Chapter 567: Tea, Anyone?

  The parlor room was filled with silence save for the occasional noise as someone drank their tea. Holo and Melantha sat on a sofa. Melantha sat upright, her lilac eyes occasionally glancing at the windows and the doors, checking for any weaknesses or perhaps for intruders. Holo was far more relaxed, she lounged on her side of the sofa, foot propped atop the low wooden table.

  Her son, Atlas, and his wife, Una Noir, sat across from the sisters. Atlas had a smile on his face, reminiscent of Holo’s notorious smirk. Una sat with her legs closed, her hands on her lap, fingers laced together. Her expression was calm, polite, only taking a sip of tea when Holo or Melantha did.

  On the third sofa, at the end of the table, facing the others, sat Stryg and Tauri. Stryg shook his leg incessantly subconsciously. Tauri placed a calming hand on his lap and he stopped. Still, her touch did little to calm his nerves.

  He didn’t want to be here. There were too many emotions attached to this place. After Widow’s Crag, he had spent most of the next year in the Noir manor. Training with Lord Elzri, or one of his personal teachers, Professor Ismene, Vayu Glaz, Cornelius Rotrusk… He had just been informed a few minutes earlier that Cornelius had died in battle.

  The dwarf was strange, always talking about some nonsense or another, Stryg never really understood what he meant. But Cornelius was a good man. He had taught Stryg chromatic Green and for that, Stryg would always be grateful. Now he was gone, like so many others and the only one who supposedly knew what had happened was Loh.

  His former mentor and the first person in Hollow Shade to truly give a shit about him wasn’t even here. Holo had told him she had invited Loh, but he doubted she’d even show up. This place carried too many memories, not just for himself, but her.

  “Thank you for having me, Lady Holo,” said a meek voice.

  Stryg glanced at the last person in the room, sitting by herself. Dolores Noir had always been admired by noble society. Though she had no magic she was still the first daughter of House Noir. A socialite known for throwing some of the most extravagant parties in all of Hollow Shade.

  The few times Stryg had seen her she seemed confident, a tall lithe beauty that would catch the eye of anyone who she passed by. But now she seemed withdrawn and though before she was lean, now she seemed emaciated. Dark bags hung under her grey eyes. Her right hand trembled ever so slightly as she held her tea cup.

  “Don’t thank me,” Holo said nonchalantly. “You are part of this family, it is your right to be here.”

  Dolores bowed her head, “I don’t know if my father would have agreed with you on that…”

  “Elzri was a troubled man, part of that blame lies in me,” Holo admitted. “I should have been more attentive, but I let my focus stray to other Realms, to matters I thought more important. I was wrong and in my absence, Elzri grew bitter. Had I done more, I would have learned what really happened back then, Una would have returned long ago, and perhaps Elzri would still be here today.”

  “Forgive me, Lady Holo, but it is not your fault,” Una interrupted. “For most of my life I never wanted to come back here, I didn’t want to look back. For years I told you to leave the Noirs alone. If anyone is to blame it is me.”

  “That is very kind of you to say, but I should have still done more, if not for your sake, then for hers,” Holo glanced at Dolores.

  “I do not deserve your help,” Dolores bowed her head and mumbled quietly. “I am not even worthy to be a Noir.”

  “Your father neglected you because you weren’t a mageborn, he was wrong to do that. The fault is not yours,” said Holo adamantly.

  “Don’t titans do the same to the children that aren’t born like them?” Stryg muttered.

  Holo cocked an eyebrow, but before she could respond Melantha shot him a glare. “It is not the same, not even close,” said Melantha.

  “How is it not the same?” Stryg chuckled bitterly.

  Tauri grabbed his hand, “Stryg—”

  “A titan is chaos,” Melantha cut her off. “The world warps around us in ways we do not fully understand, and we never will. That is what chaos means. It is dangerous, it always has been, especially for the children of a Calamity. What do you think would happen to an ordinary child with no inherited abilities, if they were to stay by Death’s side?”

  “That…” Stryg’s voice faltered. He wasn’t sure.

  As if to answer his question, Holo spoke up. “They’d be put in danger. Or rather, they’d most likely die.”

  Was that why his father had abandoned him the day he was born? Stryg didn’t know, but the thought of it troubled him.

  “Um, titans…?” asked Dolores uncertainly.

  Holo smiled, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk more about it when everyone is here.”

  “Forgive me, Lady Holo, for my husband’s absence,” Dolores bowed her head. “Ever since the siege, as the last arch-mage of House Noir, George has taken it upon himself to muster our armies. In any case, he is running late, but hopefully, he’ll be here soon.”

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  “Your husband’s efforts are admirable,” said Holo.

  “He feels the same as I,” Dolores whispered. “We have failed our House and our family for years. We’re just trying to do our part to ease our daughter’s new burdens in any way we can.”

  “Do not be too hard on yourself, Dolores. You were isolated, disparaged by your father,” said Holo.

  Dolores shook her head with a sad smile. “Like you, I should have done more, if not for myself then for my children. I endured my father’s disappointment my entire life. When I saw Aizel was just like me and the way my father looked at him, I…” She bit her trembling lip, “I couldn’t… I couldn’t let him do the same to my son. I swore I’d be there for Aizel in any way I could.”

