Persephone's Angel

Sprain

Chapter Twenty One: Sprain

--* I was roused to the sound of a door opening and closing; I quickly turned over to find a few of the ballet dancers standing sheepishly near the threshold. "Sorry, Mademoiselle Persephone" the girls said in harmony, I nodded slowly and Abelia appeared, walking in from the kitchen; wiping her hands on a washcloth.

"Did you find him?" Abelia asked, the little girls shook their heads.

"No, Mm. Abelia, we caught sight of him and attempted to follow, but he was simply too fast; he walks like lighting, Mm. Abelia! His step is as silent as a cat's and he's as stealthy as one too! Oh, Mm. Abelia, it is impossible to follow a man like that! Especially if he does not want to be found" the same little girl who apologized to me said, Abelia nodded and turned to me; she shook her head and sighed.

"Who?" I asked quietly; my need to vomit had passed with time, but my stomach still ached and there was incredible pressure on my ankle. I glanced down to see that my ankle was held straight between two, hardwood boards that were taped together; my ankle was wrapped in white gauze.

"Your Opera Ghost" Abelia replied, she turned back to the ballet girls. "Go back out and if you see him, yell that Penny is injured; there is not a single doubt in my mind he will not oblige you then. Off with you!" Abelia said, shooing them out. She sighed and threw the washcloth on the counter in the kitchen, walking over to me and sitting on the side of the couch; she smiled.

Within seconds, however, the room was again filled with the gaggle of ballet dancers; Abelia immediately stood and was demanding to know why they came back when one of the girls silenced her. "Monsieur William is here with Monsieur Devere....they are looking for Mm. Persephone" the little girl whispered; all of the other little, ballet girls were pressed against the door, they had no need to, though. Even I, being impaired and quite a ways from the door, heard the monsieur's conversation.

"...A-And just like that? She spat in your face?" Monsieur William said; they paused conveniently before the door.

"Oui"

"What in God's name did you do next?" M. William asked; M. Devere sighed.

"Something that I'm not particularly proud of; I uh...I kicked her a few times" M. Devere said, there was a short pause and M. William began laughing.

"I beg your pardon; I thought you said that you kicked her a few times!" M. William said, still laughing.

"I uh....I did"

"You did...what?" M. William hissed, it sounded as if his teeth were gritted.

"Allow me to explain, Willia--"

"There is no explanation for that! Assaulting a woman? Especially the woman of my dreams? How dare you! How dare you even think--"

"It was for you! I gave her a taste of her own medicine, William!"

"That is no excuse, Leon!" Monsieur William yelled there was a brief pause and all we heard was William's elevated breathing. "I swear on everything I hold dear, Leon, you will taste something other than medicine" William added; then, there were a few grunts and something that sounded like a body hit the ground. There was a peep hole in the door; out of this the ballet girls had stared the entire time this argument ensued.

Apparently, William punched Vicomte Devere so hard he fell to the ground!

But, to me, there seemed to be something off about it. Nothing in particular, just, the entire conversation seemed...staged. 

Rehearsed.

A few moments later and Abelia sent the girls away again; away to go get my Erik.