“I knew Theodore had an alchemist who gave him medicine in secret. Father would not approve so Theodore had to keep it a secret,” Demian said. “I also knew it was Leo, but back then, I did not know this Leo is your friend Leo. I realized so after you told me about him. And I also looked into your background, so there is that.”“He is here because of your father,” I said. “Do you know that?”“Of course. I was the one who told him about Leo. Leo also agreed readily because he wanted to see you,” Demian said. “Although Father did not tell me exactly why needs an alchemist.”“And you don’t know why?” I asked.“I do. It’s my job to know things, Sully darling,” he said. It was rather strange for us to talk so comfortably as if we had known each other our whole lives. He braided my hair as he talked, his movements smooth. I taught him how to braid; he was a quick learner.“Won’t you tell me?” I asked.“First of all, what do you know about vampires?” he asked.“Well, that they drink blood, ob
When we made the illegal potions at the academy, we would see it to a merchant named Owl because he had an owl with him all the time. We would never reveal our identity. We would wear cloaks and masks- Leo a fox mask and me a hawk mask. Our secret names were respectively Fox and Hawk. The merchant would then sell it to buyers underground. Like us, the merchant never revealed his identity to us, although we found it out anyway.Once, at home, I made a potion using a full-blood vampire’s blood that I bought from Owl. I made poison for full-blood vampires. In the books, it was said that it was almost impossible to brew a potion that would hurt a vampire, or even kill it. But I made it possible. I was seventy percent sure of the potion’s success. I sold it to Owl on my own since Leo was not with me. I got the most money selling that poison. I never thought it was Demian who bought it from Owl.The specialty of the poison was that it was a slow-killer so you would not even notice something
Sully was okay. It was my first thought upon seeing her. I had not seen her in a while, but she was the same as ever. Sharp crimson eyes and those plump lips that told a lie within a flash and a face that could mimic her lies.Rezef Thorn could never suit her. He was a man of words, brave but not strong enough and a hero. He was hailed a hero. But when I saw Demian Silverclaw with her, oddly enough, I felt that he suited her more than anyone ever could. He was a liar and a manipulator, just like her. There was no better couple than them. And seeing them together, I had no doubt that their relationship as a married couple was not an act, but real, despite the situation that threw them together.Sully explained everything to me.“When asked, tell Alexander that I seem to have some problem with fertility, so you are making me a potion,” Sully said.“Are you really?” I asked jokingly.She exchanged a look with Demian. “I don’t want children, you know that,” she said. I knew that. In fact,
“Your brother wants to take me to the library,” I told Demian after we came back to our chamber. It was good to see Leo, although I was not satisfied; I wanted to get him alone so we could talk. I said I trusted Demian, but not entirely. It was hard, if not impossible and stupid, to trust a Silverclaw. They were too sly for their own good.“Did you tell him to?” Demian asked. He did not believe Theodore suggested it on his own. “I know how much you like books.”“Your brother wants to take me there because I told him I like books,” I said.“How many times did you tell him? A hundred times over the course of a few days so he would be forced to take you there because he is so soft towards you?”It was like Demian could see through me. It never happened before, so I was not prepared for such a forward attack.“What do you think of me, Demian? Do you think I am a vile and sly woman?”Demian smirked. His silver eyes never seemed so warm before.“Not vile, darling. You are rather pleasant. B
I told Demian about the rumor when he came back at night. He said he knew about it.“I know you are not sleeping with him,” he said. “Besides, Theodore is not brave enough to lay his hand on you.”“I think it’s not bravery but insolence to lay hand on his sister-in-law,” I said.“It is, isn’t it?” he chuckled. “Try saying that to Luke.”“It is Luke, not Theodore I’m worried about. Theodore won’t do anything. But never ever be alone in a room with Luke, or Father for that matter.”“What if they summon me?” I asked.“Father might and you have to go if he does. But as I said, I’m keeping an eye on you. I will try not to let anything happen to you, but I can’t guarantee. Try to be with Rose. I talked to Rose and she said she will protect you for the time being,” he said. “But if Luke summons you, you don’t have to go. He is nothing to you that you have to listen to his whims.”I braided Demian’s hair slowly. His hair was straight and soft. My fingers could get through them easily.“Your h
The days were spent with me going to the library with Theodore, having tea with Rose and sometimes with Dela and Rosalia and then seeing my brother Jace in the dungeon every few days. Rose took me down there and showed me a cell that Alexander wanted to give to me.Jace was okay. Rose did not hurt him. But living in the dungeon was taking a toll on him. I could see it in his face. He did not look as lively and alive as before.“I’m fine. Just take care of yourself,” Jace would say every time I cried about his condition.“Demian treats me alright. I don’t have to live in a dungeon like you, Jace. I’m worried you will catch some sickness living in the filth. Rose, can’t you tell your father to move him elsewhere?” I looked up at Rose expectedly.Rose shook her head. “I wish I could, but you know as well as I do that it’s not possible. Father is mad enough that Jace is not dead.”Leo was still here. I had not had the chance to meet him again. I could not dare risk it. We could not let Al
