1692

Act III

Cake of the day: Western Style Pear, Plum, and Blackberry Orchard Fruit Cake

I sat in my chair beside the window again, the plate of fruit cake Sebastian had brought me earlier to soothe my nerves sat in my lap, and shook gently in my tremulous state as rain beat brutally against the window.

I stared straight ahead, clutching Willow's muddy bunny to my chest and shaking, still desperately trying to process what I had seen. Edmund had bit him... Bit him.... Like an animal, a wolf or something to that effect, and sliced through Willow's neck- tendons, veins, flesh- like butter. It was absolutely inhuman.

I turned and looked out the window, through the pouring rain I could see the faint crimson outline of the barn that held him. In the heat of confusion, Alfred and Walter had neglected to help that girl out. Only later did they return, and move the sleeping girl to the barn below the church.

Willow's body was collected as well; Bram said a few words as Woodsbaine lowered the boy's mutilated body into the ocean below the Cove. Sebastian threw a few scattered white rose petals into the water, as the boy had no other family to.

As I continued staring at the barn, I noticed I was beginning to grow more and more tremulous and uneasy, I could feel cold beads of sweat trickle down my face.

Suddenly, I felt an unholy pain in my stomach. I lurched, clutched my abdomen and tossing the plate of fruit cake on the carpet, shattering the porcelain dish.

I fell to my knees as I heard a droning hum in my subconscious, and the intense heat in my stomach throbbing. I screamed, holding myself tighter and crying loudly. Suddenly, my scream was stifled by a frothy, black, shiny liquid that I suddenly found flowing freely from my mouth. I fell limply to my side, more liquid flowing from my lips.

I heard a faint scratching at the window, faintly over the hum. I turned to look, my vision slowly dissolving to a staticy blur, but through the mess I saw... A bird? No, an eagle. A beautiful golden eagle, flapping its huge wings and dragging talons viciously across the window glass.

My thoughts grew slower and emptier as liquid flowed from my pale lips and my visions continually got worse.

It got harder to keep my eyes open. Harder to stay alert. I didn't know I was crying, but I felt cold tears slide down my clammy face. It was getting hard. Hard, hard to... Hard to... To...

-

"Lord, have mercy. Christ, hear us, Christ, graciously hear us. God, the father in heaven, hear us. God, the son, redeemer of the world, have mercy on us!" I was stirred from my shallow limbo to hear Sebastain's voice, furiously reciting old incantations.

I was roused enough to open my eyes, and I saw my young butler standing above me in the darkness, holding a large candle.

"Deliver us this day the precious soul of my Lady Katrina Stevenson from the cold fingers of the old deluder." He paused, taking a knee beside me. "Father, who art in heaven... Amen!!"  He viciously threw the candle against the wall, extinguishing the fame, and the room returned to a normal mid day light. I was able to move again, and all my destroyed senses had returned to normal.

I slowly sat up, my hair in a mess, and chin stained with black. Sebastian helped me to my feet, and quickly scooped me in his arms, carrying me down the hall.

"What happened?" I asked

"I'm not sure, my lady."

"What were you saying? That incantation, what was it?"

"A rite of exorcism. I mean not to trouble you, my lady, but it was the only thing that yielded any results."

"Exorcism?"

"Yes, my lady. I assure you I'm better than any first rate Exorcist you could ever find" he said with a smirk as the laid me down on the bed that I shared with Bram.

"You need to rest now, I'll fetch you when Walter has supper ready."

I nodded softly, turning to my side as Sebastian left the room. I stared out the window again, savoring the feeling of sleep slowly overtaking me. Before I closed my eyes, I remember a pair of amber eyes peering intensely in at me.

They belonged to a beautiful eagle.