Butterflies and Vampires

CHAPTER 17

We halted once we reached the forests that surrounded our castle. It was a dull and dark building in contrast to the heavenly church from before. There were cracks in the crumbling bricks, and our unshaven hedges gave it an abandoned air.

There were dim lights in one of the room, I couldn't think fast enough to gather whose it was, but Cecile whispered in my ear.

"It's the dining room!"

"We should tell them to leave," Dr.Gregoire said quickly, but Karl caught his arm.

"There's people here!"

We followed his eyes and sucked in our breaths.

There was a hoard of men, some with torches that had been the light they had seen previously, and others with the rakes and pitchforks I so often saw them churn their dirt from my window.

"We will speak to them," Dr Gregoire said. "We are human and they will listen to us. While we hold them back, you girls will have to save your clan!"

"Wait, what if you—" Cecile held on to his arm.

"We have to go and tell Sabine and Primrose!"

I dragged Cecile, still wavering and now that I grasped her ice-like hands, trembling.

There was a side door that lead to another set of stone stairs that lead to the castle. I had memorized the layout, every nook and cranny that could've worked as an escape. There we clambered up in our horrendous dresses as I pulled off my bonnet and wished I could've changed out of these heeled boots.

"These shoes are the dumbest things, I swear, and these crinolines!"

"Margery."

Her voice was low. It was the tone she used when we talked of serious, taboo things. She was hurrying, out of breath, but even lingering a feet behind me I knew she was ready to tell me what had been on her mind all this time.

"I love Dr.Gregoire."

I knew it, I'd known before she had, and I always knew she would tell me.

But it wasn't the time for it. My legs continued pumping up the stairs with her trailing but I could not process what she had said and what she wanted me to say in return.

"I want to leave, too, Margery. Take me with you."

I was pulling my skirts up high, nails in my palm, and both fear and relief merged.

"We will, Cecile. We will—"

"But the outside world will never accept us, don't you see? We have sinned, we can't bring dead men alive no matter how hard we repent."

Uriel had told me the past didn't matter—but it did, didn't it? Or why would he be returning to have me kill Agnes?

I bit my lips as we finally reached the corridor, and then we headed for the dining room where they had all gathered.

They were already standing up, gasping and looking at each other. Only Agnes kept her cool and glared outside the windows and then lastly, turned to us.