Bereft: Demise

31 | Of Villains and Their Judgement

"You can let go now."

Anzel did release his tight grip upon my arm, though he continued to linger at my side as we took the stairs one by one. The tension between us tightened knots in my chest as I held in my exasperated demands for information.

"Apologies, Sara," the Vytian muttered with sincerity. He tugged his lip through his teeth, mind held by crucial thoughts unknown to me. "I shouldn't have asked those questions so brazenly."

"You mean about my father and my grandfather?" A measure of sarcasm laced my tongue as I spoke. "You know them."

He shook his head. "No, not personally, but you must understand how...rare it is for Vytians to be in Terrestria. I don't know them, but I have heard of them. Any Vytian trapped here would have at least heard of them." 

"So that's why Elias is freaking out?" I asked in a wry tone. "I thought he was impervious to freaking out, and yet I just witnessed it."

"I don't understand what that means, love."

"It means having a fit!" I stepped in front of Anzel, forcing him to stop or have us collide. "Anzel, please. I'm not an idiot. Elias recognized their names." 

Anzel exhaled and eased to the side, his eyes purposefully avoiding my own. "It's not my place to say. If Elias wishes to tell you, then that is his business. Not mine. I asked you only to satisfy my own selfish curiosity and didn't consider Elias. That was wrong of me. If you wish to know more, then please ask him later, when he's had a moment to collect himself." 

His plea was given with genuine delicacy, so I didn't try to coerce more information from him. I decided it was best to ask Elias himself. Anzel could have told me as he obviously knew why Elias had reacted as he did, but I figured approaching the older Vytian would be more prudent and less rude.

I wondered how he knew my family. Friends? Acquaintances? Maybe even...enemies?

Anzel eased down a step, then another, his reflective eyes upon mine as he waited for my response.

I breathed with a measure of heat, but dropped the subject from conversation. "Do you really have an errand you need my help with?"

The Vytian's mood visibly lightened as we quickened our pace. "Yes, I do, actually. I've a small garden outside the cemetery where I keep some of the ingredients I'm able to cultivate. I'm running low on several items and need to gather more. I thought you might appreciate the excuse to go outside and I know Elias would appreciate the moment of privacy."

I did want to go outside. It had been weeks since I had last ventured beyond the manor's walls and had breathed the open air. I didn't consider sticking my head out a window every so often to be the same thing.

"Okay," I agreed as we neared the mezzanine and the foyer. "But I am going to ask Elias more about what happened later."

"Be my guest."

Together we descended the final steps and crossed the empty foyer. From the dining hall originated the blithe, content sounds of lunch being served, eaten, and enjoyed. One of the wolves—Thomas, if I was judging the timbre correctly—howled, setting off a chorus of yips and yowls.

Anzel rolled his eyes in disgust, muttering about "dogs at the table."

The Vytian and I exited the manor just moments later. I stood on the porch and braced myself against the unexpected chill as Anzel shut the door. The sound of the latch catching was lost to the wandering moan of the breeze and the steady croon of ravens hidden in the swamp's willows. The road lay before me like a piece of unwoven rope leading the way through the fog-clad moors.