Night of Eden 71

 Chapter 71

****

Where were the refreshingly fragrant lime trees?

The smell of damp grass, the sound of a refreshing waterfall, all gone.

The dark forest, without even moonlight, was a horror of the nineteenth century.

"Rothesandra...."

Dana reached out and touched the beast's back. It was a small comfort that it followed her obediently, still clinging to the reins.

"I'd be a lot less scared if I were riding you."

But Rothesandra wouldn't let go of its back that easily.

Dana stretched her arms out in front of her and swung them this way and that, forcing her to walk in the dark, unable to see a single step ahead.

Fear coursed through her fingertips as she groped for air. She could hear the howl of creatures in her ears, and she felt like she was being followed.

Should she just wait?

Dana stopped walking.

It might be better to wait for the right people to come to her rescue than to wander around and put herself in danger.

By now, everyone would have realized that Rothesandra and a maid were missing. Dana imagined the distraught on head maid’s and butler Stan’s face. They must be worried beyond belief.

The young lady would be even more distraught, and Master Edwin would be shocked.

...But what about him?

His cold face emerged from the darkness. Suddenly, Dana wasn't so afraid of him anymore; she just felt as if she were walking across frozen water.

Shaking her head to clear it, she swung her arms again, hoping to find a rock, a tree, something to rest her back against.

She searched in the darkness with all her might.

Something damp and wet brushed against her fingertips.

It wasn't a tree, a rock, a blade of grass, or anything else. Her hair stood on end at the sensation of something that felt like a living creature. At the same time, she heard a hissing, slithering sound, like a snake crawling.

"...!"

The stranger that bumped into her in the darkness was enough to send Dana into a state of extreme terror.

She couldn't even scream. Dana spun frantically to get away, kicking the ground with all her might, but she couldn't take more than two steps.

Her right foot stepped on something slippery and she began to slide.

"...Ah!"

With a scream, her body fell. The monster's jaws swallowed Dana as if it had been waiting for her.

***

Liana paced the room anxiously.

She checked the time every few seconds, trying to chase away the ominous thoughts that kept creeping in.

Surely she'll be back safely.

Liana remembered how well Dana had gotten around in the woods. The girl could wade a deep creek with no problem.

Was that all?

She could navigate maze-like paths with ease.

So Dana would show up in one piece. She always boasted. The Corinthian forest was like a playground. What kind of fool gets lost and dies in a playground?

What about Rothesandra, anyway?

Liana's steps came to a screeching halt. Her heart raced. She had heard that brother Theodore had gone out with the hunting party to find Rothesandra himself.

So in the end, this was what happened.

...Why did I do that?

No, I've been... What the hell is wrong with me?

Liana stood in the center of the room and pressed her hand to her forehead.

It had probably been since shortly after the engagement was finalized. Ever since she'd begun following the Duchess of Macmilan to the salon, Liana had been slowly realizing that something was wrong.

A seemingly solidly built sandcastle, if you will.

On the outside, she was acting solid and unaffected, but on the inside, it was anything but. Liana knew she was nothing more than a grain of sand that would crumble at the slightest touch.

It was then that she began to drift away from the things she had always held dear.

Her bridal classes at Macmillan House cut into her time caring for her father, and she had to give up the embroidery she loved so much. Her pets, including her parrot Kitch, spent more time with the maids, and the garden she had worked so hard to cultivate was given over to the servants.

Her mother insisted that living up to Macmilan's standards must be prioritized above all else.

The Macmilan hostess was a great socializer, loved art, philosophy, and literature, and enjoyed fashion, horseback riding, and the tea ceremony. These were all things that didn't normally capture her attention, but Liana was willing to learn and accept them, and she tried hard.

At first, she enjoyed it. She loved the envious glances and admiring stares. The fact that she had someone like Theodore Macmilan by her side, someone everyone looked up to, was also a confidence booster.

But only at first.

At some point, Liana felt uncomfortable and overwhelmed, like she was wearing clothes that didn't fit.

Yes, it was hard, actually. It was tiring.

"Ha."

Liana gripped the corner of the table as if she was about to collapse.

Just then, the door swung open without a knock. Liana quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve, because there was only one person who could have done that.

She turned back around to face him.

"How could you be so foolish?"

The sharp voice nailed Liana to the spot.

"Are you out of your mind, sending a maid to fetch a horse?"

The reprimand in his tone made Liana flinch as if she'd been slapped.

"And why did you borrow Rothesandra? It's not like you don't have one of your own."

"Brother......."

"Why did you borrow Rothesandra again? It's not like you don't have a horse. Why?"

Surprised eyes slid up to her brother's face as if to confirm.

Liana was frozen in place before a gaze filled with resentment and anger.

"Oh, now... Now... Are you... blaming me?"

Edwin's eyes flickered with disbelief. But only for a moment.

"Who would I be mad at then? Dana is wandering around the woods because of you, isn’t she?"

What?

"I'm really disappointed in you. I can't believe you've shown such a lack of judgment. Yes, you can have her go find the horse, but she's your handmaiden.” 

"Brother......."

"You should have come right back and asked for help. When you lost Rothesandra, you should have come right back here, told anyone, not hidden it!"

Liana felt as if she had been slapped hard.

Why would he be so angry?

Why does he seem more worried about her than me?

"Brother......."

Liana was in a state of extreme shock.

****

Tilly, who had been following Theo, had long since lost his pace.

Except for polo matches, Theodore had never ridden a horse so wildly.

For him, riding was a conversation between horse and man. Even when he needed to whip or be rough, it was always done according to training principles, for a set amount of time and with moderate force.

But this was an exception. The almost abusive whipping had brought him to the entrance of the forest faster than anyone else.

The darkness was tightening on all sides, and the only things that could be seen through it were the horses and the harsh breath of their mouths.

Theodore shone his lamp everywhere. Wherever the sharp edges of light touched, the grasshoppers stopped chirping, creating silence.

Damn Liana.

Anger boiled up between clenched teeth.

To put her handmaiden in such a dangerous situation over a horse.

 Did his father and mother know? That their chosen bride was such a poor choice?

His anger was directed at his parents.

Theodore stared into the quagmire of the forest. Even with his lamp, he couldn't see a single inch.

He knew how scared Dana was, how easily startled she was, like a rabbit.

The thought of her wandering around in this darkness made his breath catch in his throat.

If anything should go wrong....

Theodore had to stop again and again to catch his breath, the familiar feeling unfamiliar.

No.

He pulled the sagging strap of his long gun over his shoulder and fixed the lamp.

Dana Bordon was not a coward. Her personality was very calm and collected, and she was quite intelligent. Surely she'd be fine in this darkness.

Perhaps she had found a shortcut to Etia's hut or the Shore and was already there. Either way, she had always done well on her own.

She has.

So.

Theodore stared straight into the abyssal darkness.

Holding on.

***

"You're going to go find her yourself?"

"Yes."

Edwin replied, pulling on his gloves. His impatient, untidy hands make even the onlooker nervous.

"But didn't you say earlier you'd wait here? I need someone in the center to give instructions."

"That was then."

Edwin replied a little sharply, pulling back the curtains to look outside. The moonless sky was frighteningly dark.

"Too much time has passed, and it's only right that one more should go."

Stan stared at his Master.

The polo match was this afternoon, in a few hours.

He didn't say it out loud, realizing it would be useless. Surely the Master knew. He must know, and he was doing it anyway.

Edwin left the room in a huff. He didn't have time to wait for the coachman, so he headed straight for the stables.

The rustling, crunching of gravel echoed through the silence of the night.

Liana stood on the second-floor balcony, looking down at her brother in dismay.

***

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