To Raise the Dead- Book Three

Ch. 17- The Snake

"The head never rules the heart, but just becomes its partner in crime."

***

Kellan

It feels weird to be in the castle again. It's been ages since I last have seen the portraits of Sebastian's ancestors or the marble floor beneath me. There has been a lot of things I missed while I was gone. But I'm here now until I get another job.

I sat at the long black dining table that could fit at least fifty people. It was smooth to the touch and candles were lined in a row in the middle of it. Plates and utensils were placed neatly where the chairs stood. Tiny glasses filled with blood were beside each one of them. It made me wish I grew up like this. Like royalty. But unfortunately, I did not.

Sebastian sat at the end of the table, taking a sip of his glass of blood. Elora sat at his corner, while I sat right across from her. Their friends, however, were there too. One of them, Elora's brother I suppose, sat beside me. He and his sister were the only ones that had the sparkling champagne in their glass instead of blood. Ellie and her friend Grace were there too, alongside Jackson. This should be an interesting dinner.

I straightened and turned towards the red-headed girl that was the source of all this trouble with Sebastian. "It's nice to finally meet you, Elora Miller. I've heard many things about you." I smiled. I noticed that she wore comfortable clothes, nothing like the fancy garments that everyone else wore.

She smiled back at me, a genuine one at that. I was taken aback. "After this year, I'm sure they're all bad. But nevertheless, I heard you helped me come back. Thank you, Kellan." Everyone stared at her while she took a sip of her champagne.

"Anything for my friends." I told her. "How are you holding up?"

"My sister is doing fine." her brother, Jasper, told me. "Thanks for asking."

I turned. "Was I asking you? No." I looked back at Elora. "I was asking the only person who has been resurrected."

"Kellan." Sebastian warned.

"It's okay," she said finally, putting a hand on his arm. "I'm doing alright. Besides being cold all the time and the nightmares, I'm holding up just fine. Now is this dinner about me or enjoying good company?"

"You're right, Elora. I apologize." I smirked. She shot me a confusing glare before turning to face the rest of them.

The dinner continued on, everyone talking about Elora's birthday or the wedding. Normal things that they would talk about. But I knew far better than to believe that girl. I knew there was something wrong because nobody rises from the dead without some sort of consequence. She said she was having nightmares, but is that all she was having? I looked over to Ellie and I saw that she wasn't talking, just staring at the window behind me. It made me wonder if she anything about Elora. Maybe she did, but I wanted to find out.

After the dinner was over, I retreated to my room. I dialed my phone and Emrys picked up on the third ring. "Kellan, how's royalty treating you?" he asked.

"Listen, I need your help." I told him.

"Of course you do. What is it?"

"Get me out of this castle before I stab myself with a wooden stake. I need a reason to leave."

"So make up an excuse, you're good at lying."

"Fine. But I was checking to see how everything is doing over there. How is Mairi? You and Theodore better not be drinking all the good stuff."

"Everything and everyone is fine. Don't you worry, I've got it covered."

"That should ease my worry but it doesn't. I'll be back in a few days, and I think I got us invited to a wedding by accident."

"Nothing more exciting than a royal wedding, don't you think?"

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, talk to you later."

I ended the call and went out of my room again. I had to get out of this castle, I needed fresh air.

I needed to know what is happening to Elora.

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