."

The mist swirls around me, almost like a pat before stepping back. I want to protest at the sudden feeling of bereavement, but before I can voice that out loud, I'm reminded of what I had wanted to tell him from the beginning—as well as my own precarious circumstances away from the other siblings.

"Can you leave this place, Nikki? There's a dangerous demon that feeds on souls roaming around the theatre. If you stay here, you'll only be in danger, and I can't have you in danger," I tell him breathlessly. The mere thought of him being away after I just found him again causes me visceral pain. But this is for his good—for his safety. And that is the one thing I can't risk.