Silence

Chapter 26

Adalina waited for the pain to hit her back again. She waited for more skin to break to join the other lacerations, both healed and fresh.

"Adalina..."

Another voice mixed in with the laughter and the numbers.

She knew that voice. That tender voice.

That's right. She wasn't alone with her captors. She wasn't being whipped. She hadn't been captive for a long time.

"Adalina..."

The same voice broke through the sounds once more.

She focused on that voice, making it her tether to reality. The more she focused on that voice, the more the laughter and the numbers faded away.

Adalina slowly blinked her eyes.

Kneeling in front of her was Sebastian.

His gloved hands were pressed against the sides of her face, gently holding her head in his hands.

"There you are," he smiled.

Adalina lightly pressed one of her hands to his.

Some part of her knew that this wasn't the first time this had happened. She had a distinct feeling that Sebastian had done something like this with her before.

As she met his crimson eyes, she also knew that this experience was not as bad as whatever had happened previously.

No matter what had happened that she couldn't recall, she knew that from now on, she didn't have to worry about losing herself to her past again.

Because even if something triggered a memory, she knew she didn't have to be afraid. Not when she was working alongside four other servants who would do anything to protect her.

Adalina was working outside when noises behind her caused her to turn around. A man with the brightest red hair she had ever seen in her life leapt down to stand in front of her. What caused her concern was not so much his sharp teeth but the large saw-like thing resting on his shoulder.

"To think an insignificant little thing like you would give me so much trouble," the man said with a scowl.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. Was this another person who knew her who she just couldn't remember? She could almost put her finger on it...

"I'm rather glad you appeared on my list! If anyone deserves to reap your soul, it's me."

Adalina wondered if he had recently visited Lau's opium den she had overheard Ciel talking about recently and spent a bit too much time there.

"How could someone like you steal my Bassy from me?! You're just a pathetic human who doesn't even talk!"

She guessed that 'Bassy' referred to Sebastian. What did he mean that she stole him away from him?

"You deserve everything I'm about to do to you! How dare someone like you get in the way of our love!"

The man started up the saw so it moved around in deadly circles.

Clearly, this man was not completely sane. And the weapon he held in his hands made him even more dangerous.

Adalina skillfully dodged the saw as he attempted to bring it down on her.

She quickly grabbed her whip tied at her waist. The two engaged in battle between whip and chainsaw.

Adalina did her best to dodge the mysterious weapon and attempt to take it from the man's hands if she could. The saw came too close to her several times and while it didn't do any serious damage, she did pick up a lot of wounds.