132: Two Ladies who brought about change (part 2)

Two Ladies who brought about change (part 2)

The count slightly inclined his head backward and asked, "My Lady?"1

"Count, I know him."

Sator and his tall companion next to him continued to focus solely on Adela, as if the count beside her was transparent.

"Will you follow me, My Lady? Someone wants to meet with you," Sator said.

By 'someone,' he surely meant his master, didn't he?

"Over my dead body," the Count declared.

Adela halted his tense forearm from drawing the sword with a touch from the tips of her fingers. She glanced around, checking to ensure that their little encounter wasn't attracting too much attention. Fortunately, it wasn't.

"I shall accompany you," she said, locking her gaze with Sator, "but the Count comes with us."

Sator's eyes sparkled with amusement. It was evident that as long as she followed, the two men didn't mind who joined them. Their confidence did not escape the notice of the count who felt provoked by it.

"If you'll follow me, Lady Adelaide, the meeting place is not too far from here," 

"Lead the way," Adela spoke before the Count had a chance to object.

She looked up then surveyed their surroundings. The sun was still high in the sky, and the street they stood on was lined with alleys. Sator walked towards the nearest one, and Adela followed him into the dimly lit space. He pointed to the last building on the left side.

"A lodging house?" Adela questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"My Lady, I beg of you to reconsider," the Count pleaded from behind her.

"It is quite alright, Count," Adela reassured him tentatively, her attention focused on the events unfolding at the meeting place.

Right at the door of the lodging house, a group of well-dressed merchants were making their way in, accompanied by giggling women on their arms. It wasn't unusual for them to be without coats at this time of the year, but the revealing cuts of their dresses and their heavy makeup left little to the imagination, hinting at their profession.

Adela, who was encountering women of that kind for the first time in her life, frowned at the eccentric choice of a meeting point. She couldn't help but feel a sense of discomfort. Meanwhile, the count behind her remained vigilant, carefully scanning each building they passed as they made their way towards the lodging house.

With eagerness, Sator gently pushed the door open, his eyes brimming with excitement. The group entered the small reception area, only to find it completely vacant, except for a staircase beckoning them to explore the upper floors.

Adela trailed behind Sator as they ascended the stairs, their steps accompanied by unsettling creaks that echoed through the silence. Sator guided her through the first floor, leading her with purpose until they reached the very last room on the right. Pausing, he turned to face Adela.

"We will keep guard outside, My Lady. Take your time," Sator added with a wink.

"The hell we would," the Count's aggressive choice of words caught Adela off guard.

"Count, Sator is a man I trust," Adela stated, meeting his bothered gaze. "Besides," she continued, intending to ease his concerns, "The wooden door is one I believe you are able to kick in if need may be."

A small smile played on her lips as she made her jest, and the Count's expression transformed with determination. He nodded in response, taking her lighthearted remark seriously.

Sator opened the door for Adela with a polite bow, allowing her to enter the room. Her attention was immediately drawn to the windows which were covered with thick curtains, effectively blocking out the sunlight. As the door closed behind her, the room was devoid of any external light. But what unsettled her the most was the clean scent that permeated the air.

Something wasn't right.

"Hello?" she called out, her trust in Sator wavering as the absence of her mate's scent raised her suspicions. Her hand instinctively reached for the comforting presence of the dagger that was securely strapped to her riding clothes beneath the cloak.

A sudden movement of one of the curtains allowed light to flow through the room, revealing the figure standing next to the window. 

"Lari!"

Joyful tears welled up in Adela's eyes, mirroring the teary hazel eyes of her sister.

Larissa opened her arms wide and Adela eagerly rushed into her embrace. They held each other tightly, finding comfort in each other's arms. Larissa's gentle touch removed the hood of Adela's cloak revealing her sister's face, then she pressed a long tender kiss on Adela's hair.

"I missed you, Adela... How I missed you..."

Adela cupped Larissa's cheeks in her hands studying her face intently. The vibrant glow that usually adorned Larissa's features was conspicuously absent, replaced by weariness and a noticeable weight loss.

A surge of raw anger coursed through Adela. What had her beloved sister endured in solitude all this time in Kolhis? 

Larissa mirrored Adela's gesture, her hands gently cradling her sister's face. "I heard that you passed out in father's dungeon... I can't believe they involved you in all of this..."

The fact that Larissa seemed to possess knowledge that only the Archduke's knights should have known sent a chill down Adela's spine. It reminded her once again of the mysterious powers that a mythical vampire might possess. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite for harboring negative feelings towards Andreas von Conradie and his non-human nature, while her own mate was a beast with extraordinary abilities.

Larissa eyes pleaded with her sister, her gentle touch caressing Adela's lovely face. "Please, don't keep it all inside. Talk to me," she urged, guiding Adela towards the bed in the room. They walked together and settled down on the neatly arranged bed at the far end.

Adela smiled, albeit with a tinge of sadness. "I was able to save someone," she began, her voice subdued as she vividly recalled the blood-soaked scene from the dungeon. She swallowed back tears that threatened to spill over. "...But they never allowed me to see him again."

Larissa's face filled with a mix of shame and understanding, as if she recognized the all-too-familiar pain in Adela's words. "Of course, they wouldn't let you, and of course, you would rebel against that. That's just who you are," she said with trembling lips.

Adela's concern deepened. "What's wrong, Lari?"

Larissa let out a heavy sigh. "Everything..." she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow.

Adela reached out and held Larissa's hand. "Start with the most painful part, then," 

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