AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He left with Delilah early yesterday,” Lavenya said, and there was no mistaking the desperation in her voice. “She isn’t a part of this, is she? Oh! I knew I should have put a stop to this wedding!”
“Lavenya!”
Harold glared at his wife, and she glared right back. Gone was the meek, demure wife and in her place was an angry, terrified mother. For a heartbeat I feared for Harold’s wellbeing.
“Don’t you dare!” Lavenya’s fingers bunched into delicate little fists, and I felt the surge of legitimate hate ebbing off her as she squared against her husband. “I told you the Leslies were trouble! I told you they were cursed! But you couldn’t be bothered to listen to me, could you? No, I’m just your silly wife with her silly sewing.”
“Cursed?” I asked, unable to stop myself.
There were other questions, too. Questions about how long she had felt ignored. How long she had festered in her frustrations and hatred to come to this point. The questions a counselor was bound to ask. But I was not a counselor today. Certainly not theirs. And I wanted to find Janice.
Lavenya whirled to face me, her eyes wide and frightened. “People have gone missing here for years! Warlock, werewolf, vampire, human, it makes no matter. They take the Witches Walk one night and simply vanish.”
Derrick and Cade exchanged a glance. This was no more than what they already knew. The missing persons and the runestones had led them here, after all. Still, I wondered what machinations had been set in place to allow superstition to reach someone as influential as Lavenya Norton. Her estate was nothing to be snuffed at or Maureen would never have bothered trying to marry her daughter to them.
The woman continued to rave, her eyes wide with fear as she stepped toward me. “The Leslies cover it up!” Lavenya said, her voice lowering to a hiss. “They can’t have the CEB knowing, so they make sure all evidence disappears too. But the Witch Lights know!”
I cast a glance at Derrick, whose spike of fear shot through me even from four steps away. No doubt his mind was on his mother and the prospect of losing her without a trace. I tried again to encourage calm in the man, but without accessing the aether and drawing a rune I would have little effect.
“It’s that hill,” Lavenya continued. “Gahai Hill is cursed. That Vornican priest cursed this place centuries ago. They say he was killed by a Balish man, but in truth, they died together! All the histories they have told are wrong.”
“Levi Cordova is a respected Historian,” Cade said. “I think he would find your summary deeply offensive.”
I slanted a look at Cade, but realized these two could not possibly know about Levi’s murder. Not unless they’d had something to do with it. But Lavenya’s next words proved they did not.
“Levi Cordova is Maureen’s creature. She hired him to spin a tale, nothing more.”
“Historians can’t lie,” Cade said.
“Of course they can lie, you impudent fool! History is written by the victors! The Leslie ancestors won that battle. You don’t think they could bury the truth of their so-called brutal enemies?”
I had a spurt of indignation for the late Levi Cordova. What little I knew of the man suggested he was not a creature to be bought. He risked himself saving Derrick and I suspected he paid the ultimate price while protecting Janice. It was unseemly to let this ruse continue but when I went to speak, Harold’s voice thundered through the room.
“Enough!” Harold said. He moved to stand beside his wife and put a firm hand on her shoulder. “My wife is hysterical. There is no curse. Now I demand that we be released from these rooms. Our luggage is to be returned to our carriage and we will be leaving this wretched place…”
“You will be leaving only when I have released you.” Eucilla’s voice interrupted.
The dracken stood in the doorway, a hand on the hilt of her sword where it dangled from her belt. Lavenya and Harold took a unified breath and stared at the woman as she strode into the room. Eucilla’s presence brought Derrick and Cade to attention, their shoulders straightening as they each gave a crisp bow to their Lieutenant.
It was a little amazing to see the effect Eucilla had on people, and I imagined the woman used these appearances on purpose. The silence in the room was so heavy I could scarcely breathe myself and the Norton’s were struggling to regain their wits.
“You’re a…” Lavenya half-whispered, her gazed locked on Eucilla.
“A dracken, yes. Well spotted, Mrs. Norton. I am also the commanding officer here, so any complaints or demands must be lodged with me and not my subordinates.”
Harold blustered and looked about to say something more, but Eucilla cut him off.
“There has been a murder. Until the culprit is discovered, everyone who has been inside this house in the past week are suspects and potential witnesses.” Eucilla continued. “Because I know that you are both dutiful members of society who undoubtedly wish to see this murderer brought to justice, I assume you will desire to give my men your complete cooperation.”
Eucilla gave an icy smile to Harold. “While you await your turn at giving testimony, suitable refreshments are being prepared. They will be delivered shortly, and I ask you to enjoy the comfort of this private room until we are ready to speak with you.”
“You cannot hold us here!” Harold said.
“If you would rather, I can have you held in the servants’ quarters with everyone else. Naturally the staff needs to be interrogated, and they would keep you company.”
Lavenya seemed to shrink into herself, shaking her head in dismay. Harold’s face had gone an alarming purple color, but Eucilla paid him no heed. She nodded to Lavenya, accepting the woman’s muted reaction as answer before turning for the door and gesturing us all outside.
In the hallway, Cade closed the door on Lavenya and Harold, which was good because I sensed a rather large marital argument was erupting there. The anger in Lavenya was the sort that ran deep, with years of discontent fueling it, and I suspected Harold had very little idea what was coming. Or if he did, he was festering his own disappointments.
