Black Ice ✓ | Deathsworn #1

Chapter 12 ∞ Guest

Six years passed and I was finally twelve years old.

Having been raised as a shut-in and being one in my past life, it was no surprise when I had practically no desire to leave the gates of the House. My mistresses kept a close eye on my needs, but I was so low maintenance—save for my picky taste in food—that they practically had to worry about nothing. For most of the days, I sat contented under the shade of my favorite tree while reading books. Occasionally, I left the House to meet with my best friend of six years, Eren.

Honestly, I didn't even think this friendship would last that long.

Starting my sixth birthday, I had begun to be subjected to a lot of intense lessons. My mistresses were very strict with it, as well. I would bet that my level of schooling was not any less than what the kingdom's nobilities were getting at my age. It must be because of the concern over my potentially having the element of death.

After everything that had happened so far, it made a lot of sense.

Amber was my guide in the afterlife. In a sense, he was a grim reaper. He had everything to do with death. conversation that I overheard between Mistress Veronika and my foster mother, Hellenia.

I simply assumed it was part of my education. Considering I was homeschooled, I had to rely on my mistresses to do most of the teaching. Mistress Marga and Mistress Lili took the bulk of the theoretical stuff—stuff I didn't really enjoy but had to learn still.

It was a cool day out. Summer was beginning to fade. Mistress Kora and I had just finished a day in the garden. Transitioning seasons meant quite some work on gardening from our part as the plants needed prepping so that they fared well into the year. Not to mention there was a pest control situation in the courtyard about a stray little beast with a squirrel-like behavior burrowing unwanted holes and other...things. Mistress Kora was practically screaming out his lungs in indignation as the bulbs he spent hours planting were uprooted. On the other hand, I was as tired. He was dragging me around and eating much of my alone time.

"Okay, okay. Shoo now," Mistress Kora said. "I know you're tired. Go on and I'll follow. I got to harvest some of these herbs."

"For what?" I asked.

"My stock," he told me. "I never know when anyone's going to get injured. Besides, your Mistress Lamia keeps getting headaches these days," he said.

"I can pick up the stuff for that!" I exclaimed.

"Hm. Really?" He looked at me doubtingly.

"Yep! Ginger, peppermint, clove..." I narrated.

"Good. You're learning. You know your stuff." He nodded approvingly.

After gathering the stuff for an herbal tea that could help soothe headaches and placing them in a basket, I finished up to change. I dusted myself (even though it hardly removed the literal soil from my clothes) and took off my garden gloves.

"Evyionne, remember to come by later! I need those papers turned in!" I heard Mistress Lili yelling. I raised my head to see her waving from a window.

I almost forgot I got homework. "Yes, mistress!"

Sighing, I took off from the garden. First, I dropped off the herbs at the kitchen where my mother was—it was where she hung out majority of the day.

"What are these for?" she asked as I put the basket of herbs on the counter beside the sink.

"An herbal tea," I said. "For Mistress Lamia."

She took the basket. "Alright, go on and get changed. I'll wash these and steep them for her."

I gave her a bright smile. Resting my wrists on my lower back, I stood there with a pause.