The Intruders

Chapter Twenty-One

MY MOUTH THROBS when I wake the next morning. I groan and sit up, the hair I pulled from my throat and left on the carpet, still gone, still a mystery. I press my hand against my cheek, climbing out of bed, and making my way to the door, so I can head to the kitchen and grab a drink.

I head out into the corridor, and start walking down, but there's a hand on the cuff of my top, and it pulls me back, and I almost trip over. I quickly wake, and turn my eyes to the culprit.

Dorian stands there, with a simple smile on his face. I go to open my mouth, but he shakes his head and nods for me to come upstairs. I look around me, catching his portrait on the wall, and I follow him.

"I made you some tea." He smiles.

"Why are you being so lovely?" I ask him.

"Our disagreement, the other day, was stupid. I needed to trust you." He says.

I raise an eyebrow.

"Trust me?" I ask. He nods, and we walk over to his table. "Why?"

"I stopped taking the 'medication' my daughter prescribed to me, in my tea." He says. "I also know that I'm supposed to hate you, but I could never hate any bone of you." He says. "I play dumb, let my daughter think I've lost my mind, but I'm fully aware she's been poisoning me."

"Why play dumb with me?"

"Because I need you on my side." He says. His eyes start welling up as he says those words. "I need my boy back." He nods his head. "And I had to pretend for the last year that he wasn't below me." I can see him bite his cheek. "I have to ask, when you leave, please take me with you."

My eyes start to well over his words. "I will." I promise him. "Is there anything you can do to help?"

He nods his head.

"This, murder, is not what it seems. I know that Veronica knows something more about it. You have to kill this Intruder, right?"

"Apparently so."

"But you've been here for a month, and nothing." He says, sipping his tea. "Surely if this Intruder was as much of a danger as she imposes, he'd already be dead."

"Veronica said she can't kill him."

"There is a reason behind that." He says. "I have a reason to believe, that is because the Intruder in question, is my brother."

As he says those words I push my chair back, standing up, and holding my fists up. He frowns, tilting his head at me.

"I won't hurt you Mavis." He tells me.

"Are you one of them?" I ask him. He shakes his head.

"I am nothing special," he pulls up his cardigan sleeve, and shows me his wrist. "Cut me and I will bleed red and I will not heal quickly."

"I don't think that is necessary." I tell him. He recoils his arm.

"I don't think your fists held up are necessary either." He takes another sip of his tea. "My brother was adopted. Found by my father, Francis. We don't share a single drop of blood."

"I thought all Intruders were abolished, especially under your command." I say.

"I couldn't kill my brother." He shrugs his shoulders, like it's nothing major, just a murder roaming around the streets, passing under my windowsill. "I sent him away, to Death Valley, and I strongly believe he is back."

"Why would she bring him back? So, I can kill him?" I ask him.

"Absolutely not, I believe she has no intention of him dying."