Chapter 307: From death
Silas glared down at the younger vampire whose demeanor held no joy or even strength to face him.
Victor had averted his gaze the moment Silas made his appearance in the foyer, unable to withstand the weight of those diamonds pressing down on him.
"What is it you want?" Silas’ voice recovered every ounce of cold it once carried.
"I...," he stammered, "I’ve come to inquire about Katherine’s fate, Master,"
"I wouldn’t be wrong to assume you were made aware of the crimes she’s committed, would I?"
"I was," Victor made his voice as small as possible.
"Well, then you have some nerve showing your face and asking to see her like that," Silas looked as calm as his usual, but the vampire in front of him was clearly not duped.
"I won’t ask to see her! I... I merely wish to inquire of her state and whereabouts, please," his face already twisted, Victor fought to hold back his tears.
"Since you share no blood and hold no official ties with Katherine, those informations remain confidential to you," Silas marked a pause before quickly adding, "Especially after her recent actions,"
Victor’s right hand connected with his eyes, effectively covering them as he cried in silence.
"How severe will her punishment be?" the man’s lips quivered, despite him doing his best to hold it together.
"She harmed two people and took the life of a soon to be member of my family so you tell me; how severe should her punishment be?" through gritted teeth Silas had uttered those words.
Right there, before Silas, before the three vampire guards that surrounded him since he’d set foot inside the manor, Victor collapsed to his knees.
By then, he’d forsook all attempts at keeping his composure, "Please! Please have mercy on her!" he cried, "She is ill! She meant no harm to anyone!"
Those words did not appease Silas one bit. His features twisted, earning him the darkest of glares that made the three guards there step back.
"So, in your world, you’d have her walk scot-free from these heinous doings, simply because she was ill?" even the ground shook beneath their feet as his words reverberated through it.
Silas took a step forward, closer to Victor while awaiting his response.
"No, I didn’t mean to offend you, please. I merely thought...," Victor trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
"You merely thought you could weasel your way out of taking accountability. Not that you had any hand in this,"
The tears did not stop coming and victor took many breaths before raising his gaze back up. Although when he did, the actions that followed were not what Silas expected in the slightest.
Instead of more crying and senseless begging, Victor’s features froze completely.
Eyes and mouth wide open, he stared up utterly immobile in his position.
After a few seconds of... Nothing, Victor’s legs seemed to finally take action by slowly pushing his weight back into a standing position.
Only then did Silas realize that Victor was not staring at him, but straight at something past him and above. Only then did he note the looks that the three guards nearby had on.
All four of them gawked beyond him, up at the stairs behind.
When he finally followed their eyes, he too could do nothing but gape voicelessly at the sight.
Right there atop the stairs, right under Emeric’s golden eyes she stood. Tall, perhaps taller than he’s gotten used to seeing of her.
In that bloodied, once immaculate white, dress she looked down at them with curious eyes.
Arabella brought a hand to her chest and declared with utmost normalcy and innocence, "Someone took my brooch, and I can’t find it,"
"Lord Ambrogio, help us!" one of the guards whispered.
The others mainly stepped back as Silas climbed the stairs towards her at an agonizingly slow speed and a great amount of wariness.
What sort of cruel joke would it be if it were one?
What else could it be other than a joke of terrible taste?
She was dead! Arabella was dead by every meaning possible of that word! There was no mistake!
How could it be? How could she stand right there before his eyes? Could it be a mirage? An illusion? Then how come he wasn’t the only one to see it in that case?
With a shaky hand, Silas took a strand of her raven hair and brought it closer to his nose. He took a good, long whiff of it to ensure its authenticity.
It couldn’t have been a mistake! It was her!
In the midst of it all, he realized he’d smelled her and even caught her heartbeat as she got closer but defaulted to assuming his grieving mind had been playing tricks on him.
"You...," the words died in his throat, "Alive," that was all he managed.
"I had the weirdest of dreams, but I am alright now," a feeble smile appeared on her features, "I must see Ada and Madame Arumina but Katherine as well," she added.
"This can’t be," his head shook slowly.
"And I must apologize to Mister Kallum," she pinched at the skirt of her gown, "I ruined yet another dress of his making,"
Silas barely paid attention to her words as his hands took a hold of her arms and squeezed at them to check if she was really in front of him or not.
"Please stop," Arabella winced, "You are hurting me,"
Without another word, Silas shut his eyes and pulled her to his chest and held on to dear life, inhaling her essence like there was no tomorrow.
Had he fallen unconscious again? If yes, he wished to stay in that realm.
Was that what a dream looked like? If yes, then he lost on so many of them throughout his entire life going with no sleep.
"Oh, my Lord!"
Allegra’s voice traveled to his ears, but he cared very little for anything and anyone that stood around in that moment.
In that moment, only she mattered to him.