Her Fated Haunting (Mad Protector Series #2)

~Chapter 6~

Holding a nearly melted candle in her hand, Elyse slowly fumbled her way to the room next door where the scream had resounded from. The terrified screech still rang in her ears as she passed the dark hallway. It was so very cold.

Hesitation gripped her when she finally arrived before the door. Moans of sorrow were heard from within. What if she was too late? What if the demon had changed his mind and wreaked his havoc in the orphanage? Her pondering were interrupted when the double doors swung open. Big brown doe eyes were staring at Elyse with wariness. It was the little girl.

"Hurry up, Daisy. Bring those smelling salts. Chop chop," the impatient voice of Madame Tildi rang out. Like a newly born calf, the child stumbled on her feet and ran past Elyse.

Inside the dormitory, all the beds were vacant. Everyone was awake and gathered near the window. All the girls were in their long sleeping gowns and staring worriedly as Madame Tildi gathered a whimpering Marcella in her lap on the ground. It was the sight of the unconscious older girl causing concern.

Marcella' brunette locks had been chopped off.

The cut lacked any semblance of finesse. A cruel messy job that was clearly done in the name of revenge. Elyse had a presentiment no one in the room was responsible for this. 

Marcella groaned again. "Shh, darling, shh, wake up now." The older woman tried to gently jostle the girl, but to no effect. Marcella was still caught in the grips of whatever nightmare hunted her. A nightmare whose name was probably Azrael. Inching a bit closer from the threshold, Elyse detected the familiar scent of burnt cinnamon. It was so very faint that no one was going to notice it, but she knew what to look for. 

The soft whispers across the room ceased when Daisy returned bringing the smelling salts with her. Opening the flask, she waved the contents over Marcella's nose. The sleeping girl gasped, opening her eyes wildly. 

"There, there, Marcella. You are alright now, you are safe. What happened to your hair, darling?" Madame Tildi pried quietly, caressing the scared woman's cheek. Faced with this question, Marcella tightly shut her eyes and shook her head.

"Was it someone in the orphanage?" Madame Tildi's tone was deceptively soft. The official cook of their orphanage, the respected lady was the mother hen of the orphanage while Sister Ann was gone on duty.  

"I-I..."

Elyse held her breath. The moment Marcella opened her eyes, their gazes clashed. They both knew who the real culprit was. But who was going to believe them? Her once tormentor gulped, a haunted look entering her orbs. "I did this, Madame Tildi," Marcella said, a tremor going though her. "I apologise for the ruckus I caused."

Elyse did not linger anymore to hear the cook's irked disbelief. She had a mission to accomplish–  Azrael's demented game of vengeance needed to be put to an end. Slipping inconspicuously from the dormitory, she headed for the attic. 

No one was going to interrupt her demon summoning there.

........................................

Dodging yet another pesky spider web, Elyse carefully stepped over the various miscellaneous objects straying the floor. The attic was a sad maze of forgotten objects no one wanted anymore. She had been on the top floor before, but in the absence of day light, everything looked more grim, every creak in the floor, every tick of the broken grandfather clock, every sound of rats scurrying, amplified to terrifyingly loud levels. She held on to her candle holder tighter, willing it to continue burning a bit longer.