Trust Noone | Tales of the Domain

Chapter 5

I assume Ellenor and her two brothers are a part of the Alexandra family, who Alda said disliked her. They don't seem mean to me, but I don't think I know them well enough to judge.

"But I am sure that they are responsible, Mrs. Hoftmann. And even if they aren't, it's nice to have someone to blame while you're still in shock and grieving." Ellenor says this with an apologetic pout that looks forced to me. The woman holding me barely acknowledges Ellenor and just bobs her head lightly while wiping the trails of black from her face. The other men at the table glance at Ms. Jade with clenched teeth before turning back to their conversation with their sister.

"Or maybe we could rule out those nonsensical kids for Ms. Rich. That manipulative leech is probably the one who's been hunting off our family, using the marriage to our dear Julian as an excuse to be excused from police questioning." Brannon talks too much, just like his Ellenor he sounds like he's spreading juicy rumors.

"Could be." Ellenor says while taking a sip of water.

"I say Ms. Rich is a part of the Environmental Conspiracy sent to take us down from within." Peter concludes.

Brannon leans back in his seat and crosses his arms. "Whatever helps Mrs. Hoftmann feel better, I guess." Peter chuckles. Ms. Jade is falling asleep, her hold on me loosening. I would leave but this disgusting leash is wrapped around her wrist. The Alexandras are rather mean, I bet they make up more conspiracies than that environmental group.

I lightly wiggle to get out of the unconscious human's arms when I hear a sharp high pitched whistle. Someone chokes on their drink. I sit up to see what the commotion is and everyone in the room is still. Ms. Jade stirs from her seat just in time to see the man directly in front of her face plant into the table, a large metal pin sticking out of the back of his head. Peter's limp hand slides off the table, knocking his empty and untouched glass to the floor. The glass shatters on impact. I am not sure if it was the shattering of glass, the dead Peter Alexandra, or the ear-splitting scream from Ellenor that caused Ms. Jade's face to pale and drop as her faint body falls off the chair. I think I'm fine but as her hand holding my leash hit the ground, so do I.

Organized screams and synchronized footsteps abruptly start as everyone rushes at the door in an attempt to escape the horror. My girl runs to me and frees me from the leash; they can't kick me out for not having it on if we're all locked in. We start jogging to join everyone else at the ballroom doors when something catches Dari's dress sleeve. She reaches to free it but I snap at her hand, making her flinch away. I smelled it before when Mr. Jade died and it was on Ms. Jade's dress after she rushed to help her late husband. And now it was coming from the metal flower ornament that had hooked itself on my girl's sleeve. Oil-slick.

I bark in surprise which startles everyone, stopping them from banging on the thick metal cover that prevented the doors from being accessed. Dari stands frozen to the spot. "What is it?" She sounds fierce and cold but I know she's very scared. So am I. Up onto the table I go, careful not to get too close to the decoration. There is a pin-sized hole in the middle of the flower and whoever placed it there was very messy with the coating of Oil-slick because it dripped across the entire top surface of the petals. I calculate quickly.

"I'm so sorry Dar." I say before savagely ripping through the corner of her sleeve, half of it now hanging in a tangled mess on the sculpture. Some people gasp. I think they realize that I am actually a different species and that I am no longer wearing the 'safety protection' called a leash.

"I love this dress!" Dari cries. I feel bad but have no regrets about saving her life.

"I know." I sigh as I watch the metal start changing colors and eroding. One reason I can smell Oil-slick so easily is because it is dangerously acidic, a really foul, sour scent. The threads that touched the oil start to break and fray.

"Whe-where is his leash, miss?" A pitched voice calls from the stairs leading to the balcony. Ms. Haiuna's mother strides with feather-like steps towards us, her dark cyan pantsuit flowing behind her. She waves her finger at Dari.

"His, uh, what?" She says giving me a side eye that tells me to go get the leash quickly before Mrs. Haiuna notices anything. However it's too late.