Secrets in the Shadows

Chapter Nineteen

She had missed the familiar sound of someone knocking on the oak door to her house. Unlike in the palace where everything was majestic, her home was humble and more like who she was. A simple little healer from the White Kingdom. When her father opened the door and saw her there, he almost burst into tears. They looked at each other with tears glistening eyes before her father reached out and hugged her tightly." Welcome home daughter", Alanon whispered close to her daughter's ear.

Father and daughter looked at each and Alanon knew by the look in Maev's eyes that he was going to be interrogated. It was only then that he noticed the presence of the creature behind Maev. Only her gaze was enough to make him angry, but he knew that he had to control himself. Maev realized that Zurie's presence was annoying her father, but they had no other choice but to allow that creature into their home which will cause a lot of gossiping around the Kingdom.

They walked inside the house and Zurie followed them. The vampire had this serious look on her face that Maev didn't like. It was obvious that Zurie didn't like her, but the feeling was mutual!

" How have you been? Did they treat you well?!", her father asked and didn't care that Zurie was there." Yes... well ... nothing like home", Maev said and Zurie turned and looked at her with furrowed brows.

" It's the truth Zurie, your Kingdom will never feel like a home for me!”, Maev said. Their guest remained quiet but still had the serious look on her face. Maev rolled her eyes as she asked the vampire to follow her and showed her the guest room. She told her chaperon that she could relax for a while since she was not going anywhere, but the vampire just looked at her and didn't say a single word.

Maev left her in her room and walked back to the sitting area and sat down opposite her dad.

" Why did she have to come here?", her father asked her in a whispering tone.

" Because I tried to run away once", Maev whispered back.

" What?!", exclaimed her father.

" It's a long story and I don't want to talk about it. How are you around here?", she asked her father as she grabbed a red apple from the wooden fruit basket.

" The same we are still trying to find out who killed your brother-in-law. We are doing our investigation which is leading us to nowhere ", her father said with a sad tone.

" Oliver, that was his name", Maev said looking at her dad as she took a bite of the apple.

From the corner of her eyes, Maev spotted Zurie standing close to the entrance to the sitting-room door looking at them." Well maybe Zurie can tell us .. what was Oliver like? What happened to him?", Maev asked but the female vampire glared at her and walked back to her room.

" What did I say?", Maev asked and looked at her father, who shrugged his shoulders.

" I want to go see mother Fae", Maev said walking towards the door.

" Maev about mother Fae, ... she is sick ...and she is dying..", her father said with a sad voice.

" What?! Why didn't you send someone to tell me about her health issues? I have to go see her!", Maev said as she rushed to the door and didn't wait for her father to answer.

Maev ran towards mother Fae's house. Jumping over fallen branches and running through shrubs. She didn't have time to admire her Kingdom after being away for so long. She had never been away from her home for that long. In her kingdom all of the houses looked almost the same, large double-story wooden cottages were for the most important people in the Kingdom and the smaller ones were for families.

Maev picked up her pace when mother Fae's house came to sight, her heart was beating faster not only from the fact that she was running, but because she didn't know what she was going to find out when she gets there. Her only hope was that she will be there in time before mother Fae takes her last breath.

" Mother Fae!", she shouted as she burst into her house and she noticed that there were other people around. They all turned to look at her with a sad look on their face.

" My child..", she heard her replied in a faint voice. Everyone moved out of the way and Maev’s face was clouded by sadness when she saw the frail woman lying there in the bed all dressed in white.

" Mother Fae..", Maev said coming closer to her bedside and knelt. She took one of the old lady's hands into hers and gently it as a sign of respect for the elders. She placed her old friend’s hand on her cheek and tears started to roll down her face. Mother Fae asked everyone else to leave her alone with Maev.

" My child I waited for you. I'm leaving this world ... and I want you to take this", Mother Fae said raising her weak hand and pointed towards the bedside table.

Maev grabbed the necklace that was on there.

" Mother Fae but that's your necklace !", Maev exclaimed.

" It's yours now... my magic is all yours... I'm gifting it to you. Remember that, I'll forever be with you... be happy with your husband.. he will learn to love you as you will learn to love him", Mother Fae said and with those words, she closed her eyes, smiled, and took in one last breath. Maev laid her head on Mother Fae's chest and she knew that she was gone as she could feel it all around her. The smell of white Lillies always means that a soul had left and that beautiful smell means that the soul that had departed is happy, one that wouldn't linger around. At least that comforted Maev, that her friend was happy and that she will always be with her. She took the necklace and put it around her neck, she felt something like electric currents going through her entire body, and then the necklace disappeared.

Maev gently kissed mother Fae on her forehead, she stood up and slowly walked backward taking one look at the old lady whom she always took for her grandmother. As she walked out she spoke with the others who were waiting outside. Arrangements started for the burial of one of the oldest witches in the Kingdom. Tonight there will be a great feast in her name, a celebration of her life with loads of rituals.

