Rosalind: Book One

66- All Monsters

That evening at dinner, Harlan called Rosalind three times to get her attention. "Child," he said with a furrow of his brows, "where is your mind traveling to?"

From across the table, her brothers chuckled. "You have become quite a day-dreamer," said Julian to his sister.

"You are one to talk," whispered Jacob as he nudged his brother. "Wandering around in the streets at midnight talking about gypsy boys and coming home without your cloak."

"Hush," Julian scolded. "I was merely drunk."

Rosalind noticed she was holding a forkful of roast-beef halfway to her mouth when she had fallen into a daze. Her brother's words were nothing more than buzzing. Setting the fork down, Rosalind gave her father a small smile, even though it was fake, she hoped it would be enough to convince Harlan she was fine. "I am sorry, father. I was thinking about a new book I am reading," she lied.

Harlan chuckled, "It must be a tremendously good book. What is it about?"

Rosalind pushed a pea around her plate as she drew in a breath. "Star-crossed lovers." She looked to him. "Fate brings them together only to have the cruel hand of destiny pull them apart."

Seeing Rosalind's smile fade, Harlan frowned. "It does not sound like an appropriate book for a young lady."

Forking the pea, Rosalind replied, "You cannot shield me from every bit of sorrow, father. Life plays cruel games."

When Harlan sighed, Rosalind knew she had gone too far. "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Yes," clearing his throat, Harlan went on. "News has come from Moldova. Your cousins have fallen ill and your uncle Benjamin is too old to collect the rents on his own. He has sent word if I, Jacob and Julian can assist him until the boys are back on their feet."

Rosalind drew her napkin close and held it tightly. "How long will you be gone?" she asked softly.

Harlan reached for his wine glass with a frown. "Three weeks. Perhaps four." Needing a distraction from Rosalind's unhappy face, he brought the wine to his lips and took a large gulp.

"A month?" Rosalind uttered, balling the napkin in her fist as she cast a look from her father to her brothers. She did not want to be left alone after finding out her true legacy. She wanted her family around. "Must you go?"

Harlan nodded. "Please understand. It is not a choice I made easily but your uncle is nearly eighty years old. He cannot do it on his own and the rents must be collected. Traveling to Moldova will not be swift but it must be done. He is my brother, Rosalind. Would you not make sacrifices for us need be?"

Feeling ashamed at her show of childishness, Rosalind nodded. "Forgive me, father. I understand. Please send uncle Benjamin and my cousins my love."

When the house fell silent and all the men had gone to bed, Rosalind walked barefoot to her door and touched her ear to it. She could not hear the maids finishing up the cleaning downstairs and knew they too had retired for the night. Looking over her shoulder at the window, darkness greeted her.

Her mind felt as though it would explode. Opening the door quietly, she sneaked to a small cellar where all the bottles of wine and brandy were. The musty scent of vintage alcohol welcomed her like a long-lost friend. She knew it was not anything like what Caspian had given her, but it would do. Grabbing a bottle of dry red wine, Rosalind sneaked back into her room.

She remembered her fear and uncertainty before Caspian and her spent their first evening in his study under the influence of the Dragon's Tongue. Rosalind recalled how the world calmed before her as she breathed the smoke in, and every anguish within was tamed by the beast and his pipe.

Popping open the cork, Rosalind drunk straight from the bottle in an unladylike way. Outside, the moon spoke to her in whispers, telling her of her fate. Rosalind called Caspian's name between sips of bitter wine but he never came.

As the night grew heavier, Rosalind remained awake. By now the bottle was more than half empty. The walls of her room breathed, mimicking her. Her bed became trees covered in thick moss and dotted with purple flowers. When she staggered to the window, she saw the familiar flashes of light zip across the sky. Blue, yellow and green danced before her, inching closer. She saw the light morph into a terrifying creature with a maw big enough to swallow the whole of Transylvania. Gasping, she moved away from the window as the beast rushed to her, filling her room with a burst of light, turning everything around her from night to day.

Rosalind brought her arm to her eyes and shut them tight. When she opened them it was dark once again. She leaned heavily against the wall, breath caught in her throat. Slipping down to the floor she saw a shadow slithering in the corner. Rosalind brought the bottle to her chest, her eyes were wide. The shadow-woman with the crown of ice and eyes like hers slid out of the corner and began to crawl to her like a spider. "Your legacy is your destruction," she hissed. "The lord has his curse and you have yours."

Pulling her knees close to her chest, Rosalind watched the shadow-woman creep closer until she was at her feet. Tendrils of grey, smoke-like hands, reached to Rosalind's knees as the phantom inched closer.

"You cannot save everyone. You will have to choose, either Transylvania, the boy, the lord...or yourself."

"Go away," Rosalind whispered painfully.

"I cannot." The phantom shook her head.

"You are nothing but a terrible monster," Rosalind replied with the little courage she had.

"We are all monsters," came the reply, "lying in wait."

"I am not a monster." Rosalind cried.

The shadow-woman reached out and touched Rosalind's cheek. "Yes, you are."