Closing everything after making use of it and keeping the blue solution aside without giving it a label which now smelled sweet like a flower in the spring, she walked out of the study room before Lord Alexander or Damien returned back to the mansion. Not going to the room, she walked around the mansion to come to stand in front of the previous Lord and Lady’s portrait which was painted magnificently. The size of it as big as the wall and Penny continued to stare at them.
Looking at them warmed her heart. She could see how the couple sat next to each other, without the over affection but a simple touch of a hand on each other. They look lovely and she couldn’t believe that these two were not here anymore, that they had passed away. For some odd reason, she felt like she had met Lady Isabelle.
Was it in her dreams? She wasn’t sure about it because she was sure she would have noticed or recognized the lady if she had met her. Her eyes fell on the chain that she wore, a blue crystal that hung in the bottom of her chain which went past her bosom and almost camouflaged it if one didn’t look at the painting closely. There were also some rings that Penny only understood that this was how she was able to heal without having the need to sprinkle the water but how did the energy of the stone transfer to the wounds? It was something she would have to venture deeper into the books.
“How has your stay been so far?” she heard a voice come from behind her. Turning around she saw it was the red-haired vampire, his eyes looking at her curiously as he came to stand next to her and admire the portrait along with her.
“Peaceful,” Penny’s answer made Elliot curious.
“Bonelake, isn’t? You can always ask Damien to come to stay here,” Elliot suggested, looking at her and then back at the portrait.
“No, not like that,” Penny replied back to him, “It can get a little chaotic at times.”
“The Quinn’s have the ability to do it. I am surprised how well you get along with Damien. He was a notorious child when he was young,” Elliot put some light-catching Penny’s attention. Damien had always portrayed himself as a quiet and good boy he was but notorious? She should have known.
“I assume you have been staying here for many years now?” she asked and heard him hum.
“A good few decent years I would say. This must be your first visit to Valeria,” he noted.
“The first time I have visited two lands in such a short span of time,” and then they stood quietly next to each other. Penny had known Elliot and had spoken to him mostly when there were people around, listening to him trying to get on Sylvia’s nerves, “I met your brother!” she remembered Damien saying how they were brothers. Jerome and Elliot Wells.
“How is he doing?” Elliot asked, placing his hands in his pocket and standing comfortably there.
“He’s been doing well. He is a talented man. The architecture he built is beautiful,” they then moved away from the portrait and started to walk through the empty corridors.
“I did hear about the mishap that happened in Bonelake and Wovile. It must have caused everyone quite some sweat and trouble. Apologies for that,” he bowed his head and Penny quickly shook her head.
“Oh, it’s okay. He didn’t know about it. He was only following the magistrate’s word. Not everyone knows if the design they are following belongs to the black witch’s ritual to sacrifice people for their own needs.
“True on that. My elder brother has never mixed himself with the law, so he is slightly ignorant when it comes to it,” a soft smile settled on his lips. Penny caught sight of his smile but the smile never reached his eyes. There was some sort of hollow and emptiness in there which she detected.
She wondered why or what the reason was.
For a person from afar, one would have taken the man to be someone who was laid back. Someone who didn’t take things seriously and lived in the moment but she wasn’t sure if it was just for show. Penny had seen how Sylvia didn’t bother with his advances like he didn’t mean it. Initially, she had pitied that he was trying hard but did he really mean it?
“You stare for a longer time, Miss Penelope. It makes one know you are looking,” his red eyes that had been looking forward shifted to look at her.
“I have been caught,” Penny said without hiding the fact that she had been staring to understand him.
“You are. You shouldn’t stare too much unless you plan to make your fiance jealous,” came the sharp note in his voice. She wasn’t sure if she said something he didn’t like or if she had offended him.
Penny spoke back, “You should already know where my interest lies, Mr. Wells. Which is not with you,” she gave him a smile, her eyes looking at him calmly.
“Of course,” the man suddenly grinned as if he were testing her, his fangs coming out and he played with one of his fangs by running his tongue over it.
“Could I ask you something personal?” she asked him not that he appeared to be less daunting where earlier he had looked slightly evil, testing her like how he tested Sylvia but differently.
“Please,” he gave her permission to ask. Their footsteps stopped when they reached the wide window.
“Sylvia said, you liked a girl,” Penny said.
Hearing it, Penny noticed the way the color of his face changed yet he still continued to listen to her, “Sylvia said she was a black witch.”
“Indeed, she was one. The lady never told me she was one, and here I thought lovers were meant to share everything,” Elliot spoke dramatically trying to hide the pain he felt.
“What happened to her?” she asked him curiously, something she couldn’t ask Sylvia as it wasn’t her story to tell.
“Want to hear it from the start?” asked Elliot.
“Only if you’re comfortable speaking about it,” she knew it was very personal to him but she was curious to know what happened to the black witch.
