Jinxed

T H I R T Y - S I X

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: THE ATTIC

Emilia

"And I thought my attic was a mess" I told Kai, dodging a big spider infested web as we tried to look for a big portrait that shouldn't be hard to find, considering it freaking huge and literally was put here two hours ago.

"Your attic is a mess" Kai murmured, rummaging through the Devereux's things "I'm pretty sure you still have things from the previous owners up there."

"Are you calling my entire family hoarders Malakai Stone?"

"Yes, and that shouldn't be surprising considering you're a hoarder too" he smirked "And so is Inez and so was your Mom. I think the only one who isn't a hoarder is your dad."

"He's the worse of us all" I scoffed "A month ago I saw him save three pieces of scraps from the junk yard. He has yet to work on those pieces in his workshop."

"I stand corrected then" he said, opening a heavy trunk and then peering inside "He's like the lot of you."

"Look at this" he called me over after cracking open a crate that looked like the one we saw the moves move in today "I think I found something."

"The portrait?" I asked excitedly 

"A portrait" he said "Not quite exactly the one we're looking for." 

"What?"

"I found the portrait of the old Lord and Lady of the Manor" he said, a slight tremor coursing through his voice "And boy does this look familiar."

"It I see another dead couple on the portrait, I'm going to find someone to murder me" I murmured to myself "That's it...just have them take me out right here and now."

"The picture doesn't change" he said "But..."

"But what?" I asked hesitantly, coming to a halt when I saw what he was looking at.

My mouth dropped open.

"But...but...that" she sputtered "He looks just like..."

"Identical to Lord Devereux" I said "If I didn't know any better, and if there weren't a different woman in the portrait, I'd think it was the exact same portrait."

"The eyes" I murmured, taking in every little detail of the portrait "His eyes are cold...hard and unloving."

Kai cocked his head to the side "Huh, you're right."

While the man, who I assumed was Lord Devereux's father due to their frightening similar features, stared down at us with a haughty smirk, his hand clasped tightly on the docile woman's shoulder.

The woman's hair was as dark as her eyes, pulled back in tight chignon, her clothes rather demure and colorless for a woman of the time period.

Her posture was stiff and the stoic look on her face spoke volumes about how the marriage dynamics must have been between the two people in front of us.

My eyes snagged on the small necklace that adorned her throat, the one item that was colorful and seemed out of place on a woman like her.

"I've seen that symbol before" I reached out to touch the necklace but Kai caught my hand before my fingers made contact.