Alice of Human Sacrifice || ✔

~Chapter Twelve: A Day of Endings, Revelations, and Goodbyes~

I stared at her, the puzzle pieces finally coming into place. "So that's why..."

She nodded. "Yes, but the other families were not too keen on accepting our offers since we were not that popular, but your father gave us a chance," she breathed as she smiled a little. "That was how we met."

I sensed there was more to the story. What the demon had said yesterday was echoing in my mind.

She was given to the demon, but in exchange for what?

"But then...?" I urged, and she frowned, her hand drifting to her neck, then to her collar, where the Faustian mark had taken hold of her. Hopefully, that mark would be long gone by now—it was a taint that no one like Alice should bear.

"Turns out, my parents' company was never made with hardwork. It was through a different contract."

I clenched my jaw. I think I know where this is going. "And the demon wanted you?"

She shrank in her seat, most likely in shame. "The demon's memories about my family remained in me," she explained, and I nodded, understanding. They shared a body—who wasn't to say that they can fuse memories? "My parents' desire was so strong to even give up their one and only daughter. I was something that got in the way of their wants." She inhaled shakily, and I didn't want to mention the Queen's letter for fear of upsetting her further. "They never really loved me—they wanted me to feel loved, so I wouldn't know how they really see me as.

"They were going to be successful, and they wanted to be seen as loving parents who are going to raise their child in comfort.

"It was all a lie. They were never hunted. The houses that I went to were my parents', the ones they bought using the demon's money, and they lied about running away from something, to keep up the illusion. They never took me anywhere until they came by your company and wanted to cement the contract by letting the children be friends." Her hand travelled to her skirt to clench the fabric tightly, anger and disbelief etched to her brows.

I don't know how to comfort a person. But I know she wouldn't want pity when she glanced at me with hardened eyes. The newfound information was making her strong.

"How did the demon get such memories?" I asked, not letting myself feel pity for her. She doesn't want it, so I won't give it.

"The demon was their butler, and it took care of me when I was a child," she continued lifelessly. I straightened in shock. "My parents told the demon to mark me, since I was going to be given to it—the demon had planned that all along anyway. It was as if that I was the Mark itself." She shook her head. "I do not really know what that meant, but it must be pretty important because they treated me delicately.

"Just what the three of them did not expect was the trashing of the mansion.

"Burglars got in and stole from my parents—killed them too. I was left alone because the demon protected its prize.

"When I left the mansion, it did not follow me further into London, and I have no idea why. This part of the demon's memory was gone since it does not concern my family, but I know this was how Mister Lucerna found me." She hid her face this time, and I wasn't really sure what to feel about her story, didn't know what to say.

Instead I asked, "So you stayed with him for a year?"

"A year and a half," Alice corrected as she removed her hands from face, looking like she had aged ten years from a few minutes. She looked so sad and weary, staring at everything and nothing. "Mister Lucerna died on October last year...the servants left after covering the house in white fabrics. I was the only one who remained before the Royal household took me."