I was about to throw up.

Since Lucas and Adela left, it had been over twelve hours. It was already dark outside and the time for the ritual was growing near. I had no news from them, but it was understandable. I was confined in my room, with no means of communication with the external world. Trying to come into contact with me would be incredibly difficult, not counting risky. We couldn’t allow anyone to suspect anything, or get exposed more than we probably were this morning after those two fought in the courtyard.

Despite that, the nerves were consuming me. Any moment now, they would come for me, and I had no way of knowing whether Lucas and Adela got all the preparations ready in time. So many things could go wrong. What if they were caught? What if Lucas decided not to help me after all and told his brother everything? It was unavoidable to have doubts, considering the success of my escape was no longer in my hands, but on two people who had dubious reasons to help me at all.

The clock marked nine o’clock. A knock sounded from the door, making me jump in fright. I forced myself to calm down, keeping a hand over my heart and breathing deeply. It was probably Emily… coming to fetch me for the ritual. I carefully graced the pocket of my skirt to make sure the glass shard was there, and once I confirmed it I let out a breath.

“Come in” I called. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, my back to the entrance. The light of the gas lamps was reflected on the glass surface of the double doors of the balcony, allowing me to see behind me as if looking in a mirror. It was like that I saw the person who entered wasn’t Emily.

It was Mathias.

My breath caught in my throat. I immediately looked away. What was he doing here? Were we found out after all? Was he here to punish me for getting his brother involved in my escape?

“Elaine” he said, his voice deep and monotonous.

I didn’t answer, afraid whatever came out of my mouth would be the wrong thing and all three of us would ended up condemned for it.

“The ritual will take place at midnight, but a servant will come get you at eleven thirty to make sure you get there in time.”

I blinked, confused for just a second before his words settled. So he wasn't here because we were found out. My heart swelled with relief. On the other hand, I couldn't help but frown. He came here to tell me that? What was the point? Why was he really here?

“Emily wasn’t sure if she should serve you dinner or not. Are you hungry? In that case, I’ll tell her to bring you something to eat.”

An answer didn’t grace his ears, and I heard him sigh. I had to contain a snort. What was he acting aggrieved for? Surely he didn’t expect courteous conversation from me after what happened yesterday. I mean, he's smart, he must know than being here, right now, talking to me was not exactly an inconspicuous move. No, he was definitely up to something. He wasn't so nice to come just to make small conversation.

The thought that he had hidden intentions for his visit filled me with contempt. I didn't remember ever feeling this way about someone, even as Mio, even after she was betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend.

It was a weird emotion, this resentment. His mere presence, knowing he was so close to me, disgusted me. Hearing his voice, breathing the same air as him was nauseating, and there was nothing more I would like than for him to leave me alone because his existence was too much for me to tolerate. But I couldn’t kick him out. It was too close to the ritual, and too close to the time of my escape. Whatever vengeance I could come up with for him would have to wait.

For now, I only wanted him gone, because I couldn’t think straight with him here, when the thing I wanted the most was for him to suffer as much as he made me suffer.

He, of course, chose to ignore my obvious hint that I wanted nothing to do with him, and pulled the chair from the vanity mirror to sit down. My fingers clenched around the quilt of the bed, my body trembling at his gall. Wasn’t it enough to know what he did? Wasn’t it enough I was going to die in less than three hours? Why did he want to harass me so much?

He sighed again, and I closed my eyes because even the small movements I caught of him from my peripheral vision on the glass doors of the balcony were almost enough to have me enter rage mode. I didn’t need that now.

“I know I’m the last person you want to talk to right now, but I feel that… I owe you a few answers after the way things were left yesterday.”

Don’t talk. Please stop talking.

“You asked why you… if you did something to deserve this. The answer is no. You didn’t do anything. We could say you were just unlucky. Unlucky to have been born here, on my father’s lands… to have been born the way you were.”

Was he talking about my soul type? I hung my head, bringing my arms around me. I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to listen to him. I wanted him gone because right now, I couldn't do anything against him, and that frustrated me so much.

“You probably don’t know about this, very few people know after all, but there’s a system… a classification of souls that determine a person’s capabilities, so to say. This system possesses three levels, though there can be mixes. Ironically enough, most people are mixed, and very few have pure souls of their determined level. There are more specifics, but they aren’t important for what I want to tell you.”

