WARNING: Character death

Virgil had a habit of looking up sharply whenever a carriage trundled along the drive or when the front door opened when his dad was away. Now, he was looking up nervously every time there was a sound from outside.

Virgil looked back down at his Latin and tried not to listen to his step-siblings muttering just outside the room.

"He's completely batty if he thinks his dad's coming back." That was Edin. It was always Edin who had the most scathing words. "It's been three weeks."

"Journeys take a long time." Thalia said. "Besides, even if his dad does come back, it's not going to stop us, is it?"

"We've gone on for this long with him. I just hope I get my knife in time."

"You're going to have to be careful." Warned Thalia. "Mother's on to us."

"Please." Edin scoffed. "Mother knows something's up. But you think she'd believe the Devil incarnate over her own flesh and blood?"

Virgil swallowed and tried to focus on what he was reading. Periculum. That meant danger, didn't it? Fitting.

"She likes Virgil, though. She's worried about how jumpy he is." Thalia said.

"The little Devil's always jumpy. That's just how he his."

"Because of you and your sister." Virgil thought but didn't dare say. If they found out he was listening in on their conversations...

The sound of the door opening stopped his step-siblings conversation short. Virgil jumped up.

"Is he back?" He asked. Edin looked at him through the door before leaving his line of sight without an answer. Virgil discarded his book and ran all the way to the front door.

"What's going on? Is Papa back?" He asked, excitement and nerves mingling in his voice to create a sort of chaos. Darla closed the door slowly and wiped her eyes.

"Virgil?" She asked quietly. "Can you come here please?"

Virgil swallowed but stepped forwards anyway. Darla kneeled down to his level and gave him a single white lily.

"Your father is dead." She said without any emotion but Virgil could see how she was holding back tears. He dropped the lily and gave her a hug. They'd both lost someone close to them.

Darla let out a little half laugh that was cut through with a sob and hugged Virgil back. "You're a dear boy." She said quietly. "So I don't think this should be kept from you anymore. Jason left us with no compensation. His will reads that all he has aside from his estate would go to the National Reform he worked for so we have nothing."

"What about the house?" Virgil asked. Darla shrugged and let go of Virgil, standing up.

"He never said. I suppose he made his will when he was still a widower." Darla hugged her elbows and looked up at the ceiling. "I suppose we'll have to dismiss the staff. We have no choice. But what we're going to do about the house, I don't know." She looked down and looked Virgil in the eye. "I don't suppose you have any ideas?"

Virgil opened his mouth to answer but someone else put a word in before he did. "I think Virgil should clean the house." It was Thalia. She looked at Virgil sweet enough but there was a glint of something sour in her eye. "He knows the house best and he wouldn't mind, would you Virgil?"

Virgil swallowed and looked down. The idea of basically becoming a servant to his tormenting step-siblings and oblivious step-mother wasn't the ideal. "Virgil?"

Virgil looked up at Darla. "It's an awful lot of work," she said, "and you don't have to do it if you don't want to. Edin and Thalia could even help."

The idea of becoming basically a servant with his tormenting step-siblings was even worse.

Virgil shook his head. "I don't mind, Miss Darla." He said, already feeling something inside him shrivel and die. Whether that was the consigning to his fate or the grief from losing his father, he wasn't sure. "Like Thalia said, I know the house best. And as long as I get to continue my studies, what's a little extra work?"

Darla smiled at Virgil in a slightly pitiful way. Almost like she was saying he could change his mind if he wanted. But he couldn't. Not when Edin and Thalia were right there.

"You're such a sweet boy, Virgil. Thank you." Darla said. She looked at her children. "We're going to have to make some cuts for money. So anything you don't need, put in a box and give it to me. Maybe we can pawn it or something."

She walked away. Thalia rolled her eyes. "You're such a sweet boy, Virgil." She mimicked.

"You don't know what you've just done, little Devil." Edin said.

"Believe me," Virgil said, "I think I do."

WE CAN FINALLY GET TO THE PLOT NOW! HUZZAH!
Bye,
Blaize