" Why did you leave without my permission?", Zurie snapped walking towards Maev.

Maev turned and saw her coming towards her with an angry look on her face and the others moved backward. They didn't like the presence of a Bloodworth in their kingdom or close to the body of one of the most important witches in the Kingdom. It was a lack of respect and no one was liking this attitude of that Vampire. Zurie glared at all of them and Maev didn't like the way she was treating her people." Stop it Zurie! As your Queen, I ask you to show respect!", Maev raised her voice at the female vampire." My Queen! Ha! You are not my queen ... when his majesty will find out that your people killed Oliver he will surely end your reign !", Zurie shouted back at her.

Maev was furious that she didn't show any respect for her and she had been humiliated in front of her people.

" I want you to go back to your Kingdom!", Maev shouted at her and Zurie laughed.

" I will not go until my work is done here!", Zurie said crossing her arms and looking at her.

" What work?! What are talking about?", Maev shouted at her but Zurie didn't answer as she stood there with a smirk on her face.

" If you will not answer then I know who would tell me what is going on!", Maev answered.

She turned, exchanged a few words with her people, and then she hurried back to her house. She quickly grabbed her unpacked bag and made her way downstairs only to bumped into her father who was coming upstairs.

" Where are you going?", her father asked staring at the bag in her hand with a frown.

" I have to sort out something with my husband and then I promise I'll be back!", Maev said and then hurried to the black carriage.

Zurie sat in the seat opposite her with a smirk on her face. Maev couldn’t be bothered about her , she was thinking about a thousand things at the same time.She closed her eyes trying to relax but she was impatient to reach the Bloodworth Kingdom and wished that the horses would actually fly to the Kingdom.

As they stopped outside the Kingdom , Maev hurried to the mansion. She walked around like a crazy person trying to figure out where Kramer could be. She walked up to his office and opened the door without knocking and the sight she saw infuriated her even more.

She stood there and clapped her hands loudly, Kramer and Mara turned to look at her both surprised to see her there.

" Well, my husband makes me leave so that he could be with his lover and then send someone to spy on my people and me!", Maev said still clapping her hands.

Kramer looked at her and narrowed his eyes. He wondered why he couldn't sense that she was there.

" Mara leave me alone with Maev", Kramer said and his lover grabbed her shirt on the floor and put it on as she looked at an infuriating Maev and smiled.

She walked past her and whispered, " Now you know why", and then laughed as she walked out.

Maev wanted to grab her by her hair and take her anger out on her but she knew that the fight would have turned into a deadly one.

As the door closed Kramer walked behind his desk still fixing his shirt.

" Why did you come back?", he asked with a serious tone.

" Why did you send that woman to spy on me and my people?", Maev asked angrily.

" Who told you that?", Kramer asked calmly as he sat down at his desk.

He wondered if Zurie had told her anything about their plan.

" Nobody told me I figure it out on my own! You better stay away from my Kingdom.. no one there killed your brother!", Maev shouted at him.

" Do not raise your voice at me Maev!", Kramer shouted and he stood up slamming his hands on the table as he glared at her.

" I will raise my voice whenever I want...For my people, I will defend them with everything I've got! And you better not cross the line again Kramer Grand otherwise you will have to deal with me!", Maev said and turned to walk away.

" Where do you think you are going?", Kramer asked and in seconds he was standing in front of her.

" I'm going back home even if I have to walk! I’m not spending one more day in this hell!”, Maev said glaring at her husband.

They stood there staring at each other, anger flashing in their eyes. A knock on the door made them look away as Kramer asked the person to come in.Zurie walked in and looked at them, and at the sight of her Maev became more upset.

" Your spy is here to report! I wonder what lies she will be feeding you with!", Maev said crossing her arms over her chest.

Kramer told Maev to wait for him in her bedroom,

" I'm not waiting for you, I'm going home!", Maev said.

" I said to wait for me!", Kramer shouted at her and Maev glared at him and then walked out.

" Sir ... I got carried away a bit. I was upset at her because she left to go see an old witch which was her friend", Zurie said in a soft tone not looking at Kramer.

" Now we wouldn't know anything! Was anything said whilst you were there?!", Kramer asked angrily. He was disappointed in Zurie and she could see that.

" Not really.. except I heard her telling her father that your brother's name was Oliver", Zurie said bending her head.

" You may Leave now", Kramer said showing her the door.

Kramer slammed his hand on the table, he was aware that his plan had failed and now an angry Maev was waiting for him in her room.

He ran a hand through his hair and made his way towards Maev's room, somehow he felt that the woman who was standing in front of him a while ago, was not the same one who had left this Kingdom a few hours ago. Something was strange about her and he had to figure out what it was.