Lucy had immediately closed her eyes, feeling the burn on her skin for a moment before her eyes opened. They fell right back at Theodore who was watching her closely.
“Have you ever lost someone in your life before, Theodore?”
“I wish I had someone for that to happen, but unfortunately I haven’t,” replied Theodore, his words sincere for the young vampiress, who looked a little confused by his answer. “Did you see her rest?” he asked her.
Lucy nodded her head, “I did. But I cannot tell you where she is. It is supposed to be a secret between us siblings.”
Theodore wished Lucy was much stronger and not this sheltered by her family. Not because he had an issue with her calling Calhoun as her sibling, but the girl was nothing less to an innocent lamb who believed every person was good. Unlike her mother, Lucy had accepted Calhoun as her brother without a single doubt in her mind.
“It’s okay, milady. Secrets are to be preserved,” he gently glided the cotton to the other side of the cut that had formed. Theodore didn’t have to ask to know that the body was replaced with another person in the royal cemetery.
“To think Nana is no more anymore, it is so strange,” whispered Lucy, her eyes looking slightly lost. “She was here a few hours ago, and I had spoken to her. She told me everything would get better, but it only turned worse.” Her eyes started to water and when the tear touched the wound, it stung her skin again.
“Humans leave this world faster than the vampires, milady. If it makes your heart lighter and calm, you can believe that her time had come to leave this place,” said Theodore, catching one of her tears so that it wouldn’t touch the wound. The cut didn’t seem like it was from fingernail, thought Theodore to himself.
“It would have been easier to digest her death if my family had faked it, that Ruby died in an accident or from some disease. But they didn’t because they wanted to set an example for me and the rest of the people,” Lucy didn’t understand why Ruby had to be caught in the crossfire and be punished. “I shouldn’t have met her today.”
Lucy moved her body away from Theodore’s hand. She shook her head in guilt. Maybe her mother or some maid had mentioned about her meeting Ruby.
“It shouldn’t have been Nana but me to be punished,” said Lucy to Theodore.
Theodore dropped the hand that had the cotton, and he raised his other hand to place it on the side of her face. Her eyes widened over Theodore’s action.
“It wasn’t yours or Ruby’s fault. “Sometimes in this world, people don’t receive things where they are supposed to get. Therefore, people often look for those things in other places. If it isn’t going to cause harm to anyone, I don’t think there’s anything wrong. Do not blame yourself for the woman’s death, because it was not your fault,” said Theodore.
Lucy knew how her family was, but with the way things were going on, she didn’t know why but it seemed like her grandmother was different to what she had grown up with.
“You should go get yourself changed. The weather is colder than yesterday and you might catch cold,” advised Theodore, putting away the cotton and the antiseptic bottle back in the first aid box.
“Theodore,” Lucy called him when he was about to stand up. Having Theodore turn to look at her, she asked, “Don’t get caught.”
Theodore offered her a smile and bowed his head. She saw him leave the room through the patio and when he was gone, she closed the doors of the patio. If it was another time, Lucy would have been overjoyed and would have danced around her room that Theodore had touched her cheek, but Lucy was not in mood.
She leaned her back against the closed doors and her head leaned back to look at ceilings as the tear started to spill all over again.
Seeing Ruby handing on the gallows was a nightmare that would be hard to erase from her memories. The cruelty of the Hawthrone’s, something she had not expected to come.
Lucy stripped down from the wet clothes that she was wearing and she got behind the wooden compartment of the room where the bathing tub was placed. The water was cold and had not been given the opportunity to be replaced with the hot water, but Lucy barely noticed it. She was consumed with her emotions.
Stepping into the water filled tub, Lucy sat down before she slowly submerged herself under the water to shut down the minute noises that reached her ears. It felt quieter in here as if she was safe from everyone and everything. Her eyes were wide open as they looked at the surface of the water from below.
After supper was served, Theodore returned back to his room while sitting on the bed and wondering who had tattled against Ruby and Lucy. It was one of the servants of the castle.
When Calhoun entered the room, Theodore asked, “Where did you throw the other body?”
“I didn’t throw the body away,” replied Calhoun, closing the door with his leg that moved from behind. “The man was the reason for sparking differences with the King and my mother. For putting seeds in my brainless father’s head. I thought he deserved a better place than just being washed away in rain or wind. I am sure the Queen will enjoy its warmth in her room tonight,” he chuckled.
Theodore didn’t go to question him further as it seemed like his suspicion was right. He could already see in the future the royal cemetery having non-royal family members because of the number of people being replaced from there by Calhoun.
“I will be taking a walk outside,” informed Theodore, and Calhoun looked unbothered. With Lucy who was locked in her room, Calhoun was already aware of where Theodore was going.