I stared at the window, at the man coming inside my chamber. I lay still, watching him. He was not so tall, but not short either. He was wearing a cloak, perhaps dark green or red. I could not tell in the dark. But I could see the outline of him as he came near the bed towards me.My heart was calm. It was not thundering inside my ribcage like it did when I was anxious.The man bent over my body. I felt his musky breath on my face. I felt his fingers wrap around my throat. It grew tighter with each moment.I raised my hand from my side and stabbed the man in the neck with a dagger. It all happened very fast. He let out a small groan, clutching the side of his neck where I stabbed him. I pulled the dagger out and let him bleed out.It was amusing watching him bleed out on the ground. I sat on the bed, my feet dangling from the side, and watching him. There was blood on my right arm, but I did not care.I watched the life go out of his eyes and thought, not for the first time, who I was
Sully was talking animatedly to my mother. She had gotten close to Mother. There was nothing common between her and Rosalia. Sully was everything Rosalia was not. The only thing common between them was the fact that both of them were beautiful. Mother liked her despite the differences.Sully giggled at something Mother said. Her eyes met mine for a second. She gave me a smile and returned her attention to Mother.I heard about the intruder that came into Sully’s room to kill her two nights ago. I did not have to hear about it to know the particulars.Because I sent that man.I wanted to see the real Sully. The one behind the veil. I wanted to see her being herself. For once, I wanted to glimpse at the person behind the face of the weak woman who was afraid of everything. I wanted to see the genius alchemist who made illegal potions, danced at brothels and was planning something dangerous behind everyone’s back.He was not supposed to kill her. He was going to frighten her a bit. If sh
My arms shook, the books almost falling down the stairs. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. It would be a disaster if I dropped the holy books.My head had not been working straight since coming back from home. Father showed me and other family members another package he received from House Silverclaw. It contained a light brown finger- a man’s middle finger. Jace’s finger.Mother had wailed over it while Father cursed House Silverclaw and every member of the family. I had checked the finger. I checked every part of it.“It has a message,” I said, holding the severed finger in my hand.“What?” Father walked over to where I was sitting. He bent over my shoulder to take a look.“Inside the finger. There is something written on the other side of the skin,” I said. “Look, you can see from the bottom here. It’s not a real finger.”Father took it from me. Indeed, there was a message engraved inside.“Third moon, it says,” Father said.“Tonight is a full moon,” I said. We prayed all n
The tea was nice. Not too sweet. Clarissa did not like sweet things, Rose told me. So, I had the maids prepare salty cookies and tea. Clarissa arrived just in time. She nodded at me when she arrived.Rose told me to treat Clarissa like I would treat a normal person, so that was what I tried to do.“I hope you are doing well, Lady Clarissa,” I said as I gave a small bow. It was a sign of respect to bow to elders.She nodded.Even at dinner tables, she only drank blood, wine and tea with a metal straw through a small gap between her lips. She drank tea the same way with me. I tried not to stare too hard. That would seem rude.I told her about my life with Demian. She nodded along, rather kindly. She communicated with me in sign language. Rose had not told me that she knew sign language. As it turned out, I knew sign language as well. I learned it at the academy.“You look like your mother,” she said in sign language.“I do,” I said. I tried to do sign language as well, but Clarissa said
As usual, Theodore and I were at the library. Instead of his chamber, we spent our time at the library, reading books. Sometimes we both would read different books, sometimes he would listen and I read. I liked to read in silence, but Theodore sometimes insisted that I read to him. I did not want to disappoint him since he came to be library with me. I did not want to come to the library alone.In the afternoon most days, I would meet Rose. Rose said everything was going according to plan. She did not reveal the entire plan to me, although she acted like she did.“First, you need to gain the support of the wives,” Rose told me. “Dela and my mother already like you. Spend time with Clarissa. They live in three different part of the residence. In that way, no one will suspect anything if you go to that parts of the house.”She had a point. I had invited Clarissa to have tea with me and she accepted. I would have tea with her the next day. To be honest, I was rather nervous. How would we
