Nefarious

C185 - No vampires

Dane frowned after hearing Kai's answer, reminding Kai that it was Hayden's fault that Zane passed away and that nothing about the case had been investigated further. "I know, I'm not here to place blame on anyone for his death. I'm here to set some facts straight in order to get rid of malicious lies someplace else." Kai's answer was vague, making it clear that whatever this concerned, was none of our business. We'd decided to trust Kai for years despite his family name, so there was no reason for us to stop abruptly. Therefore, we accepted his proposal and invited him into the castle.

-Xavier's point of view-

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I managed to bypass Xylan without getting caught, yet Rain seemed to doubt my skills. "You're not very discreet, Carradine. It's apparent you think I'm posing a risk to you by my 'poor' skills at sneaking around," I said. She cast a glance in my direction before picking up her son, remaining quiet. I wasn't supposed to be in her son's presence even, yet here I was, looking right at him. It freaked me out how much he looked like Jace, and frankly, it made me uneasy being around him. "I heard you're unable to name him," I said, attempting to distract myself. Rain cleared her throat, averting her gaze to avoid eye contact. "What's the matter, Rain? He's all yours, so his name is solely up to you," I reminded her. A sigh escaped her before she approached me directly, finally daring to look up. "I can only call my son by Jace's surname. I can't seem to name him because that would make it real that Jace is gone, and I'm alone in making important decisions." "You call him Dizary? What if he ends up confused and thinks his surname is his first name?" I scoffed softly. "Well, can you help me then?" she asked, swallowing oddly. "By no means," I paused, "but my advice is to give the boy his own identity. He's not Jace, and he's certainly not you."

Rain placed her son back in his crib before returning. She looked at my hand for a bit, but I broke the intense staring when warning her that she ought not to grab it for some touching moment. "Listen, I don't want us to have a toxic relationship. I'm past our arguments and all the grudges. When will you be?" she exhaled. "It's a little too late for that, Rain. You persistently promoted the delusional idea that Jace and Xylan were alike based on the fact that he was Jace's teacher. I can't get beyond that, and it surprises me that you think I could. I'm sorry, Rain, but you'll have to find someone else for emotional support. I'm not the one you're looking for, trust me."

-Vera's point of view-

As I observed Alex looking through countless folders, I noticed a bracelet around his wrist; Jace's former bracelet. I recall Jace wore it discreetly right beneath the ends of his sleeves every single day. I pondered the question whether Alex has an identical one, of course, but the initials and the digits engraved into it exposed that it was indeed Jace's. It might seem like a ridiculous detail to take notice of, but at a later time, that bracelet got us exactly where we needed to be.

-Xavier's point of view-

After leaving Rain, I met with Alex and the others downstairs. I still hadn't told them about the short, yet gruesome note that I'd found some time ago. I swiftly realized that one of my friends' life was placed in my hands the second I read the lines written by the hand of a spy, and I didn't take such with ease. A piece of paper had driven me into the direction of paranoia so severely that I feared I couldn't keep the secret safe myself. Every time Valerie looked at me, my hands would begin to tremble as my gaze wandered over to Alex's confused facial expression. I didn't realize that they were waiting for my answers to some innocent questions in those moments, but I wish I had. Perhaps if I'd just answered, they wouldn't constantly be breathing down my neck because of that damn paper.

-Valerie's point of view-

We couldn't seem to figure out where the spies were hiding the pieces of evidence, and it was driving the four of us crazy. As the day progressed and nighttime arrived, Alex decided it was best that two of us walked the halls of the castle as not to raise suspicions. Being the stubborn man he is, he sent Xavier and I out, and admittedly, I was glad he did. The dusty room and terrible lighting had sent me into my imaginary world; a place destined to be cold with a gothic undertone. I didn't like that place, and I didn't like the castle either. I couldn't rid myself of the idea that all the furniture, all the floors and ceilings have been tainted by Xylan and slowly drawn away from us. The castle, my acquaintances and friends, and I were possessions belonging to Xylan; like everyone and everything lost their independence and value.

Xavier took notice of the resentful look on my face as though he could read me like an unsealed book. He smiled faintly, not asking any questions, though I could tell he wanted to. "If we ever take over this castle, we ought to rid it of its gloomy appearance. No one shares a genuine smile these days, I miss it," he said, gazing up at the dull pictures which hung on the walls. Xylan had replaced a lot of objects in the castle, renewing it so that it would look like his preferred style. "The castle looks like a murderer's place. Or do you disagree?" Xavier asked, barely glancing in my direction. "But isn't that what it has become?" I frowned confusedly. "Yes, and that's exactly why we must do something. Xylan's spies are lurking in the shadows, you could say. They literally are, though. All the more reason to bring more lighting to this horrible place," he said, nodding once at a woman bypassing us.

When we reached Xavier's room, I headed to his bathroom. I'd touched some of Xylan's books in the room, and it made me feel filthy, so much so that I faced an intense urge to wash my hands. I hadn't looked in a mirror in a long time, so when I let my gaze trail the frames of Xavier's mirror, my sight shifted to the right, meeting my reflection. My eyebrows drew together as I tried understanding how I could see myself so clearly through a mirror. I couldn't match what I'd heard about traditional vampires with what I'd become, and it was driving me wild. Sometimes people in the castle spent time to heal, sometimes they healed instantly, and so on. Nevertheless, it all made a little bit more sense after Xavier showed up in the door frame. As I pondered the endless questions about traditional vampirism, he parted his lips and said a sentence the length of a few words: "Valerie, you're not a vampire, and neither am I."