A Heart Tears Too Easily
4 2
Blood.
That’s what she first smells when they enter Will’s property. It’s a sour, coppery scent that stains the stale air. There’s also another pungent smell lingering. It’s musty and vile, almost bringing Kora to tears, it’s that intense.
Kora has been in this house many times throughout her childhood and adolescent years, but she’s never felt this anxious being in here before. Fear flickers deep in her stomach, sparking into flames when she smells the dreadful odours mixing together. Her stomach twisting as her mind races.
“Will!” she calls out, even though she anticipates finding the worst.
She rushes forward, combing through the parlour, the drawing room, the kitchen and the dining room. Will’s not anywhere to be found.
A sudden wave of relief ripples through her veins. Perhaps he managed to get out, and it’s not his gore she’s smelling. Maybe it’s someone else’s or a trick of her nose.
Then her reprieve drains away when Jordan calls her upstairs. Thundering up the staircase, she sees Jordan hovering in the doorway leading to one of the quarters .
Hot, sticky bile forms as a lump in her throat as she pushes past him.
Blood.
Gore.
Festering flesh.
“No.” she breathes out, falling to her knees in front of Will’s perishing body. It reeks of waste and deterioration. Decaying skin peeling back from bones, making her insides roil violently. Something attacked him, but no carvings are etched into his flesh.
“Kora. He’s been dead a while,” Jordan says in his usual calm tone.
“Who would have killed him, though? Who would have done this?”
Jordan rubs his head. “I don’t know. But it doesn’t look to be a sacrifice.”
She hesitates for a moment before reaching out and closing his eyelids with her fingertips. His skin is cold and stiff under her touch. Hazel eyes glazed over, yet dry. Another sob escapes her throat, and Jordan’s hand gently rubs her back.
“We need to tell the other Elders.” He says after she takes a moment to collect herself. Her shoulders shake with each sob. She’s already lost both of her parents and now her uncle. Jordan prays to the Angels that she doesn’t lose Clarence, otherwise she will be completely shattered.
“He’s gone,” she rasps out quietly. “You don’t think he was killed for knowing about Colton, do you?”
Jordan blinks down at her. That’s exactly what he was thinking, but he shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”
Once her tears are dry and her sobs are silent, Jordan walks her out of the house, the rotting stench replaced with wintry freshness as soon as they’re outside approaching the carriage.
The coach ride to the Ascendancy is quiet. Kora silently cries as Jordan drives them .
As soon as they halt out the front of the grand building, Jordan helps her down. His hand never leaving her back, he guides her up the stairs towards Robert’s office.
She’s never been up to the top floor before.
The domed roof floods with frosty sunlight. Snow drifts against the glass, collecting and melting above them.
“Kora.” She hears Clarence’s voice.
Her miserable gaze snaps onto his troubled one as he hastily approaches the two of them.
“We went to speak with Uriel…” She says as Clarence rushes out, “Daisy is being possessed.”
Kora stares at him with a stunned expression, her mouth ajar. “What?” Exhaling softly.
Clarence rubs his tawny hair aggressively. “She attacked Charles last night in the street.”
“Is he hurt?”
“Yes, but I got to him in time before she could finish.”
“Finish?” Kora’s face creasing at his.
“He was meant to be a sacrifice.”
“You mean Daisy is killing for Colton?” Jordan questions Clarence.
Clarence shrugs one shoulder. “That, or she is being mind-controlled by him. She was having these visions of someone trying to get into her mind. A man was haunting her, and now she’s gone. Her parents can’t find her anywhere, and then Charles says she attacked him with Infernal eyes. It has to be him controlling her.”
Kora thinks back to their training together, how Daisy looked as though she had seen a ghoul. Maybe it wasn’t a ghoul exactly, but Colton growing in his power.
“Colton has her.” She breathes out in disbelief.
Clarence’s mouth twitches nervously.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me about this? Why did Daisy keep this from me?” Kora’s tone becoming more demanding .
“She told me not to tell you. She wanted to do it herself, but I guess the moment slipped away.” Clarence defends her.
Kora’s teeth clench together. “And now she’s out there killing Seraph’s?”
“Do you think Daisy killed Will?” Jordan asks Kora calmly.
Clarence’s eyes widen. “Will is dead?”
“We just found him.” Kora uncomfortably rubs her stomach, remembering the repulsive smells. “But it looked as though he’s been dead for a few days.”
Clarence swears under his breath, putting his hands behind his head to inhale deeply. “We need to find Daisy.”
“We also need to collect Will,” Kora adds on.
Clarence’s jaw clenches as he nods, expiring gently, “All right. I’ll gather the Elders, and we will bring Will to the morgue.”
He dashes off towards Robert’s office, and Kora feels Jordan’s hand securing itself around her arm, grabbing her attention again. “Do you have any idea where Daisy or Colton might be? Can you feel a bond inside of you? Any power you can grab a hold of?”
