Chapter 285: A purpose
To say she was seething was an understatement.
Ada dug her feet where she stood, glaring at the darkened garden facing her.
The maid alternated between puffing every exhale and biting at her nails.
First Arabella, then Ada as well? What was next?
That peasant got a room and wardrobe of her own before her? That couldn’t be!
She couldn’t allow it!
But what were her options? There weren’t many as she had no power to begin with.
What was so special about Ada? At least, with Arabella she knew her blood was valuable as a nobleman’s daughter, but that was all she served.
Ada on the other hand was beneath her even in status. So how come she rose to the rank of entertainer at gatherings before her?
The matter ate at her insides, threatening to perforate her guts any second.
Edna yanked the piece of parchment that linked her to the Dragomir abode and stared at it intently, her last interaction with Lauden in mind.
Her second hand reached for her throat, where the traces of the healing bruises lived.
She debated on whether to message him or not. Then again what was she supposed to say if she did?
There wasn’t much between them and even then, there was no guarantee he’d be the one to see the message and respond.
The paper fluttered furiously as the cool breeze of the night tickled its free edges under her twisted gaze.
"In desperate need of fresh air?" Arumina’s voice prompted her to shove the parchment back between her breasts before making a swift spin around.
"It’s not against the rules, is it?" the glare on Edna never softened.
"Indeed, it isn’t," the head maid’s eyes narrowed as her feet lead her closer to Edna, "But I know that look on you, girl,"
"And what’s that supposed to mean?" Edna spat.
"What are you up to?" Arumina folded her arms over her chest, "Because if you are up to no good, you’d better think twice before going for whatever those plans are,"
"I don’t appreciate being threatened," Edna too approached Arumina, her eyes harsh and soldered on her.
"Nobody likes being threatened so, get in line, girl," the head maid didn’t even flinch, "Your hissing and fussing may work on other maids, but with me that tone of yours isn’t effective in the slightest,"
"I’ve never been as direct as I am about to be with you because you never stepped on my toes, but right now, that is exactly what you are doing, old hag," the blonde hissed in her face.
In response, Arumina gave her a light chuckle and a smile that pulled her lips into a thin line, "I’ve always known it but to actually see it with my own eyes is quite the surprise," another chuckle, "You wouldn’t know what’s good for you if it stared you in the face, would you?"
"Oh! Get off my back already!"
Edna snarled and walked past the old woman to leave, but the latter took her by the arm and held her still, "It is quite ironic to hear you speak about stepping on people’s toes considering the many lines you’ve crossed with almost everyone under this roof. Believe me when I say; this is me being kind to you, warning you that no one will have your back when the fallout from your own doings come. Your reckoning will be severe, and you’ll have no one but yourself to blame,"
"I said get off me, you crazy hag!" without another thought, Edna yanked her arm free from Arumina and stomped inside the manor.
All the way through the hallways, her vision was so darkened, blurred with unbridled rage that the figure of Silas who stood right behind one of the corners she’d turned, had been completely eclipsed from her sight.
Her breath immediately hitched in her throat upon noticing his presence while her feet stuck in place, refusing to obey any command.
She curtsied her eyes still wide and mouth a tad agape, "Master,"
For a moment, he did nothing but glare at her, his gaze never softening, "What are you doing here?"
"I needed some fresh air," she finally looked away from him, heart practically beating in her throat.
"How is your injury?" he asked dryly.
"It’s healing and I am breathing,"
Without precedent or warning, Silas broached a topic he’d been putting off for a while, "There is a way to free you from the effects of the Mirari,"
"What?" her lips refused to connect.
"You heard me right the first time," his voice steady, his diamonds never once flickering away, "There is a way to cure you from it,"
"Cure me?" she took a step back, "I am not ill! There is nothing to cure me from!" she clutched at her own chest.
"Calm yourself," he took a deeper breath, "It is safe and not painful at all,"
"I said I wasn’t ill!" she grumbled through gritted teeth.
"The matter isn’t up for discussion," still, Silas remained completely calm.
Seeing that he wasn’t budging, her expression shifted from harsh to a devastating frown, her dull eyes pleading for an answer, "Am I really that great of a bother to you? I haven’t sought you out at all these days! Why try to get rid of me like this?" she hurled all of those words at once as though afraid they wouldn’t come out otherwise.
"If so, then why wouldn’t you want to be free from its effects? And as for your question, yes. You have been a bother to me ever since the Mirari has taken a hold of your mind,"
Those words hit her a lot harder than she’d expected them to. A wave of shivers rose from her lungs, stinging every nerve ending on its path.
Her chin trembled as the weight of the tears that assembled in her eye sockets grew heavier.
Before she could consider them, the utterances escaped her, "If you want me to leave this place then just say it, please, but... I have no one to count for or on. The Mirari has given me purpose besides waking up every morning to complete my daily tasks. It is really all I have. It fills a void I don’t have to face every day" her little sobs traveled throughout the hallway.