Zen clears out a table for Mr. Rudolf to set the tray down, and then plucks up an armchair for him to take a seat near the table. He has all the manners in the world until he opens his mouth. The aroma of warm stew reaches me and I realize I’m glad Mr. Rudolf suggested food. He hands a bowl each t
I can never make sense of Rudolf’s kitchen. I would like to chalk it up to the fact that I’ve only been in here once before, but the truth of the matter is that it’s a labyrinth best paved by the owner. As Rudolf goes to show Dinah to her lodging, I venture into the kitchen to wash the dishes. It’
By now, Rudolf and Dinah are probably at the Seer's house, and after she gets all her answers, we would head back to SeraphFall this evening. Or we could remain here until then. It would as much for my sake as it would be for hers. It’s odd to have another living being in the Manor, one who isn’t
I reach up a hand to drop the hood of my cloak. The blond priest flinches back in surprise when our eyes meet. “You’re the one who saved my time, really.” I place a hand on the hilt of my long sword “I remember you, trespasser. We have matters to settle.” Another man steps forward then, more senio
“This is the place?” After a much too heavy breakfast, Zen left to fetch Sparrow and Mr. Rudolf and I made our way to where the Seer is supposed to be. Now here we are, standing infront of a tower. There’s no other way to describe it, with robust stones rising up to at least four stories, and a ca
By now, I’ve opened the door fully, catching a glimpse of a bed in the dark room. From a pile of heavy blankets and pillows, someone rises heavily. Everything in my body is telling me to run away. Under silver waves of long hair, sharp green eyes look back at me. I flinch, and they turn behind me,
Well, no way out of that one. “Zepherin Sigmond.” Hilda pauses in braiding her hair, scowls at me “Let me guess, you came from that stinky old well?” I nod, and she waves me over to sit down by a low table. We sit down and she glares at me until I start telling her the whole thing, the vow includ
I sit right where I am for a long moment, before I force my legs to work. “Thank you for the advice.” I say dryly “But I don’t think I’d have the chance to follow. I’m returning to my world.” She snorts at that “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I don’t turn to look back as I open the door and leave.
I barely manage to find a waste bucket before everything I had for breakfast retches out. My throat burns. My vision is blurry. I dry heave every single thing in my stomach, warmth seeps out of the corners of my eyes. I can’t breathe. The smell of blood is everywhere. I sit there, holding the edges
The smell of rotting flesh is disgusting. Its muscle memory to pull the gloves over my hands, pick a scalpel off the medical tray. The body on the metal table in front of me has no head. ‘You have to take a sample of flesh, a sample of blood and take a look at the internal organs.’ Aunt Cynthia’s
How adorable. Apparently, I’m the only one who thinks so, since when I turn back around, everyone from the fourth prince and the first order to passing strangers and our coachman is looking on in disbelief. Is it so difficult to imagine Zen would get along with children? “Don’t leave your mouth ha
“My Lady, am I mistaken or is the fourth prince avoiding me?” I look up from knotting the satchel to my belt to face Zen. There’s a slight furrow in his brows, and he looks at Lukas, standing far, far from us and talking with the first order soldiers. The fourth prince has indeed, been avoiding Ze
I need to move. But even as I think that, I cant bring myself to move. He’s holding me too firmly, I think, entirely reasonable. I won’t be able to slip away like this. Even the most critical part of me can’t find that to be entirely an excuse. After last night, I doubt there’s anyone who would lik
I wake up to the sound of a door knock. My sleep hazed brain registers the sound, recognizes it, and promptly ignores it in favor of cuddling into the warmth of my bed once more. I don’t want to wake up just yet, since last night I fell asleep so late— Last night? My eyes open, blurry with sleep,
But he’s looking at me now, as if the answer might crush him, as if he’s bracing himself for it. I reach out to drape my arms over his shoulders gently, they hang down in front of his chest lightly. “Why? Because you did your job?” I ask quietly, hold his gaze “Or because you didn’t hesitate to do
“Lift your arm, please.” I say, and my voice comes out soft If we weren’t sitting so close to each other, I would’ve missed it. His shoulders tense up, the even breathing stilled into nothing. “You don’t have to do that, Dinah.” Zen finally says My brows furrow. Zen might be a warrior among warri
On the second floor hallway of the hotel, my eyes drift to the room where Zen is supposed to be. My room is just at its side. I wonder if I knock on his door right now, would he be annoyed? He did ask not to be disturbed. The image of his bloodied arm flashes in my mind. Just a moment. I just want