Kora shuts her eyes, searching into the pit of her chest for anything that could connect her to her twin. She doesn’t know what she should feel, though. Is it quite literally a string pulling her towards him? Or is it a sensation like fire prickling at her skin?
She searches for a moment, until her eyes flare open, and she shakes her head at him. “I can’t feel anything.”
Jordan’s chin lifts as Tobias, Percy and Robert approach, with Clarence leading them. “Will is dead?” Percy asks, with a shocked expression.
Kora lifts her arms, rubbing them with her palms as she silently nods to him.
Tobias’ hand in on her shoulder and she bites her lip from bursting out into tears again, “We’ll bring him to the Ascendancy. I’m sorry, Kora.” And he genuinely sounds sorry.
“Thank you.” She rasps out .
Clarence is in front of her again. “Meet me at the manor so that I know you’re safe.”
Swallowing, she nods again before Clarence turns to the men. He goes with Percy, Tobias, and Jordan, leaving Kora alone with Robert.
She gives him her weakest smile when he clears his throat. “Miss Hamilton, might we have a word quickly before you leave?” he asks gently, raising his hand to point towards his office.
Kora doesn’t know why, but she hesitates for a fleeting second. A cold, eerie feeling rushes over her. “Oh, certainly, Mr Bladesmith.”
She follows him into the room, sitting down opposite Robert as he takes his seat. His elbows rest on the mahogany desk between them, his older face looking squarely at hers. It’s tidy in here, which Kora didn’t expect. She always assumed Robert’s space to be jumbled and cluttered.
“I am sorry to hear about your uncle,” he begins, his face tight with sorrow. Kora can only bring herself to nod, waiting for him to continue. “But I have asked you in here to talk about your blade.”
Her pulse falters in her neck as she stares at him. “My blade?” Kora echoes cautiously.
Robert clears his throat before continuing, “I don’t doubt that you are aware that the blade belongs to the Archangel Uriel.”
Kora’s throat works nervously. Her fingers begin fiddling in her lap.
“And I think it will be better protected if it stays here, locked in the Ascendancy, under the many enchantments placed on this estate.”
“No.” She’s quick to respond.
“Miss Hamilton,”
“No. I won’t let you. I need this blade!” her voice sounding frantic.
Robert shuffles uncomfortably in his chair, his jaw muscles tensing. “Why won’t you hand it over, Miss Hamilton? It will be safer here in the Ascendancy than in your possession. Colton can’t breach the enchantments. ”
Kora shakes her head. “I need to hold on to it. I’m the only one who can bring Colton down, and the only way I can is with this blade. I have to protect it myself.”
Robert’s olive eyes bore into her own. “It’s not confirmed yet if Colton is behind these attacks.”
“I spoke with Uriel,” Kora grits out. “He told me that all of this is Colton’s doing. I am his twin sister. I’m the only one strong enough to kill him, so I will be keeping this weapon to do just that!”
His lips flatten. “You spoke with Uriel?” he questions her harshly.
“I did.”
“And he told you to keep the blade to use?”
She nods in response.
“But, the enchantments…”
“No!” Kora bites out. “I will not let you take this from me. I need to keep it.”
Kora stands from her chair at the same time Robert does. She moves towards the door, but he blocks her path with his taller stature. All sorrow has drained from his face, which has been replaced with an expression of anger and displeasure. “I won’t ask you again, Miss Hamilton. Hand over the blade to me, now .” His sharp tone cuts through the silent air.
Kora shakes her head hastily. Her pulse pounds through her ears.
His lips purse together with irritation. “All right then.” He pauses, stepping closer to her. Kora’s breathing becomes unsteady with his nearness. “If you do not hand it over, I will have a very important announcement to make to the Ascendancy. One which I think will bring a lot of shame to the Hamilton name, and your brother Clarence.” His voice calmly threatening her.
“You wouldn’t…” She breathes out.
Robert’s face softens, clearly seeing the distress in her features as she gapes up at him in disbelief, “Oh, but I will, Miss Hamilton. How do you think the other Elders will react when they hear about Clarence drowning in debt, owing money to help pay for you and… ”
“Stop!” She shouts at him, tears prickling her eyes. She’s tired of crying today.
His chin rises, a faint smirk curving in his mouth. “All you need to do is hand over the blade, and nobody has to know. They won’t know how much money is dwindling in your accounts, or how desperate your brother is for money.” He steps closer, his warm breath breathing down on her. “You wouldn’t want to be the one to ruin your brother’s chance of becoming a leader, or being wedded, would you?”
Rage flares through her. Burning red rage as she unsheathes Uriel’s blade and hesitantly hands it over to him. A single tear rolls down her cheek.
She swallows anxiously as he places the blade behind his desk. Her blood continues to boil as he grins at her, pleased with himself, “Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Hamilton. And I am truly sorry about your uncle.”