Claws of Eternity ✔️

Chapter 6: Monsters

GISELLE

The tension in the room seemed to grow. Giselle felt the uncomfortable beating of her heart, loud thuds became stronger as Rosa stared at her without a word.

"What key is the poem talking about?" She asked suddenly. Giselle remembered the key and went for the wooden chest again. She didn't understand one thing about the poem, but that last line haunted her since she's read it for the first time. Her mother wanted her to go to the Inquisition Tower, for whatever reason.

Giselle handed the key to Rosa, a large, bronze key with a cross on the other end.

"This is a Byzantine cross, why does your mother have a key with a Byzantine cross for an ending?" Rosa asked.

"Or, a better question. Why does she want me to go to the Inquisition Tower?" Giselle asked.

"You are not going to the Inquisition Tower." Rosa said, her voice colder than Giselle has ever heard it. This determination in here eyes... it was there because Rosa knew she couldn't fight Giselle on this. The decision has been made.

"I am going to the Inquisition Tower." Giselle stated.

"You want to find a witch so she could remove the mercury from your blood. I get that. But Giselle, dealing with the Devil always has a price! What if somebody finds out and they want to burn you at the stake? What then?" Rosa panicked, her cheeks were red and her eyes watery.

Giselle knew she was asking too much, she knew her best friend couldn't handle any of this. But to Giselle, it all seemed so trivial. This life seemed trivial. But her mother sent her a message and she desperately needed it to mean something. This stranger that came to Carcassonne, this stranger that felt like a monster to Giselle, she needed him to mean something.

"They will not burn me at the stake, Rosa. Because once I get mercury out of my blood, I am leaving Carcassonne forever." Once Giselle said those words out loud, she finally realised it was exactly what she wanted to do. Rosa began to cry again.

"This isn't right," Rosa mumbled through the tears, "this isn't God's plan. You will... oh, God, I will go to Hell if I help you. Endless torment, nothing else. That is what awaits." Rosa began walking up and down the room, her hands in her styled hair, her voice desperate. "We will burn, forever, you and me both. Don't you understand?!"

"Shut up, Rosa. Just shut up." Giselle's words were dry, weary. "Save preaching for later. We need to go to the damn ball. And then we need to tell Adam that I am terribly sick and you need to tend me tonight."

Giselle knew she played a dangerous game. And it felt so, so good.

"Giselle, think about this. You can't defend yourself, you don't have any weapons." Rosa said, probably deciding she cannot persuade Giselle any other way. But Giselle didn't have enough feelings in her to care, She has spent it all on the fear building up inside her gut.

"Not all weapons are made of steel."

"You know, Giselle, I've looked up to you. Your boldness, your strength, your ability. But it's all empty, because you are never truly happy. There is something underneath, I've seen it when we were little, something devious is roaming through your skin. I didn't want to believe it, but I suppose it's true. The Devil is in you." Rosa's tears dried up.

For the first time tonight, they agreed on something.

"If the Devil is in me, he isn't taking good care of his protégés." Giselle smiled dryly and Rosa crossed herself, but said nothing.

"Now put on the damn dress, we have a ball to attend."

The great hall of Carcassonne was illuminated by thousands of candles. Long, wooden tables covered with rich red tablecloths stood connected to each other forming a line all the way down the hall. Compelling harp music reached Giselle's ears as she entered. Rosa followed her, being her chaperone for the night. She had a light yellow gown on, embroidered with tiny red flowers.

Giselle's legs hurt more than earlier today at the funeral and she barely kept her back straight as she walked down the great hall. Giselle loved food, but she was way too sick to eat. A sting of sadness washed over her as she smelt different kinds of meat served on the tables. Every animal on the table was surrounded by all sorts of vegetables, the most expensive herbs and so much mustard. Giselle's favourite meat was also the rarest, beef. Three years ago, Giselle would have devoured every single drop of sauce from the meat and eaten her entire trencher. She could barely open her mouth now. Her teeth hurt.

Noblemen and noblewomen sat and talked, some stuffed food in their mouth while they talked. Some looked at Giselle and smirked at her dress, her naked shoulders but she never cared much about that. Ladies in the castle hated her for as long as she has known herself. And Giselle couldn't quite recall their names. Amalia and the flock of chickens all sat next to each other, throwing dirty looks towards Giselle. Giselle caught Amalia's stare and pushed down the most dangerous look she could utter. Amalia removed her gaze.

Then she saw him. His intense stare burning through her skin. He had the same crimson robe he had on earlier today, the rest of his clothes black. Jack looked much paler than earlier, Giselle thought to herself, that made him look somewhat dangerous. But she chose to approach him anyway. Rosa immediately followed calling after her.

"Where are you...?" Rosa stopped as they heard Jack speak.

"Good evening, milady. I was hoping to see you here." He said to Giselle as soon as he saw them, taking Giselle's hand in his. He kissed it lightly and Giselle felt herself shiver. Almost like he noticed, a sly smile appeared on his face. "Milady." He turned to Rosa, kissing her hand as well.

"I'm not a lady, my Lord." Rosa said blushing.

"You are in my eyes." Jack said. Giselle swallowed a lump forming in her throat. Something about this man made here feel uneasy.

"Are you alright, Giselle? If I may call you Giselle." He asked looking deeply into her eyes. The urge to move washed over her once she noticed the slight red around his pupils. Nothing else, a simple, tiny circle of red in the middle of his eyes. Something about him is off. Giselle thought.

"We should find Lord Adam." Rosa seemed to be unnerved next to Giselle and she precisely knew why. A strange aura surrounded this man, an aura of fear, of craving. Giselle wanted him, she realised. And she wanted to run away from him.

"We simply came to be polite. I am terribly sick and afraid I won't make it until the end of the evening." Giselle managed to utter.

"I am sorry to hear that, I can accompany you, if need be." Jack offered. Giselle's thoughts became foggy very fast, she needed to say yes, she wanted to say yes. What is going on? Giselle asked herself again. Then another voice spoke. You want to go with him. Yes, you want him to accompany you. You don't need Rosa.

"Giselle, we should find Adam." Rosa grabbed her arm and Giselle felt her worry. But this stranger was way too compelling. He can take care of you. He would gladly take care of you.

"He is off talking trade, please, milady, if you are not feeling well, I can get you to your chambers safely." Jack said and Giselle nodded, unsure why. She didn't really want to be alone in her room with this man. But you do.

"I," Rosa interrupted, taking Giselle by her arm, "am taking her to her chambers. As soon as we let Lord Adam know Giselle is sick and doesn't want to be disturbed tonight. That applies to everybody."

Rosa dragged Giselle down the hall and once they were far enough away, Giselle's thought came back to her. Almost like her head came down and moments before it was floating somewhere high.

"What did just happen?" Giselle asked Rosa.

"You tell me, you were ready to invite him to your chambers!" Rosa said, trying to keep her voice down.

"Let's go find Adam and then go hunt a witch." Giselle said, shaking her head of this strange feeling that an intrusion has been committed. Something wasn't right, something about Jack O'Neal wasn't right.

You will always recognize monsters before they come for you. Giselle remembered her mother's words. It's a damn shame she chose the monster to take her out of Carcassonne.