  “You were trying to protect him.”

  “I was trying to protect myself,” Dolores scoffed in self-derision. “I saw myself in Aizel. I hated how my father made me feel so small. I hated the thought of it happening again… But Loh… I thought Loh was different. She was everything I wasn’t. Loh was talented. Strong. I thought she’d be fine, even when my father turned his attention to her. I knew he was strict, harsh, sometimes even cruel. But I thought… I thought she could endure it.” Dolores lowered her head, “It didn’t matter how strong she was. She was still a child, my child. I should have been there for her. But I wasn’t. Especially after Aizel was gone, I should have been the mother she needed, instead, all she got was a drunk trying to drown her pain away.”

  Una stood up, walked over, and embraced her niece. “I’m so sorry.”

  Dolores shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t. Don’t be sorry for me.”

  Holo sighed and looked away. Melantha placed a hand on her shoulder, “This isn’t your fault, you know. Caligo cursed the Noirs long ago. Things like this were bound to happen.”

  “Cursed?” Stryg’s droopy ears perked up.

  “Chaos,” Holo shrugged tiredly. “Unpredictable. Dangerous. The element of change. The first Noir made a deal with the Monster in the Dark and broke it. Ever since then, his bloodline has been cursed to endure pain and hardship. Even so, I should have done more.”

  “We all should have,” said Una, her arms still wrapped around Dolores.

  “Are we cursed?” Stryg asked.

  Melantha smiled wryly, “No, we’re just walking fountains of chaos. Children of Calamities never have— uneventful lives.”

  Stryg stared at her for a long moment. “So we are cursed.”

  “Welcome to the family,” Atlas whispered.

  A knock on the door pulled everyone’s attention. With a creak, it opened, and the family’s seneschal walked in. The vampiress Lily bowed, “Forgive the intrusion, my lords and ladies. I have brought my mistress, as requested.”

  Loh stepped out of the hallway, breathless. She glanced at her mother, then frowned when she noticed Dolores’ tear-stained mascara and the black streaks left on her grey cheeks. “What is going on here?”

  “I’ll explain once Unalla arrives,” Holo sipped her tea. She glanced at Melantha’s hand hanging at her side, the fingers shifted with the slightest of movements. “Loh, are you not going to greet your mother?”

  “Hi,” Loh said stiffly.

  “H-Hello,” Dolores wiped her tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

  “Trust me, this is nothing. I’ve seen you sprawled half-naked on the grass, drunk out of your mind,” said Loh coldly.

  Dolores looked away in shame. “Yes, I… I deserve that.”

  Una frowned. “Elohnoir. She came here for you, she does not deserve your spitefulness.”

  “For me?” Loh chuckled. “When has my mother ever cared to do anything for me…” her voice caught in her throat when she saw the pained and embarrassed look in Dolores’ eyes. She swallowed and opened her mouth to speak when she noticed Stryg and Tauri both sitting together across the room, holding hands. “Oh…”

  “Hello, Loh,” said Tauri without a hint of expression.

  This was a bad idea. Stryg reminded himself for the umpteeth time. He could already feel his heart grow cold, the feeling oozing across his chest.

  “Tea, anyone?” asked Holo.

  “We’d offer sweets to go with, but my siblings seem to have devoured the last of them,” added Melantha.

  “They were tasty,” Holo said defensively.

  “You ate seven muffins.”

  “Look, if you want more just go to the kitchens. I’m sure they’ll feed you as many as you want,” Holo huffed.

  “I don’t even know the way,” Melantha rolled her lilac eyes.

  Holo glanced at Lily, “You there. You’re a servant, yes?”

  “I am the House’s seneschal, my lady,” she bowed.

  “So head servant. Can you lead my sister to the kitchens?”

  “Right away.”

  “Fine,” Melantha hopped to her feet. “I needed to stretch my legs anyway. Lead the way.”

  Lily bowed to Loh, then the others, “If you’ll excuse us.”

  “Now, Loh, why don’t you take a seat,” Holo smiled and patted the spot next to her.

  Loh glanced at Stryg and Tauri, her eyes troubled, but she quickly buried the expression and sat down.

~~~

  “Wow, for being inside a city this place sure is big,” Melantha whistled as she walked through what seemed through a series of corridors.

  “The Seven Ruling families have the largest allotted grounds among the nobility of the city,” Lily explained in a polite tone. “If you’d like, I can give you and the other guests a tour after your meeting. As seneschal, I was taught the history of this manor down to its very foundations.”

  “Really?”

  “Indeed. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”

  “I just have one.” Melantha stopped in her steps. “What are you doing here?”

  Lily turned around, red hair swishing about her. She cocked her head to the side and frowned, her beautiful features scrunching in confusion. “Pardon?”

  Melantha smiled coldly, a soft blue glow around her lilac irises. “You may have gone unnoticed by the others, but I see you bright as day.” Electricity crackled at her fingertips. “So, I’ll only ask once more. What are you doing here?”

  Lily’s frown melted away and her red lips broke into a smirk.