Byron Flynn stared at the latticed wooden door as if he was counting the squares beneath the rice paper that was our only representation of privacy from the rest of the household.

I clutched Byron Flynn’s sinewy arm tight as we traversed the dark hallway of Sathariel’s house. He offered to carry me but I refused. Vehemently.

As we arrived in the common room, a few rowdy men were sitting cross-legged or lying on the woven mats lain on the floor. They were playing this board game with pieces that looked like white and black Mentos. The minute we stepped in, they all fell quiet, their eyes following us out to the door.

Byron Flynn sat me on the higher of the two-step stairs and hunkered down to slip a pair of woven sandals on my feet. No footwear allowed inside the house.

“The folks don’t readily acclimatize to outsiders, it appears,” he muttered quietly. “Had it been a mistake to assume that I may finally be able to make meaningful human relationships?”

“Well, you assumed to soon.”

With a sigh, Byron Flynn slid a hand over my shoulder and behind my waist to help me to my feet. Automatically, I anchored my arm on his shoulder. He faintly smelled of peanut butter. I guessed some things just wouldn’t change.

A warm mid-morning breeze swept the yard, brushing against the freshly-trimmed grass, making the millions of flowers of the weeping cherry trees hang on for dear life. Petals rained on us, liberating a subtle sweet smell. But before I could decide that life was great, I saw them.

Vincent had a crutch, his left leg in a cast, one arm over Luci’s shoulders as they both limped together towards the pillars heading to the never-ending stairs.

Luci’s girlish laugh lingered with the wind. “No, Vince. You are doing it completely wrong.”

Vincent raised a brow. Nevertheless, he was strangely uncomplaining. Either Lucy wasn’t noticing this or she just didn’t mind. It looked like she was having the time of her life.

“Advance the crutch and your left foot simultaneously. Then, take a step with your good leg,” said she with an encouraging smile.

I smirked.

If there was one thing Vincent hated, it was being told what to do. I would know. I tried. And he would always go ballistic about it. Now, if Luci’s cutesy antics could take it; that, I would love to see.

So I wasn’t a saint. Don’t judge.

Vincent’s rage would fall upon poor Luci. Any minute now… Any time now.

By some anomalous turn of events and to my very dismay, The Prince of Darkness was patiently doing everything Miss Sunshine told him to do. He must be real sick. Or maybe, I whacked him too hard on the head when I was rampage under Alessandra’s evil influences.

“Aramis?” Byron Flynn murmured unsurely. “You alright?”

My eyes involuntarily flitted to his face to the two and back. “Y-yeah.” I forced my facial muscles to twitch into a smile. “How can I not be alright?”

“Err… You’re nails are diggin’ into my skin?”

Quickly, I let go of him before I could realize that my knees were going to fail me. Good thing his reflexes were still considerably inhuman and he caught me.

“Sorry,” I said, keeping my voice down. “We should just go… get something to eat. I’m starving.”

Vincent and Luci were several yards away, but I didn’t want them to think I was spying on them during their alone time.

Byron Flynn frowned. “But are we not here to see how the master is farin’?” he whispered back.

“No. He’s pretty okay to me. He’ll live. Now let’s go!” I hissed.

“Why are we quietly screamin’?”

“Ugh!”

By some miracle, I managed to wobble on my own, eventually falling on all fours as I reached the steps that led into the house. My head felt hot and it wasn’t just because of the inquisitive glares of the men in the large common room. Crawling, I reached the hallway, groaning as I slid the door after me. I caught my breath, sprawled on the floor, tracing the irregularly-sized rectangles of wood fit together like a puzzle.

Something was twisting in my chest. I was angry. But I wasn’t sure why. The rational answer would be because he was injured because of me.

***

“You said you were hungry,” Byron Flynn commented, giving the untouched bowl of beef stew in front of me a longing look. “You’ve lost your appetite?”

I lifted my gaze to him, realizing that I had been spooning the food over and over for the last few minutes. “Yeah… I’m full. You want it?”

“Only if you insist,” he replied with a grin that revealed his pointy canines.

Mustering a smile, I pushed the bowl to him. “Please, dig in.”

I busied myself watching him wolf down the stew. He might be human now but his doggie instincts sometimes got the best of him. I kind of missed the old him. I liked him as a human. Don’t get me wrong. But sometimes, I couldn’t help but feel that he could read me. At least the old Byron Flynn didn’t ask questions.

My deep thought was broken when he said “Mistress Belial says he will require a few months to heal,” in between slurping a piece of meat and chomping on a slice of sweet potato.

“Huh?”