Demian had been watching me in an odd way. He usually looked at me a lot. But now, he was blatantly staring at me regardless of the place we were in.“Who do you think it is?” I asked, not for the first time. “Is it Luke? But I don’t understand why he would do that. He might want to… you know, he might be attracted to my body, but I don’t see the point of his sending someone to kill me.”“I don’t know anything, Sully. I’m looking into it,” Demian said. He said the same thing every time I asked. It was getting tiresome. He was acting differently. I could barely recognize my husband.“What’s wrong?” I asked, placing my hand on his arm. His arm was strong and hard. “Did something happen?”He shook his head. “Nothing. I just have a lot of things on my mind.”I could not ask him what they were since he looked like he did not want to share.I lay my head on his lap. His whole body was like it was made with steel. It was not comfortable to lay on his lap, but I was in peace when I did it.“T
Sully was talking animatedly to my mother. She had gotten close to Mother. There was nothing common between her and Rosalia. Sully was everything Rosalia was not. The only thing common between them was the fact that both of them were beautiful. Mother liked her despite the differences.Sully giggled at something Mother said. Her eyes met mine for a second. She gave me a smile and returned her attention to Mother.I heard about the intruder that came into Sully’s room to kill her two nights ago. I did not have to hear about it to know the particulars.Because I sent that man.I wanted to see the real Sully. The one behind the veil. I wanted to see her being herself. For once, I wanted to glimpse at the person behind the face of the weak woman who was afraid of everything. I wanted to see the genius alchemist who made illegal potions, danced at brothels and was planning something dangerous behind everyone’s back.He was not supposed to kill her. He was going to frighten her a bit. If sh
I stared at the window, at the man coming inside my chamber. I lay still, watching him. He was not so tall, but not short either. He was wearing a cloak, perhaps dark green or red. I could not tell in the dark. But I could see the outline of him as he came near the bed towards me.My heart was calm. It was not thundering inside my ribcage like it did when I was anxious.The man bent over my body. I felt his musky breath on my face. I felt his fingers wrap around my throat. It grew tighter with each moment.I raised my hand from my side and stabbed the man in the neck with a dagger. It all happened very fast. He let out a small groan, clutching the side of his neck where I stabbed him. I pulled the dagger out and let him bleed out.It was amusing watching him bleed out on the ground. I sat on the bed, my feet dangling from the side, and watching him. There was blood on my right arm, but I did not care.I watched the life go out of his eyes and thought, not for the first time, who I was
The days were spent with me going to the library with Theodore, having tea with Rose and sometimes with Dela and Rosalia and then seeing my brother Jace in the dungeon every few days. Rose took me down there and showed me a cell that Alexander wanted to give to me.Jace was okay. Rose did not hurt him. But living in the dungeon was taking a toll on him. I could see it in his face. He did not look as lively and alive as before.“I’m fine. Just take care of yourself,” Jace would say every time I cried about his condition.“Demian treats me alright. I don’t have to live in a dungeon like you, Jace. I’m worried you will catch some sickness living in the filth. Rose, can’t you tell your father to move him elsewhere?” I looked up at Rose expectedly.Rose shook her head. “I wish I could, but you know as well as I do that it’s not possible. Father is mad enough that Jace is not dead.”Leo was still here. I had not had the chance to meet him again. I could not dare risk it. We could not let Al
I told Demian about the rumor when he came back at night. He said he knew about it.“I know you are not sleeping with him,” he said. “Besides, Theodore is not brave enough to lay his hand on you.”“I think it’s not bravery but insolence to lay hand on his sister-in-law,” I said.“It is, isn’t it?” he chuckled. “Try saying that to Luke.”“It is Luke, not Theodore I’m worried about. Theodore won’t do anything. But never ever be alone in a room with Luke, or Father for that matter.”“What if they summon me?” I asked.“Father might and you have to go if he does. But as I said, I’m keeping an eye on you. I will try not to let anything happen to you, but I can’t guarantee. Try to be with Rose. I talked to Rose and she said she will protect you for the time being,” he said. “But if Luke summons you, you don’t have to go. He is nothing to you that you have to listen to his whims.”I braided Demian’s hair slowly. His hair was straight and soft. My fingers could get through them easily.“Your h
“Your brother wants to take me to the library,” I told Demian after we came back to our chamber. It was good to see Leo, although I was not satisfied; I wanted to get him alone so we could talk. I said I trusted Demian, but not entirely. It was hard, if not impossible and stupid, to trust a Silverclaw. They were too sly for their own good.“Did you tell him to?” Demian asked. He did not believe Theodore suggested it on his own. “I know how much you like books.”“Your brother wants to take me there because I told him I like books,” I said.“How many times did you tell him? A hundred times over the course of a few days so he would be forced to take you there because he is so soft towards you?”It was like Demian could see through me. It never happened before, so I was not prepared for such a forward attack.“What do you think of me, Demian? Do you think I am a vile and sly woman?”Demian smirked. His silver eyes never seemed so warm before.“Not vile, darling. You are rather pleasant. B