He sounded distracted, awkward, almost. I, on the other hand, was about to explode.

“For the ritual to work, a similar soul to the one of the deceased is necessary. My mother possessed a pure third level soul, which is, unfortunately, the rarest type of soul. And you have one as well. A pure third level soul, that is. Because of that, you were chosen as the sacrifice, and not somebody else.”

He ended his explanation without flourish, dryly. The silence after was deafening. I didn’t answer, didn’t even move from my position. He told me something I already knew, so I had nothing to tell him.

Obviously, he wasn’t contented with that.

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“I would like it if you leave.”

I didn't want to talk to him, but he was reaching my limit. I couldn’t stand him anymore.

I heard shuffling from his side and I opened my eyes. My worst fears were confirmed when he walked towards me, pausing right in front of me. Without thinking, I raised my head and looked at him.

He was frowning.

“I thought you wanted to know.”

“I know all of that already. The necromancer said it this morning” I told him acidly. I disentangled my arms from my torso and let my hands rest on my lap. This time, I didn’t stop the deprecating laugh from leaving my lips. “Why did you come here? Did you really want to explain this to me? No matter your reasons, I won’t forgive you for what you did.”

“I don’t want your forgiveness” he answered, and my eyes shot up to his face.

“Excuse me?” my voice rose in indignation. I was doing my best to control myself, but his expression, always so calm and collected, was grating on me. I scoffed. “Then I reiterate, why did you come here?”

“To explain. And just so you know; it wasn’t only my doing. Every action taken on our lands and with our vassals must be first ordered by my father. Don’t blame only me for what happened to your family.”

“Oh, but you so proudly told me what you did just yesterday” I stood up, walking the few steps left to have him face to face. He was much taller than me, so I had to tilt up my head to look him in the eyes, but I preferred this than sitting with his looming presence over me. “Your father might have ordered it, like you said, but you knew, and you went along with it. You’re as guilty as he is.”

“And so is Lucas, and Emily, and every member of this house” his voice was much rougher this time, and I was taken aback. Even though his expression remained the same, I saw a flicker of something deep in his eyes. What, was he feeling slighted because I blamed only him? “And yet, you talked with Lucas this morning. With him and the necromancer’s apprentice” his eyes narrowed at me. “What are you three plotting?”

I pursed my lips, standing firm. So this was the real reason. So he truly did notice. I kept my mouth shut, knowing anything that came out of it could be used against me. He raised an eyebrow, and then scoffed.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice your little reunion today at the greenhouse. Lucas is too gentle” he took a step forward, and suddenly there was no more space between us. I felt suffocated, but I didn’t step back, though my neck was starting to hurt. “He would want to help you escape. After all, he must feel guilty. But I won’t allow that. Whatever you’re planning, I will stop it. I won’t allow Lucas to be sacrificed in your stead.”

“What the hell are you talking about?!” I finally yelled, fed up with him, with his voice, with everything in general. “Lucas sacrificed?! Don’t joke with me!”

“Why would I be joking? You said the necromancer told you this morning about soul levels, then, he must have told you about Lucas being a pure third level soul as well” he finally stepped back, and only then I could breathe normally again. He walked around the bed, towards the door, but this time, I stopped him.

“Lucas has the same type of soul as me?” I asked with incredulity. Mathias turned to look at me, but I saw nothing on his face. “But… even if he has the same type of soul as me and his mother… your father wouldn’t sacrifice his own son for his wife, would he?”

I mean, the viscount was evil, but even he couldn’t be that evil. However, staring at Mathias while he didn’t make a sound was answer enough. Yes, he would, and I wondered why only now I realized it.

“You have a younger brother as well, don’t you?” Mathias asked, turning away. I blinked, about to ask how did he know that, when he continued. “Between your brother and a bunch of strangers, who would you choose?”

“I would never make someone else suffer” I answered firmly, disturbed he thought I would fall as low as him. He shook his head, as if he knew more, and I exploded. “I’m serious! To save my brother, I would look for every possible way without having someone else pay for it! Like running away! Or disobeying your father! Didn’t you think of that?”

If he thought I was gonna sympathize with him only because he was doing this to save Lucas, then he was wrong. But, he only sighed, reaching out to the door and opening it.

“You know nothing about my father at all if you think disobeying him is an option. I’ll tell Emily to bring you something light. You can eat or not, do whatever you want.”

And with that, he left.