Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
W e sat at the dinner table. Tension crackling in the air. No one dared to speak through the first course. The second was no better. Dorian tapped her foot beneath the table. A tell of her nerves about to run wild. Maaier was yet to return and Father had taken his place. Arthur glared at the meat, slicing his knife through and chomping loudly on each piece.
Grandmother sat silently, watching the men like a hawk.
I sighed. This was enough.
“So Father. Where have you been?'' I said after a sip of wine to aid my confidence. The red liquid sloshing in the glass.
“I left to try and find a cure.” He smiled softly.
“For what?” Arthur barked.
“For Vespera.”
“And what exactly do you think is wrong with her?”
“You know what I am talking about, Arthur. It has plagued this family for years.” Arthur shot him a severe look at his response. His eyes darted to Victor.
“He knows.” Dorian rolled her eyes. Draining her wine glass and signalling for more. Victor remained silent. Focusing on his meal instead looking as if he wished he were elsewhere entirely. I couldn’t blame him at all. I didn’t want to be here either.
“And what did you find?” Grandmother asked.
“Nothing. Nothing like it had been reported. The only thing close was in France but that was not the colour that the curse took.”
“What did it take?” I asked. Curious as to whether the god had cursed anyone else.
“Their ability to hear music. Whole family could hear everything but music." He lifted his glass to his lips but didn't drink. I noted the hesitation. His eyes flicked to the glass of every person on the table. I caught the movement, noting not to drink any more. Something was off about him.
The servers took our meal and replaced it with a selection of sweet pastries. My mouth watered at the thought of the lemon tart. Dorian gagged beside me quietly and I couldn't help but giggle. I swiped hers off her plate and replaced it with a cherry tart. She beamed before stuffing the entire thing into her mouth.
The meal continued in silence until everyone went to bed. Everyone apart from Father that is.
“Come with me,” He whispered in the hall.
I followed him out into the greenhouse. My heartbeat picked up speed. The memory of Maaier filled my mind. The memory of his flesh on mine in the forest and his leaving after. I would never be able to look at this place the same.
Father opened the door and ushered me inside. He froze at the sight of it. The smile on his face illuminating the dim room.
“You kept it alive.” Awe ribboned his tone. I nodded before fussing with some roses.
“The others will be asleep for a short while.” He smirked. I caught his tone and froze. “You are very perceptive.”
“Thank you.” I responded evenly. Not letting my sudden fear crawl over me.
“You know, I really am terribly sorry for how I reacted after your mother died.”
I rolled my lips together. Keeping my retort at bay.
“It wasn’t my fault she drowned.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t mean-”
“I know!” I barked, desperate for the subject to change.
Bracing my hands on the bench I looked over the leaves of the bush and to the forest beyond. “You don’t have it in you. You never have.”
He said my name before I turned to face him.
“You are a coward. You deserted me. You left me and your other problems.” I let my thoughts spill out. The taste of the words like pepper on my tongue.
He tried to interject but I cut him off “I longed for you to come home. Begged and pleaded for my father to hold me as the loneliness crept in.”
“I tried to help you-”
“You didn’t. Dad. You didn’t. You left me here to rot and get murdered. Did you know they sliced me the same way they did Mother? Right across my chest.” I traced the wound over the fabric of my dress. “They knew who I was. It was planned and some part of me wished that you would come save me. That you would finally come back and protect me like a father should. To love me like a father should. I was so ecstatic that you were home early that I forgot how it felt when you abandoned me.”
“I didn’t mean to. I thought you would be better off without me here.” His voice was small, eyes pleading with me.
“You being here with me would be better. Not leaving me as a fucking orphan.” I spat, picking up the shears and taking my frustration out on an overgrown strawberry bush. The words falling from me like a storm.
“You left me alone. I hated you for it. Every damned day, I wanted you to come back. Grandmother had told me you never would and you know what, Father. A small disgusting part of me wished you never did. I wish you never did so I don’t have to explain how the last few years have been some of the darkest and most horrible of my life where I actually craved a swift death. But I got myself out of them. No one else. Me. I’m the one who has dealt with two attacks and still breathes air. I’m the one fated to love a damned loveless man and I am the one who will kill the bastard who tried to kill me. I didn’t need you then, and I don’t need you now.”
Father sighed before leaning against the bench.
“I wanted to come home. Believe me I did, but all I could think about was helping you. Yes, it twisted me to look at you everytime I saw you because you look so much like your mother but not once did I ever wish to abandon you the way I did.” He pleaded. I faced him once more.
I opened my mouth to curse him out more but the scent of the air took the words from my mouth. The scent of burnt shrubbery caught my attention. I turned to the back of the greenhouse, finding it all illuminated with flames. Devouring each of my blooms and bushes. A horrified scream tore through my throat. Father’s hands were on me in an instant dragging me to the door as the smoke filled our lungs. Heavy dry coughs heaved from our chests as the flames drew closer.
My hands made the door first only to find it locked from the outside.
I swore loudly. Father turned to the flames. Hurrying forward, he grabbed the first heavy object he could. A brass pot. He dodged the flames by a millimetre before thrusting the pot through the glass window. The cold night air kissed my hot skin. Sweat poured down my back as Father removed his coat. Wrapping it around his arm and clearing the glass from the pane. I climbed through. Helping him out as my feet touched the grass. The snow was cold against my back as I slipped into its surface. Father fell beside me, falling back as the flames devoured the greenhouse. Sorrow bit into my flesh. My one safe place now no more. My plants, all gone. And what truly made it worse was that the attacker was back to finish his cruel game. Not only for me, but my father also.
The greenhouse smouldered well into the morning. The snow seemingly helped to put it out. Maaier had arrived back just in time to pull us away. Cursing the person who set it alight.
Father had moved back into the room Dorain was intended for as Grandmother wouldn't let him back in the room. None of them realising the flames through the night only to be roused by the smell of fire and rot in the morning. My heart was empty. That greenhouse meant more to me than anyone could know. The walls filled with all of my darkest secrets whispered to my plants. All now fluttering as ash on the wind. It was stupid to ask Maaier if they had souls for him to take so I imagined they did. That he took them to the otherside of plant heaven where there was endless sun and water. He had left that morning. Leaving me alone to deal with the mess of yet another incident.