Chapter 87

EDWIN was looking at his sister, who was looking adoringly at her husband. He knew that Emily loved Ian and Edwin could sense that the Marquis of Kain was a very good man. But could Edwin trust him enough to not be too hard on his sister while he was away again? Edwin focused on the choker that Emily wore, knowing what that meant.
Knowing that Lord Dorian Hassildor, the Marquis of Kain, was one of them. And he had converted Emily to his side.
Edwin sighed, looking at the tea before sipping it. He knew that coming here was a mistake, but he couldn't leave Emily to be with her husband. But it would seem that he was mistaken, for Emily had vowed to be with Ian forever.
And perhaps I have to make do with that fact now, he mused before Edwin was smiling at the young couple. He put his teacup down, smiling as he was intertwining his fingers together.
“Well, I suppose I will tell you why I asked you about this visit, Emily,” Edwin said, as he was taking a deep breath. Then, he spoke about his true intention of the visit.
“I will be away for a while, perhaps leaving this country on research that I have been conducting at the Institute,” he said. Emily snapped her lovely brown eyes at him. She furrowed her eyebrows as she was staring at his face. Edwin smiled as he knew that expression well enough.
Fierce as the child that she was before and blossomed to be the lady that she was today.
“Leave the country? Where are you going, brother? How long? To who?” Emily asked him as Edwin held up his hand. He knew that Emily would be worried when he was not around for 8 years and that was when he had just washed ashore at Chentersea. Now, he’s leaving the country with the possibility of not coming back. Edwin chuckled, smiling weakly as he was looking at his sister.
“Emily, I have been granted the opportunity by the Institute to do some research in the name of the young queen. I know you just got me back but I can assure you that nothing will happen and if something did happen,” Edwin leaned forward as she was staring at him. Edwin smiled.
“Know that you will always be in my heart, near and far, my dear sister,” he whispered as Emily was smiling, knowing that was the phrase that they shared long ago when the nights were unbearable for them to bear with the sudden death of their parents. And Edwin broke that promise when he disappeared, but this time, he would not go elsewhere without telling Emily.
And he trusted Ian to look after his sister while he was gone.
“This is for the future of the country and I will not be going alone. Two more lords will be joining me and we will have a blast. Then, we got bored and came back. I promise you, Emily,” Edwin stared at his sister.
“I will come back,” he said, as Emily was searching his face. Then, she nodded as Edwin was smiling. They were silent for a while but he knew that he had done the right thing by coming here again and telling his sister, who had just had him back, had been gone. Again.

EMILY was waving her hand as her brother was waving at her before climbing into the carriage that Ian insisted her brother take. She sighed as the coachman whipped the reins and the carriage moved forward. She sighed before she felt her husband’s arms surround her body with his warmth. Emily smiled as Ian was kissing her temple.
“Everything will be fine, my love. I’m sure he will be back,” he said quietly as Emily nodded, wishing that her husband was right and she needed to trust her brother that he would be coming back to the country and find his way home. Again. Emily hugged herself as she was sighing, wanting to make sure that her brother would be alright.
Dear Gods, help my brother when he’s in trouble, she prayed as she was looking at the dawn that was coming from the skies. She smiled before turning to look at her husband.
“Shall we make our way to the dining hall then? I think I am famished,” she said before Ian was arching his eyebrows.
“Are you sure you’re famished with food, or something else, my love?” Ian teased her as he brought her closer. Emily giggled as she rubbed their noses together.
“You know which one I want, but we have to keep our appearance for polite society, my love. They’re there,” she whispered as Ian was looking in the direction that his wife indicated. The older women of The Gossipers were lurking around as they were getting ready to get to their homes.
Ian chuckled softly before he was dragging Emily inside, knowing that they had to keep a good impression of the marquis and marchioness of Kain.
Only in private will they not have the restrictions on being who they truly were.

FAR away in the land of legends and folklore, a young woman was reading the tomes that were being concealed by the gentry as well as royalty. She knew that she must have been on their wanted list if she ever told the public that she had indulged in the myths of the creatures that were being observed and written in those tomes; vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, and warlocks.
And to some extent, including the mythical creatures that once ruled the skies of Niapachad Island; flying creatures known as dragons. The lady in question smiled as she was flipping through the pages, but not until she knew what she was getting into.
She knew that she had been requested by a new benefactor with the name of A, as she was also known as an alias. She who everyone called Miss J. It was no surprise when the new benefactor was reaching out to her, wanting to sponsor her work on the research of the truth as well as the gossip and tabloids that were floating around the island. She was an enthusiast to know about the real history of the island.
The Origins did not disclose to the descendants of their history, only what they had learned from the tome titled The History of Niapachad Island, from the perspective of The Origins, first edition. But it would seem that that information has been curated by those in powerful positions.
And Miss J wanted to demolish that by doing the right research and exposing it to the commoners for free. This was one step of Miss J trying to gain her independence and forward-thinking, for nothing seemed to be holding Miss J’s attention more than a span. But that will change when she finally meets her match…