Darkness' Touch

Chapter 23: Whereas the Sky is Dark

"What was that? Did he just barge inside to ask me about the few wounds I got?"

After recovering from the surprise, Avy got up from being seated on the chair and walked out of her Father's study towards Clerivan who was still standing outside, he had the same reaction as her.

"You said he will be arriving tomorrow?" she looked at her Knight with questioning eyes. She was even confident to trespass the Duke's private place to read some books because she was certain that he wouldn't know what she did, and there she was, staring at the direction where the Duke went just a few moments after getting caught in the act.

"I was also not aware, Mi'lady. Lord Alcasser was the one who received the message, and it would usually take more than four days to travel from a neighboring country to the capital with Magical Beasts unless they wouldn't sleep or rest every night." Clerivan answered. "Perhaps he wanted to check on you as soon as possible?" he then glanced at Avy with an uncertain expression.

"Beats me." Avy muttered. "But he did look like he didn't get to sleep a wink for a whole week. I guess he cared for his daughter after all." she added before closing the door of the study and walking away.

"Will you be going back to your room Mi'lady?" asked Clerivan.

"Yeah. Sneaking inside a room with treasure when the owner's around is no fun. I'll just come back tomorrow, and maybe with permission then." she waved her hand and continued to walk as her personal guard just escorted her in silence.

On their way to her room, they came across Mariel who was running towards them in a hurry. She must've wanted to see her Miss after knowing that the Duke went to find her, she was one of the many people who were aware of their bad relationship after all.

"My Lady!" she called in concern, expecting her lady's face to be gloomy and unhappy. But she saw nothing but Avy's usual expressionless face, no brows knitted or lip formed in a tight line, no indications that she was in a bad mood.

"No arguments happened. If that's what you want to ask." Avy spoke without stopping in her tracks as if she had already read what was on Mariel's mind. The maid sighed in relief, she doesn't want to see her Mistress with a bothered face again, not when she has already started acting freer than how she does whenever she sees her before she got to serve her.

"Besides... Even if he got angry at me, I wouldn't make it bigger. I still want to sneak a peek from those masterpieces." she added with a mischievous smile.

They arrived in front of her room and she didn't bother to look back at the two before going inside and shutting her doors. It was already past ten and the people all over the Manor were exhausted after a long day of work and most of them were already getting ready to go to bed and rest.

"Ares." Avy called out with a low voice and her curse servant instantly appeared behind her from black smokes, wearing a white, button-up long sleeve tucked in a pair of black pants fastened with a leather belt that again, he stole from Ashton's closet. Some of his buttons were undone and his hair as messy as ever, holding a plate of strawberries in his hands.

"Have you been stealing food from the kitchen?" Avy raised her brows at him.

"What can I do? You don't give me food so I have to fetch them myself." Ares replied, popping a strawberry in his mouth.

"How would I know? You spent years living as a tenant in this body without anything to eat, and you want them now?" she scoffed at him and sat on the side of her bed.

"Why did you call me?" he asked her, pulling a chair near Avy and sitting comfortably with his strawberries.

"I just got a memory earlier. About a bloodied younger Avy being carried by a knight. Do you know anything about it?"