The Eyes Of 'Rah

Stumbling upon a Confession

"Welcome to the Upper House"

Seraphine craned her neck upward to study the famous building, "so this is the Upper House" she commented, filled with interest, she asked, "Why are we here?"

"I'll just check on someone briefly and we'll be on our way"

Following Xavier's steps as he moved forward, she looked around to see creatures of different kinds, minding their businesses while some were in groups in a deep discussion.

They came to a closed door, it creaked loudly as Xavier pushed it opened, "stay here, I'll be back soon."

The room was a large one, seats were arranged in rows to accommodate quite a number of people. Being the only one in the empty room, she meandered about.

Her eyes caught the paper on the far corner of the room, it contained the written laws people must abide by whenever the room is in session. Judging by how old it looked, she guessed it was no longer in use.

"Aaarrrgghhh!" Seraphine screamed when she saw a hairy four-legged creature ran over her feet. She raced over to the door, irked by the after-feeling of the little creature she felt on her feet.

"Where did that come from?" She exclaimed. She rushed out after seeing the rat again, peeping from a corner, she didn't bother to know which creature was scared of the other when she saw the rat charged in her direction.

She sprinted off, running as much as her leg could carry her, despite being hindered by her pinafore. After a while with her head between her knees, she gasped for breath, looking at where she stopped, she realised she had gone deeper into the heart of the building, seeing how different the structure was to the previous one.

The sound of someone screaming with pure agony caught her attention, tracing the voice, she came across the source of the noise.

A man was tied with a chain to a single chair, surrounded by people, among them was Xavier. She looked again at the man and discovered it was Lord Vanderbilt, he was obviously being tortured. She looked at his face which looked untouched and the people around him weren't holding anything that could pass as a tool of torture, unable to understand why he was shouting when nothing seemed to be done to him. Aside his chained hands, one wouldn't have known he was being tortured.

"We know you killed Lord Knox because you didn't want us to know you were working together" Seraphine heard one of the men said, she recognised him as one of the people alpha Weinroff introduced her to.

Lord Vanderbilt shouted again, trying to break free of the chain, "yes!" Nodding continuously. One of the men took the cup on the table and poured a liquid on his tied hands. She watched his skin sizzles, the smell of a burning skin whiffed through the air. The liquid was obviously a vervain, she had read how dangerous it was when it touches a vampire's skin.

"Where did you get the Chronophages?" Another person asked.

Heaving in pain, "Knox knew a tainted witch that summoned the Chronophages" grunting in pain.

"Who is she?"

"I don't know her. I've never met her before" he yelped

"What do you need those creatures for?" Xavier asked calmly.

"We needed them to get us more information about the Eyes"

Seraphine's spine straightened, everyone in the room, including her on the doorstep knew whose eyes he was talking about.

"Was that why you attacked the wolves?

He nodded, "Knox found out some people among the wolves are searching for the Eyes, aside from the demon king. I didn't probe him further when he assured me that the information with the wolves will definitely lead to the location of the Eyes. We thought of a way of getting information without raising suspicion"

After another long groan of pain, he continued, "he told me one day that he had found a witch who suggested summoning the Chronophages"

"What makes you think the witch won't take the Eyes forcely from you both after getting hold of it?"

"Knox and I already planned a way of killing her when we're done"

Seraphine swallowed, her heart pounded in her chest, thinking of how cruel some creatures are.

"The same thing one of you would've done to the other if you had found the eyes"

"Yes, I would have killed him first" he laughed, coughing and laughing despite the pain.

"So you would go to any length to acquire the eyes?"

"You can judge me all you want but anyone would've done the same. What make you think everyone isn't secretly looking for the eyes?" Cackling in laughter. Seraphine cringed, seeing the gap where his fangs ought to have been. "I can wager that majority are already in search for it. Who wouldn't want to control such a powerful tool?"

With a clenched jaw, Xavier's voice raised higher in anger, "what if a creature had been given without our knowledge?"

"Then it is just a matter of time before it will be discovered, and when that happens, the creature will rue the day he was born. He will either run all his lives or give up his freedom forever, nothing will save such creature" Lord Vanderbilt bellowed in laughter before howling in pain once again.

Seraphine backed away, ashened and frightened as Vanderbilt's statement rang in her ears, she kept walking till she found herself at the courtyard of the building.

The people didn't give the lady on a spectacle walking aimlessly a second look, Seraphine finally paused with a blank mind, she didn't know what to think or how she felt, she hugged herself tighter as she looked at the horizon.

Xavier gently tapped her on her shoulder, "let's go"

She turned to him, "Why did you really bring me here?" One could think she was whispering with how low her voice had become due to her devastated mood.

"This is not the right place to start the conversation" he walked past her.

As soon as they entered the carriage, Seraphine yanked off her spectacle, Xavier immediately braced himself for whatever might be coming.

"You deliberately took me to that place so I could hear Lord Vanderbilt's confession, didn't you?" Throwing him a hurtful look.

"I did no such thing. Remember I told you to wait for me. How did you even find the torture room?"

"I was chased by a rat! If you had come as quickly as promised, perhaps I wouldn't be"

If their conversation was a lighter one, perhaps Xavier would have had a good laugh but unfortunately it wasn't. He had known the moment she got close to the torture area. He had wanted to look for a way to make her go back but decided against it, perhaps if hearing what could become of her if people know about her would make her be more careful, then so be it.

"I didn't know I was going to be late, I only knew he would be given the truth serum when I got there and I wanted to be present."

Seraphine released her hair from the scarf, she felt hot and tired, wishing she could dip herself in a cold water to calm her racing heart and nerves.

"When did you notice my presence?"

"As soon as you entered the building"

"So you knew all along that I was there and still went ahead to ask him that question?" She narrowed her eyes.

Xavier immediately felt a tightening in his chest, he knew she hurt by his action and also was unaware that her emotion had taken over, causing the pain he was feeling in his heart "Seraphine" he called calmly, "could you please calm down and put on your glasses?"

"Why? Why should I calm down when I just heard that I might probably be hunted for the rest of my life over something I don't even have a control over" raising her arms helplessly, "that is if it didn't killed me first!" She muttered.

He groaned softly as he felt his heart tightened even more, gritting his teeth in pain, since he still had control of his limps, as the carriage rode forward, Xavier swiftly gripped her arms and wrapped his arms around her waist as he swept her away, bursting out from the carriage through its roof.