Like a noble, he chewed his food, swallowed then wiped the corners of his mouth with a make-believe table napkin. “Master Vincent’s injuries.”

“Oh… okay.”

His brows both lifted. “You’re not concerned?” It sounded like a question, but he wasn’t actually asking.

“Of course, I’m worried,” I answered defensively. “But he looks okay. And it looks like he found himself a good nanny.”

“You’re not bothered at all?”

Again with the questions.

I tried to keep my face straight. “I was thinking, that’s actually good thing. You know, so I can get him off my back for a while.”

All of a sudden, he nodded, dropping his gaze to the bowl of stew. From under the table, he gave me a kick on the shins.

“What?” I hissed.

Hesitantly, he tilted his head behind me.

I twisted to see Vincent standing behind me. By the way his face contorted into a grim void, it was easy to tell that he had been there a while. From the corner of my eye, I watched Luci help him to the end of the bench beside me.

The unwanted guilt began to sink in, but my self-respect wouldn’t allow any of it.

“Sorry about your leg.” It didn’t sound as sincere as I felt. Nonchalantly, I began chewing on a sourdough bread.

Vincent took a deliberate minute observing the table before saying “You okay?”

“Yep. Never better.”

“Are you su—“

“I’m turning, okay?” I snapped, glaring at him. “Now you know. When are you planning to get rid of me?”

“Why… didn’t you tell me sooner?”

I expected him to get angry, to retaliate. But he just looked at me with those sad, regretful eyes.

Forcing a smirk, I shook my head. “I was scared, you know. I was so scared you would never accept me if you knew. That’s why I tried to fight it alone for so long. I never want to hurt anyone. You, of all people. But you know what? I figured I don’t have to keep blaming myself anymore because you put me in this situation in the first place!”

Maybe it was the beef brisket. Maybe, it was the hatred I felt when he gazed at me with pity. But I managed to stand and stagger away while groping on the walls for support.

I reached the open doors and rushed down the stairs without bothering to put on my sandals. I took the path between the cherry trees, leaning on their twisted trunks every now and then to gasp for air and rest my legs. Forcing back the sounds that came from my throat, I blinked back the tears.

I didn’t know which was more painful: my body or the fact that I had to suffer alone?

What I said to Vincent was selfish. I didn’t know what came over me. I was just so angry at him and it wasn’t because I blamed him for my condition. If anything, I was grateful that he gave me a second chance. But when I saw him, I just felt like I was shattering to pieces on the inside.

After several frustrating minutes, I stumbled upon Sathariel’s orchidarium. Cautiously, I pushed open the waist-high bronze gate and stumbled in.

Before I could reach the bench under the willow tree, I heard footsteps approaching. I threw myself behind the willow’s trunk as fast as I could. Then, I dropped onto my stomach, concealing myself behind the cosmos bushes.

“Levi’s completely against it.” It was Belial’s droning voice. “He’s too damn scared what happened six hundred years ago will repeat itself. Just look at what that Reaper kid did. Brainwashed your girl to help them escape only to get beat up by his own familiar. I’m tellin’ you. She goin’ bad and we can’t do nothin’ for her no more. It’s gone be big trouble keepin’ those kids here, S.”

I heard a deep sigh from Sathariel. “I’m aware of this Belial. However, I cannot just leave them for Azrael’s taking. You do realize who the boy really is.”

A contemplative silence shortly filled the orchidarium.

“I do,” Belial finally answered, gravity evident in her usually dull tone. “But, your six centuries of silence buried the truth along with all your chances to redress the lies. For all the world cared, that boy is Azrael’s son now and ever will be.”

The next thing that registered to me was the sound of clay pots shattering. The ground rumbled ever so slightly I was scared it would open up and spit fire.

I carefully parted the bushes to risk a peek.

Sathariel was leaning on a banister, his shoulders rising and falling raggedly. Shattered terracotta, loam and uprooted plants lay around his feet. He massacred all those plants in just one fit. Groaning, Belial stood and picked them up.

“Come here, Huns. Come to Ma.” As soon as her fingers touched the saplings, they started creeping around her hands, disappearing under her long sleeves. “Easy, S. You can’t just keep killin’ my babies every time things ain’t goin’ your way.”

Déjà vu again. And I thought Vincent had anger issues.

“I… I have to plan everything, Belial,” Sathariel said, facing the dark-skinned lady. There was this look of enlightened revelation on his face that scared me. “I have to get everything right this time. Make sure Vincent won’t try anything dangerous again. He is a very important element if I were to redeem myself.”

