Sangriala

Chapter 12: The Conqueror Worm of Shey Khulud

We were not allowed to see more than the bloodied corpse of the reception girl of the Yellow Narcissus being carried out of the garden of the Oleander House. The garden was full of Palatines, and Eleanor Hamoun was enraged. She ordered her bodyguards Galatea and Dorothea to shield against the doors of the villa, and also sent Gordon out, to keep the Palatines away from the house.

Marin reappeared, scared but alive. Max and Roland had returned to Zoria, who was under Itikain's care. Therefore, it was I who tried to reach out for Marin. I stared at her eyes in an attempt to make her look back at me.

"Marin", I addressed her. "Did you see Zoria earlier today? Do you know what happened?"

Marin's eyes reflected terror, but she fiercely shook her head.

"Marin, you'd better retreat to your room", said Eleanor. Gently but firmly. "You've had to see too many frightening things."

"Wait", I said. "I just wanted to ask..." But Marin had already turned around and left the hall.

"I doubt Marin knows anything about this", Eleanor said to me and cautiously touched the sleeve of my shirt. I instinctively looked around to see whether Mary was there to see. She had, however, left for Zoria. "The girl's frightened from birth. You'd better approach her only when everything is calm again." Helena – I mean, Eleanor – now stared right at my eyes. "Mikael, dear, what does this mean?" She sounded frightened. "Who was that other girl? What was Zoria doing out there in the pavilion with her?"

Mary appeared at the doorway. She had returned to check where I had stayed. I pulled my hand away from Eleanor, though I was afraid Mary had already seen us.

"I should ask those questions from you", I said. "Zoria was probably looking for Marin. She was convinced they knew each other from the time you were together on Mah Island. Is that true?"

Eleanor cast a quick glance at Mary and then back at me. Mary remained at the doorway, even though I tried using my eyes to invite her to step closer.

"It's true", Eleanor said. "But Marin doesn't remember. Bad things happened to her before I found her and took her here, to the haven. You know, dear Mikael, that I have quite a special position here. Nobody dares to come for her while she remains in the Oleander House. They know this place is under the Duke's protection. Or that's what I thought, at least. Now it seems they use that unknown girl's death as a pretext to intrude my zone of immunity. I'm sorry Mikael, but I have to intervene..."

Eleanor had seen Captain Rüdiger speak into his communicator while striding from the vestibule into the hall.

"Hey, you", Eleanor exclaimed to the captain, with some anger. "You have no right to set your boots in my house. Don't you know who I am?"

Mary used the opportunity and came to me.

"How is Zoria?" I asked, before Mary would ask anything about me and Helena.

"Alive but unconscious", Mary sighed. "Roland, Max and the professor are there with her."

In that instant, we heard buzzing sound and then rumble, as Dr. Ebens, bursting through the hall in his wheelchair, bumped against a small mahogany table and brought it down. An oriental nutcase that had rested on the table spread its contents all over a Persian carpet.

"Where are my servants, Ellie?" croaked Ebens's agitated voice. "I want a transport away from here at once."

Eleanor, however, was still assaulting Rüdiger. Beyond them in the vestibule, I saw Gordon trying to hold the grey-uniformed Günther and Wolfgang from entering. When Ebens spotted his servants, he shouted in loud voice from the hall: "Here! Come get me and take me at once to the armoured car!"