Chapter Fifty-Nine – The old manor

The afternoon sun shone through the windows, bathing the room in a warm light. The lights where off, and the windows still broken at the end.

Talia took another step into the room, letting the memories of a happy childhood flow through her. There had been good times. Happy times where everything was at it should have been. Despite everything, she had to remember that. Everything hadn’t been all dark and gloomy. And despite all the lies, the still had those specks of joyful memories to hold on to when she needed them.

Nadine was there beside her, a reassuring hand on the shoulder.

“It’s just as we left it” Nadine whispered. “But quieter” Even though it was getting late into the afternoon there should have still been people working at the vineyard. Still been people working in the house. Unless.

She stepped around the table where vials of different shapes and sizes had been sitting earlier. They were all empty now, the content splashed about the floor, leaving odd stains on the wooden floors and carpet. Other than that everything was as they had left it, even the books on the floor from when Xavier had colided with the shelf. The only difference was the silence.

Talia kept walking, out of the library and back to the stairs, taking two steps at the time as she climbed up to the third floor.

“Grandma!” She called out for an unknown reason. Now that she was here, she wanted to see the old lady. Wanted to both hug and strangle her at the same time. It was an odd feeling. And when there was no answer, panic started to rise. What if she was really dead?

“Grandma!” Talia called out again as she got to the third floor, marching with determination towards the back where the main suite laid. The doors flung open before she even touched them, and gust of wind picking up around her. There was nothing. No one. The bed was perfectly made.

“Where is she?” Talia muttered, feeling worried. She’d been angry at her grandmother. Ready to make her meet her maker. But then she’d set foot on this place, and she couldn’t help but let the happy memories fill her. Guide her. There had been both joy, anger and sadness in her life, and it hadn’t been the end. They had messed with her body, turned her life upside down, and there was no way she could forgive that. But she didn’t want her grandmother to be dead. Not right now at least.

“Did she have a special room beside the library?” Nadine asked, wrapping her jacket closer around her. The wind had picked up again, and she didn’t like it.

“I don’t know” The worry in Talia’s voice was not to be mistaken. She worried, closing in on panic.

“Okay, then we need to think. Think and breath. We don’t want to create a tornado or hurricane in here” Nadine spoke calmly, letting just a speck of worry through. It caught Talia’s attention.

“I’m sorry. So sorry” Talia mumbled, taking slow breath and allowing the wind to die down.

“Don’t apologize” Nadine said. She wanted to say more. Tell her that they should leave, and that she needed to learn how to control her emotions, and in turn, her powers. But it wasn’t the time nor the place. And she wasn’t the right person to tell her. They were friendly, but not friends. And thought Nadine knew more about Talia’s personal life than most, she didn’t consider the younger female a friend. More like a relative of someone she cared for.

“I just want to find her” Talia sighed.

“Where was her favorite place?” Nadine wondered. The place was too quiet for anyone to be there, living and breathing, just going on about life like any other Tuesday. But they had to try. Had to be sure.

“Gardens. But I don’t…” Talia turned into a sprint, her footsteps echoing of the wooden floors as she darted down the halls and the stairs, jumping into a landing at the first floor and bolting down another hallway. This time there was no doors to fling open. The doors to her grandfather’s study were already open, like he’d walked out and not bothered to close it. That alone made her worry. He always closed the door to his study.

“This isn’t good” Nadine whispered as she caught up to Talia, lingering at the doorframe. Neither of them wanted to step inside. The scent already tipping them off.

There on the floor laid the elder woman, blood sticking to the back of her head and pooling at the side. One single hit to the head was all it had taken.

Talia almost threw up at the sight. She’d wanted the woman dead. But now that she saw her, she wanted to undo it. Wanted to take the wish back. She knew she couldn’t. And she knew her grandmother had died long before she had even thought about her death.

“That’s why everyone is gone, he chased them out” Talia whispered once she got control over her stomach content.

“We have to call the police” Nadine said, both of them eyeing the phone on the desk, neither of them wanting to step inside.

“I didn’t bring my phone” Talia admitted. She barely ever used it, could hardly remember where she’d put it last. Very unlike any other female her age.

“I brought mine” Nadine whipped up her phone but didn’t dial a number. She didn’t know the emergency numbers in France.

“Google it. And get Xavier here” Talia urged.

Nadine nodded, handing her now unlocked phone over to Talia to call the police and herself creating a portal, appearing smack in the middle of the common room. In startled several people who had yet to grow accustomed to her way of traveling. They would soon enough, if she stuck around.

“Xavier, we need you” She only poked her head out, everyone in the room looking at her with wide eyes. He was still sitting at a table, the same table she’d found Lilith at not long before. “And Lilith. Grab her. She’s in the library”

Xavier frowned at her request, but didn’t ask questions, just did as he was asked. Found Lilith in the basement library and brought her with him back up to the portal, where people were still looking at the portal in bevilderment.

“We’ll be back real soon” Xavier said to someone before guiding Lilith through the portal and watched as it revealed the old manor and his grandfather’s study, and the dead woman on the floor. “Of course, he did that” Xavier cursed under his breath as the portal closed behind them, leaving the pack house and questioned looks behind them.

Xavier couldn’t say he wasn’t surprised. He’d expected it, and not gone back to check. He should have, but there had been too much on his mind to think straight, to focus on anything but was going on right in front of him. Maybe he could have helped, but he couldn’t beat himself up over it. They had offered to bring her along before leaving, and she’d refused, maybe knowing exactly what would happen and welcomed it with open arms.

“The police are on their way” Talia informed after a brief conversation with the emergency central in French. Somehow, she’d never forgotten her second language, it was deeply engraved in her.

“Good. Now, you leave. We don’t want anyone asking questions about you all being her” Xavier’s eyes had an urgency about them, his mind thinking about a thousand and one things at the same time, and still managing to put her safety first.

“But I already gave them my name” Talia argued.

“I’ll handle it. Just leave, please. I don’t want you here for this” His eyes were pleading, with both her and Nadine.

“She’s been dead for a while already” Lilith said, she’d made her way over to the body on the floor, careful not to touch her in ways that would leave prints.

“They will ask questions about where he is. And where the others are” Talia crossed her arms; she didn’t want to leave.

“Let me handle it, please. I was here yesterday, and they’ll know it. It’s better that I stay here and make up a story, then for you to be involved as well” Xavier pleaded, urging for Nadine to make a portal.

“You to. You need to leave as well” He turned to Lilith, who stood up with a puzzled look.

“I was here yesterday. They will ask the staff, who can confirm it. So, you two leave now, Nadine and I will stay and sort this out” His voice became more urgent as he heard the sirens in the distance.

Talia shared gave Xavier one last disapproving look before nodding. Lilith was quick to join her as Nadine created a new portal, this time it was the outdoors that came into sight.

“Don’t take the blame for this” Talia warned him before walking through.

“I’ll keep an eye on her” Lilith promised before leaving the witch and the fae alone just as the blue light of the cars came into sight, and the sound of the sirens went silent.