The Devil's Tear

Chapter 45- Reunion

            “I know that,” Rosy smiled, returning Fortuna’s embrace eagerly. Suddenly, an overwhelming sadness swept over her. She wanted to see her mother.

            “Where’s my mother?” Rosy inquired, creasing her forehead. Beatrice and Fortuna exchanged baffled looks; they didn’t know either. Rosy untangled herself from the queen’s loving arms and paced the length of the intricately decorated salon in tension. Demetri had said that Arisa and Allegra should be following them, but it had been days. Surely, Arisa couldn’t have chosen to change her course while Rosy was in such imminent peril.

            “Don’t worry,” Beatrice said softly, “I’ll ask Demetri about her.”

            Rosy was unconvinced and not consoled at all. How much could Demetri know, even if he did have a Lemare with Arisa?

            “I thought you two kept constant telepathic links with all of us,” Rosy muttered under her breath.

            “Arisa’s mind is protected, and Allegra’s was too strong for the two of us to penetrate in the first place,” Beatrice explained, “I’m sorry, Rosy.”

            Rosy shut her eyes. Why was she apologizing?

-

            Ariadne skipped gracefully over a colony of protruding roots of the immense trees that surrounded them. Arisa and Allegra followed closely behind her in relative silence.

            “How much longer?” Arisa asked, feeling anxiety for Rosy’s well-being. Even though she was aware that Rosy was in good hands, she couldn’t help but worry. She was a mother, after all. With a small smile, she recalled her husband, Hugh Rains. She wondered whether he was still sitting alone at the dinner table in their little home in Pyre Village or wandering nearby lands with his companions.

            “Jus’ a bit,” Ariadne ran a hand through her clean hair. She was in high spirits. Allegra, on the other hand, hadn’t uttered a syllable throughout the hours of traveling with Ariadne.

            “Are you afraid, Allegra?” Ariadne spun around to face the silent, strong beauty with a distressed smile.

            “No.” Allegra shrugged. “Everyone at the Palace is expecting us. I hope they’re not too worried.”

            Arisa scrutinized Allegra’s face thoroughly. The girl’s dark blue eyes were clouded and emotionless, but her trembling lower lip gave away her fear. Arisa wondered briefly as to why Allegra would be so afraid of Losse Armont. As far as Arisa knew, Allegra Lyte was as fearless and daring as was possible.

            “What is your master like, Ariadne?” Arisa asked out of plain curiosity. Ariadne blinked twice before stopping.

            “He’s a beautifu’ man,” she began hesitantly, “And he can be kind when he wans’ to.”

            That didn’t sound too promising.

            “How many souls has he raised?” Arisa questioned discreetly, as if the question had naturally rooted from the topic. Ariadne’s eyes unfocused as if she was in deep thought.

            “Only three,” Ariadne replied confidently, “He never used his power until he found Allegra’s maimed body.”

            Emotion flickered across Allegra’s features. Ariadne continued, “Even after that, he didn’t use it, although Allegra abandoned him. ‘Course, then he saw the trouble Euphrosyne, Artemis, and Demetri had gotten themselves into, and decided to raise me and my brother.”