Spectral Sins

Chapter 16

After an hour dragging alike multiple, Dev forced himself to stand and leave the room in search for a maid to stay with and care for Leela as he had vowed; as he reached the hall, he found Ahan sitting on the last step of the staircase towards the kitchen-with his face engulfed in the inside of his elbows and hands fisted in his hair.

As he walked over to Ahan to console him, Tara came into view as well-as she rested her arms on the railing of the staircase. "How is Aalekh?"

Ahan looked up-his eyes red and strained, and his face as distressed as a fogged winter eve. "I have instructed two servants to remain with him; he's not woken up-but he breathes."

Dev nodded, sitting beside Ahan, and placing his elbows on the step behind as he reclined on them; "Leela's sleeping in the room next to Aalekh—in Aahnik's chamber; I feel she ought to be under constant vigil." from his eyes' corner he saw Ahan glance at him perplexedly, so he continued. "...to ensure she does not give way to an occurrence like this again."

Raksha entered the house through the back door of the kitchen—having released her ire and filled her appetite on a nearby dweller, she felt unafraid for she knew no one other than Tara had seen her reality, and as Tara was a ghost she'd be unable to convey the truth about Raksha or the incident to anyone; as she reached the door connecting the kitchen and the grand hall, she heard Ahan replying passionately.

"She?" Ahan retorted fiercely, "My mother is not the cause of this-this horror." for he'd seen that rakshasi attacking Aalekh while Leela lay aside wounded and helpless.

Tara nodded fiercely as well, for she'd witnessed Raksha's monstrosity—it no longer surprised Tara that Raksha could sense her, for being a demoness she bore unearthly powers which evoked wonder only until one hasn't seen or been a victim of its demonic use.

Raksha pressed her ear to the door, eavesdropping on their discussion to ascertain the winds were blowing the way she thought.

Dev brought his elbows to lay on his legs as he questioned. "Ahan, there was only Leela with Aalekh in the family room; so how else would you explain the attack on him?"

"It was a demoness-rakshasi that attacked Aalekh; besides if mother had been the cause, how would you explain her own injuries?" Ahan forced Dev to reconsider, as Tara agreed.

Recalling the fingermarks on Leela's neck—it was clear to him that there was no way she could have imprinted them on her own; and yet, he felt compelled to maintain caution and not disregard the possibility of Leela having attacked Aalekh, because as much sense as both Ahan and Tara made, he himself had not seen that demoness.

Owing to the lengthy silence and lack of a prompt reply from Dev, Raksha knew he was mulling over what Ahan had said—although Ahan only stressed on having seen a rakshasi attacking Aalekh, there was a chance Ahan had seen her humanly mask too, and if he had and ever shared it with anyone, it would snatch all future chances for Raksha to live in luxury as riches was all a demoness desired; she dug her talons in the door as anger again nested within her, and retreated from the house to bide time and find a soonest chance to silence Ahan.

Dev sighed—

The servant Ahan had sent as a messenger rushed inside, "The physician is here." and declared while panting, and bending to his knees to recover his breath; while a lady near Tara's age strode over from behind him with a bag of medical supplies.

"I'm Anala; the physician's niece and apprentice." Anala introduced herself, levelling both Dev and Ahan with an inquisitive stare while Tara seemingly went undetected. "I must attend to the victim without delay."

"Yes, of course." Ahan said, and beckoned a housemaid who emerged from the family room with a bucket of dirty water and stained washcloth. "Lead Anala to the chamber Pita Ji is in."

"And afterwards, lead Anala to the adjoining room—aunt Leela is in there and her arm needs to be treated; till then, you must stay with Leela." Dev quickly added, recalling the reason for which he had descended downstairs.

The housemaid nodded and promptly guided Anala upstairs, while the servant dismissed himself.

Dev replied to the question Ahan had asked. "I sincerely want to believe you but I did not see a demoness, so until I have seen that rakshasi myself, I have no choice but to hold Leela under suspicion for the sake of all our safety."

Obscured by the dusk having drowned to night, Raksha returned and sneaked to the chamber where Leela was residing; quietly opening the door, she slipped inside and past the housemaid resting unaware, to the bed occupied by Leela's restless form.

Having known Leela for last fourteen years, Raksha knew the restlessness was a sign of her screaming ephialtes, so she hastened to stifle Leela-while Leela jerked awake only to be quickly smothered breathless by Raksha's hand; yielding to Raksha's grip, she stared fearfully at the gleeful form looming above her like an ominous foreshadow of a harrowing disaster.

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