The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 48: Before the Midnight Hour

I let the whole room be quiet before proceeding on speaking.

"The situation in Dalcanoraz has not turned for over ten years, I gather," I said stiffly. "Based on what I have seen while I am here, this is the closest that the Haefen got to overtaking the Eirini, am I not right?"

Regulus nodded grimly.

"As of now, the children from Dalcanoraz are stranded within this academy," he said. "It would be difficult to get them out without the guards and mercenaries from the Haefen not noticing. Does my lady have any alternative or plan?"

I knew what he was trying to say or ask, in this instance. If I were to take a position within the Dalcanorian Territories, I should first get out of this country first and travel all the way to the Dalcanoraz. But I could not do that if I would only rely to their power which was restricted within this academy only.

There were a lot of things going against us. First was the location of the countries, I was too far to make the trip within just days. Second was the influence of the Haefen all over the world that might prevent us in a lot of ways. And finally, there were people just waiting outside of the academy's premises, waiting for anyone within the Academia Amitiel to make any moves.

"The protection barrier, essentially the Blessing, all around the academy is the only thing that's protecting over the students," Isaiah said. "But it wouldn't hold for long, my lady. The Middle Ground has long been abolished from its standing as an official Middle Ground."

"That's right," Headmistress Henrietta agreed. "The ancient Blessing is wearing thin. Even now, there's still someone who's brave enough to kidnap all of those poor students. We don't even know if they are still alive or not."

I remembered Bianca and her glowing smile. The fact that I also was not certain whether she was alive or not made the feeling of guilt surged through me. I know that I was not the one who did that to her or caused her disappearance, but somehow I still felt as though I was being held responsible.

"I know that," I said coldly. "But like you, I cannot really do anything as of the moment. I'm still recuperating from losing my memories and my training under the Lord of Immortality is not finish yet."

There were hints and glints of disappointment on their faces and I knew that they would certainly show that right in front of me.

Before we went here, of course Leigh told us a few things.

"You should be honest about your current state," Leigh said that time.

There was this one dinner that he told us to gather at the drawing table where Eris would be lounging and relaxing after dinner. I knew at the moment he told us that he has something important to say that it would not be the usual tea party we have.

"Your condition has become better," Leigh told us, there was this stern expression on his face that I usually do not see on his beautiful countenance. "But it's not enough to force your way through the mercenaries and bounty hunters waiting outside the Blessing."

I thought hard and when I turned to Cocytus, I saw him also pondering about it.

"But how would Seraphin order grandfather and the others around? Or just make them follow and support her?" he asked i succession which were exactly my own questions.

"Would that not be my disadvantage?" I asked. "They could turn me in to the Haefen any time and they knew that I have nothing to turn to when it comes to the worst time. Besides gaining recognition from Haefen by turning me in to them and the children from the Dalcanoraz, the Amitiel family would have a significantly more power than what the royal family is currently giving them."

"Exactly," Cocytus agreed.

"That's why you must make them cling to you, Seraphin," Eris said instead of Leigh. "And this is where Cocytus would prove useful."

"Be ambiguous," Leigh advised me. "Whether it is the Eirini or the Haefen, you should not tell them who you will be siding with and they will ask you directly. And Cocytus..." he turned into his foster son. "Make them believe you two are in a relationship."

I almost spit blood out of my mouth. The same disgusted expression could also be seen on Cocytus' face. Like he wanted to say something but his face has turned green and there seemed to be something that was stuck on his throat, making him unable to talk.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"So they would think that they would have a higher position that it would not matter whether you side either with the Eirini or the Haefen," Leigh said seriously.

I nodded, understanding what Leigh meant but the disgusted tint on my face never left my face. Cocytus was like... my cousin, or my uncle basically, and to think that Leigh wanted us to pretend, even though it was just to pretend, still bothered me.

"If I'm your cousin," Cocytus suddenly said as we were both walking to our respecting rooms, "then what is Lord Deo to you? Would that make him your great-great uncle?"

I shook my head at him. "Do not ever put such an idea to my mind. Deo is—"

"Is a hundred of years and years old Deity," Cocytus said. "I know you probably like him, but the age difference is just huge. Besides, Lord Deo and Leigh are colleagues. Or some sort of colleagues at least."

I frowned at him then quickly banished any thoughts of it to focus on the matter at hand. Beside me, Cocytus has already started talking to his family. Leigh said that we should be confident in dealing with Regulus Amitiel and Cocytus seemed to be more confident that I was.

I guess the coldness and indifference from my gaze was enough for them, but I still felt lacking of something.

"We have other ways how Seraphin would get out of the academy, but there are some of the matters here that she still needs to deal with," he said smoothly.

Headmistress Henrietta looked like she would very much like to ask what those matters where and what was the other ways that Cocytus said, but her nephew was already moving on to other topics.

We proceeded on eating. Once in a while, someone, either of the three adults with the exception for Amelia Amitiel, would ask Cocytus and me some questions. I do not mind it and the pressure that I was feeling has been alleviated to the point that the slight racing of my heart due to anxiety has almost faded.