For the first time, I saw Belial raise a brow, a corner of her lips pulling up slightly. “Really? Are you sure that’s your only reason, S? Someone’s bein’ a tad too possessive.”

“Falsities!” he roared before marching out of the orchidarium.

“Admit it!” Belial crossed her arms on her chest and followed. “Admit it, Sathariel. You just want the kid all to yourself.”

“Such nonsense!”

As soon as their footfalls disappeared, I finally took a deep breath. My mind was racing so fast I couldn’t even tell where to start.

What was Sathariel up to? I thought he let us stay because of me. Turned out, he wanted Vincent instead.

It had been a bad habit of mine lately to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. And not only once did I get myself in trouble because of it. Worse, I spied on The Devil. He wouldn’t just kill me if he found out. He would probably burn my soul for eternity or something.

Once I was sure they weren’t coming back, I pushed myself off the ground. I must have done a lot of violence while Alessandra was out to have been sapped out this much by the Bind. I got to my feet lurching sideways, feeling woozy. Luckily, I grabbed a hold of the willow’s brown tendrils.

As I regained my balance, I caught sight of something carved on the tree trunk. Curiously, I pushed the stems and tendrils obscuring my view.

Roselle

With a million thoughts in my head, I headed back to the house.

There were probably thousands of people named Roselle. But the only Roselle I knew was Vincent’s late mother. Was she the same Roselle who carved her name on that tree?

Like a drunk, I feverishly fumbled my way to my room, stumbling into Luci. Wordlessly, she draped an arm over my back and helped me across the hallway. Although, it was obvious she wanted to say something. I didn’t refuse her help this time.

As we paused in front of my door and before she could open her mouth, I said “Do you know someone named Roselle here?”

Her big gooseberry-green eyes widened before she dropped her gaze. “N-no. I know everyone on this island, but I’m not familiar with anyone with the name of Roselle.”

With a nod, I turned around and pushed the door aside. Before I could get it, she placed a hand over my shoulder.

“P-please, ask for Vincent’s forgiveness,” murmured she, tentatively. “Your words have hurt him deeply, Aramis. I cannot bear to see him this way.”

That triggered something in me.

I did intend to apologize to him. Whole-heartedly. But now that it was coming from Luci, I was having second thoughts. This, just in. The only thing I hated more than being told what to do was being told what to do by her.

As I faced her, I wore my civilest expression. I even made an effort to smile. “Luci, Vincent is like, six hundred years old. He can handle it. And if he can’t, it’s his problem and not yours. Okay?”

“I understand…” Luci shrunk like a scolded child. It might have broken my heart if she hadn’t just ticked me off.

“Kay-kay, thanks!” I trilled ostentatiously.

Hurriedly, I shut the door behind me, letting out a weary sigh. I could feel my forehead creasing. I was horrible. I felt like a big jerk.

Luci knew just how to bring the worse in me. Even Rosario wasn’t able to do that.

Ashamed, I began hitting my temples with my knuckles. “Ugh! What am I thinking?”

“You really have changed,” said a papery baritone voice.

To my surprise, Vincent was sitting on the side of the bed, giving me a reproachful look that made my guilt all the worse.

I stepped back. “Why are you… H-how did you get here?”

“First, this is my room,” he muttered sullenly, tapping the bed. “This is mine. You look alright. So I’m taking it back.” With his good leg, he pushed a wooden chair towards me, its feet grating against the wooden floor. “This. This is yours. As for the second question, my new nanny helped me because my familiar wouldn’t. After I almost died lugging her all the way back here too.”

All I could do was clench my teeth.

Luci knew Vincent would hear us. While she appeared to be the concerned, caring one, I became the villain. And here I was, starting to feel sorry for her.

I balled my fists on my side, fixing my gaze down. “I’m sorry for blaming you, Master. For what I said earlier, for hiding the truth, for not helping you walk and for being a liability. It will not happen again.”

His mouth opened for a comeback. But then, he hesitated, staring at me with the gaps between his brows furrowing. “G-good,” he answered in his supposed-to-be omnipresent voice. “I won’t let you off so easily next time.”

With my eyes still wandering the floor, I said “Is there anything else I could help you with? I was meaning to go to the baths."

Vincent’s face actually flushed a little. He cleared his throat and waved me away. “Just hurry, okay? We’ll go to Belial to have you checked up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi! Are you still following Vincent and Aramis' misadventures? Aramis looks angry today, isn't she? Why could that be? And what's the deal with Roselle's name being carved on a tree in Halja? Also, what do you think Mr. S wants from Vince. Go on. Tell me about it!     Love always (shim)        PS. see you next Sunday!