366: Promise

Promise

ASTER1

"Are you certain it was her?" Jeames asked Dorothy.

"I — Both of us know that she had Awakened the Lux family Blessing. We do not know if she used that to lure grandfather," Dorothy was in tears when she told Jeames about Rosalind or the woman named Rosie. "Do you think it was a coincidence? I saw her the night grandfather disappeared."

Jeames frowned. He already had that woman investigated but nothing came up. It seemed that Rosie's past had been meticulously created by the Duke to make it seem like she was a different person.

"If that was indeed Rosalind then…" Perhaps she used her abilities to lure the old man. Clearly, seeing another one who could control the light Blessing would be enough to attract the old man's attention. Sadly, they could not just tell anyone about it. No one else knew that Rosalind could use the Blessing and they wanted to keep it that way.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Nothing," Dorothy said. "What can we do? She already has an ally and I— I do not want to put you in any danger."

"If she reveals what happened then—"

"She will not do that," Dorothy said. "There is no way that she would —"

"We should inform your father about it."

"And let him do what?" She asked. "You know how they treasure the Blessing. We must keep it a secret or Rosalind will get away with what she did."

Jeames' expression soured, his brows furrowing into a deeper frown. Dorothy had experienced so much bullying and suffering just because she did not have the Blessing. If they told Martin that Rosalind was alive and she could use the Blessing of the light then… there was a possibility that he would just forgive her. And once again, his treatment towards Dorothy would change.

"Let me take care of it," Jeames said.

"But—"

"I promise you," Jeames uttered. "I will take care of everything." For Dorothy, he was willing to do anything.

When Dorothy heard this, she felt a lump rise in her throat. She tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill, but the emotions were too overwhelming. Without warning, she began to cry.

Seeing this, Jeames was quick to pull her into his arms, giving her his comforting warmth. He held her close for a few more minutes as Dorothy's quiet sobs filled the room.

Jeames said nothing, but the intensity in his eyes spoke volumes.

He promised to protect Dorothy and he was going to die before he broke his promise.

After giving her a reassuring embrace, Jeames immediately left to take care of things.

He was going to the North and personally take care of Rosalind.

"What did she just say?" Victoria frowned when he heard Jeames's report. Jeames does not see any problem with telling Victoria about this as she was Dorothy's mother. Moreover, she also felt that something was off with that woman named Rosie.

"She was able to confirm that it was indeed Rosalind. There is also a possibility that this Rosie was the one responsible for Federico's disappearance."

Her gaze darkened.

"You need to take care of it."

"Isn't that why I came here?"

"What do you need?" she asked.

"Men, people that will take me as a member of their mercenary group. I cannot just go to that place without my own men."

"I will give you everything that you want as long as you assure me that…. she will die this time."

"I will do my best."

"No. I want assurance. I want her dead. I want her head, or her heart, or some other proof that she's dead," she said through gritted teeth. "That woman did everything in her power to hurt Dorothy. It's time we gave her a taste of her own medicine!"

…

Federico could not remember how long he had been lying in the cave as he continued drifting in and out of consciousness.

His body still felt weak, his stomach growling with hunger.

To his surprise, however, the woman did not come back.

He waited and waited but she never took a step inside that cave again.

Federico then weakly stared at the reddish stones scattered around him. The woman clearly said that he could not use his Blessing around them.

What were they? He started to wonder. Where did they come from?

This relic was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. Moreover, its properties were completely harmful to someone like him! What about the other members of the seven families?

The knowledge of the object's potential danger was crucial for their safety.

After what felt like forever, the woman finally came back.

This time, she gave him the same fabric with water.

"Are you ready to tell me about it?" the woman asked, the same disturbing smile was plastered on her face.

"I do not know…" Federico said.

"Tsk… that would not do you any good, Your Blessedness." The woman's words were soft yet he could easily sense the mockery hidden beneath her tone.

Despite clearly knowing Federico's identity, the woman remained unfazed.

He had grown accustomed to being in control, to having people cower at his feet, but this woman was different.

"I do not know of any tomb…" Federico does not know what the woman was talking about.

"I want to know where she was hidden."

"She?"

"You know what I am talking about."

"I— I don't know what you are talking about," Federico said. The woman clicked her tongue once again before she got up.

"I will come back after a few more days. I hope you will think about it or you will never see me again and you will rot in this place. Alone."

"I really do not know what you a—"

"Shhh… think about it. You give me the location and I give you your freedom." The woman said before she walked away, leaving him alone in the dimly lit cave.

"I—" Federico tried to call her, but she was already gone. "I do not know," he muttered before he closed his eyes.

Until now, he could not understand what she was talking about.

Whose resting place is she really searching for?

The more he asked himself, the more confused he became.

pqdm.com