When we finished eating, the ones who cleaned up were Henrietta and Isaiah. Amelia led me to the little living room just a few steps away from the circular table. I realized then why it must a circular table where they set up the food. If we all sat in a rectangular table, they would have to mark everyone by their official titles and, inevitably, I would be in the head with Cocytus by my right and Regulus Amitiel by my left or on the other end of the table. Cocytus' father would have no choice but to concede his seat to his own son.

It would demean them, but if they insisted that I should respect their seats and just sit on one of the seats, it would mean that they were outright demeaning me. And that would not have been allowed in Dalcanorian tradition and so their solution was a circular table.

I know that it was just a simple thing, but every implications and the smallest details mean something.

"Has Lady Elliot Alaric enjoyed the food?" Amelia Amitiel asked me in a very mild tone.

I nodded before answering her, "Yes, it's very good."

My eyes then glided to Acheron Amitiel who has not uttered a word since Cocytus and I both arrived. There was something that sets him apart from his family who would always look down on me. Although he has the same tint of arrogance on they way he moved about, there was also a certain delicacy on him.

"My lady, this is my brother-in-law, Acheron," Amelia said and I'd like to joke about how Acheron and Cocytus have the same theme of names.

Then I realized that must be offensive for Acheron whose mother die just a few years ago so I did not attempted to even joke about the conception of his name in fear of bringing a topic that was forbidden to talk about.

Acheron, like everyone, was very courteous towards me. He stood up from where he sat and executed a small bow for me.

"My lady," Acheron greeted me.

He was breathtaking and I was not certain how he was so, but I found myself looking more as I had earlier. I tried to scrutinize his face and find how he was so beautiful. Earlier, I did not pay much attention to him but now that I had, I found it hard to take my eyes away from him.

"Uncle," said Cocytus which had me broken out of my daze looking at Acheron Amitiel. He then looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

"It is nice meeting you," I told Acheron and extended my hand which he accepted and kissed briefly. Unlike his siblings, there was a certain, a very particular, air about him.

He has fairy blood, I thought and it should have been apparent to me but maybe the fairy blood within Headmistress Henrietta and their eldest, Isaiah, was not as dominant as it was with Acheron.

"Drink," Cocytus told me and reached for a glass of sparkling wine. I grabbed it from his hand and savored the scent of it.

It was not as potent as I had been offered earlier at the table. Watered down and light, I slightly drank and could taste the slight bitterness of it. It smoothly went down my throat and looked out of the window. Outside, I saw the golden butterfly fluttering around seemingly like a light house in the middle of the sea.

"I heard that Lady Alaric Elliot is also a year older than Acheron," Amelia suddenly started to speak. They were now seated on the long couch while I was sitting on a stool, gazing at the snow falling outside.

"Yes," I answered Amelia, "I am indeed a year older than him, but I just started my study in Amitiel a couple of months back."

"The Lady Alaric Elliot is good at combat and magic, Lord Phlegethon has told me," Regulus intervened Amelia's amiable start of conversation.

"I still lack a lot of skills, Mr. Amitiel," I answered humbly. "But I am indeed incline to combat and magic."

We talked more about combat and magic. The Amitiel family's heirlooms were also brought out and I took notice that no one has said about Cocytus' plane but wickedly sharp scimitar. I could not say that the weapon I often used was the Deity of Light's own weapon, the light butterflies, because Cocytus and Leigh both told me that it would only open an avenue for Regulus, Isaiah, and Headmistress Henrietta to question me about the Deity of Light's involvement with me.

It was better not to touch the topic about Deo.

When we went back to the house, we were thirty minutes shy away from the midnight hour. I only drank a few glasses, but Cocytus only drank one glass and he was already swaying. He was mumbling a few times and I found his lightheadedness kind of cute. I commanded one of the golden butterflies to carry him by his collar and because I found him cute, he has been hanging like that for the length of our journey between the cottage where the Amitiels held the little dinner and the mansion where we would go.

I saw the malicious intent behind Regulus' eyes, the greed within that hid behind the smile of his children, and I saw the exasperation behind Acheron's rare violet eyes as he mumbled to me when he sent us off.

"Don't let my family use you," he said and I now understood why he would not even look at me. He thought that I would be a pawn, but for that brief moment, he proved that I was wrong of thinking that way when he suddenly said, "and don't you dare use my family, Elisnore."

He looked at my eyes straight on, but I still thought about how beautiful this person was and whether it matched with his insides. Probably not or probably yes.

"Idris..." Cocytus suddenly called out.

I looked back at him. He was just a few paces behind me and was being carried by his collar by only a single golden light butterfly. The butterfly's wings were fluttering and I almost thought it would break beneath Cocytus' weight, but it never did.

The snow that was falling earliee has finally came to a halt. I could not still see that stars behind the heavy clouds that were hanging above the sky, but tomorrow would be the twenty-fourth and though, nobody within the house probably believed in religion, Leigh would like to hold a banquet just to celebrate our togetherness. Just so we could all pretend that we were living a normal life.

With that, I walked within the garden whose trees surrounding it have their arms interwoven.