The Keep

28. A Lioness' Roar

Ponderhead Place's drawing room was filled with thick anxieties when Hazel arrived. 

Rodric and his clan of ex-wives and children, and Leyla were there, with heavy expressions on their faces. Felix climbed her way to Rangga's neck as he walked into the room, as if the serpent, too, was desperately looking for something that could give her comfort.

Eyes were brought up by Hazel's and Rangga's arrival, but they soon came back down in ignorance. And the room was brought back to its gut-wrenching silence.

"I should be there," Leyla mumbled, maybe just to voice out her anxieties, or to break the sickening silence of the room. "Tatiana is there, even Hephezbuth is in there. I should be there," she repeated as she stared down to her own lap.

Rodric's three ex-wives were exchanging sighs as they rolled their eyes to answer Leyla's lonely whine.

Across the hall, from Sevrin's office, a low rumble of serious discussion was heard. It was between Sevrin, Tatiana, Aurelius, Hephezbuth, and Darius, as the main commands of the company and the household. 

As Uncles Aurelius and Hephezbuth were involved, the explosion in the Rondavel might have something to do with the Apothecary's latest decision to move toward enchanted machineries, Hazel thought. It might have something to do with the anger of those who has been let go, just like Tommy Pippins' brother's anger.

The explosion might affect the future of the whole African branch of Poison Master's Apothecary. It might affect the public's trust toward the company. It might affect the bankruptcy rate of the company. It might affect the safety of the family. 

Etta might have to transfer to Hogwarts for her safety.

As if she was being pulled into a bad dream, Hazel was brought to the edge of being sick by her thought of Etta, whose fate was yet unknown to her. But Hazel refused to be brought down by her anxiety. If the worst was to come, there will be many who may have to depend on her calm and strength.

Hazel's eyes met with Rangga's. He has been staring gloomily out the window, to the Silverstream Forest. Hazel offered her faint smile, and it sent him to stare back to the thundering rain outside.

Hazel swept off the cold sweats on her clammy and cold palms, and got up to her feet in attempt to ease her stormy stomach.

Just after a few steps of her pacing, Tatiana got out of the office. Everybody was jolted up to standing at once.

Just as elegantly as her Lynx Patronus, Tatiana walked through the corridor and stopped in graceful halt just beside Hazel.

Hazel's heart dropped. She fisted her hands, which has started to shake in trembles, and hid them in her robe pockets. "It would be wise for you to go back to the Keep," Tatiana said to Hazel calmly.

"Oh!" Penelope shrieked her horror and fell back down to the couch. If Mistress of the Keep was needed to tend the Keep, there must have been a death. Knowing the direness of the situation, the other Gillivrays looked down in their grief.

"What's happened, Grandmother?" Mafalda asked.

"Some machineries were delivered to the Rondavel this morning. There must have been some faults about them, which has caused the explosion. The Aurors are tracing the House as we speak. We will know more about it soon."

"Etta?" Hazel asked.

"As for now, Etta and Uncle Edwin are being treated at the hospital. Their conditions are grim. As for Aunt Gwenn, she has passed."