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None of this makes any sense. “But Silas wanted nothing to do with Nocturnus. And he wasn’t very fond of poison either. How can this be?”
My mother hisses. “It was that wretched Blackwell girl. She must’ve coaxed him into it.”
Atreus shakes his head. “He claimed he didn’t want to be an elder. He never said he didn’t want power. They were found inside the church of Nephthys. Their ritual bindings were those of the more carnal kind… But it was the poison that killed them.”
Bell’s grip on my waist tightens as I sway back against him. “Breathe, my beloved.”
Droplets of sweat gather at my nape and drip down my back, slinking in between the cords of my bodice. I don’t want to picture my brother and his fiancé playing with such devious power. “But we are immune to poison,” I murmur.
“Not the amount they ingested,” my mother snaps. She folds her arms against her chest as she struts over to the window and peers out at the gardens. “And we are not fully immune to bloodroot. It must only be taken in the tiniest of doses.”
Lucy rushes to my mother’s side and clasps her hands. “Jessamine must have procured it from the cave in Ever Graves.”
“Bloodroot? I’ve never heard of such a poison.” The secrets in this room are threatening to suffocate us all.
“It’s one of Aquarius Thorn’s creations, a strain of a couple different varietals,” Atreus explains. He narrows his eyes at Bell. “It is used to drown out the darkness. It’s potent enough to keep the devil out of your head. Which is why it was necessary to plant near the Wishing Tree. Lord Silas has been spiraling since Icarus died. And Jessamine absorbed his emotions like a sponge. They must have turned to bloodroot to quell their demons.”
The sound of the word devil rolling off his tongue sends the tension climbing. “I still don’t understand why my brother would play with something so dangerous. He made no mention of his troubles the last time I visited.” Although he did seem out of sorts.
Finn snickers. “Face it, Kana. Our brother was a sexual deviant with a secret addiction to poison. He didn’t want the responsibility of being an elder because he preferred getting high and fucking the Blackwell whore.”
I gasp at his words but mostly at the fact that no one in this room will reprimand him. “I think we both know who the deviant in this family is,” I mutter.
Atreus tsks. “Quiet, Arkana. That is no way for a lady to behave.”
Bell digs his fingers into my arm. “And what of your behavior, Atreus? You seem rather fond of your brother’s wife and children these days.”
Lucy chuckles. “We are all here to ensure Priscilla is taken care of. To imply that my husband has any other intentions is blasphemy on our house and our marriage.” She stalks over to us and even though she’s a tiny woman, her presence is gigantic. “Trust me, you have no idea the things we’ve been through together. The things I had to endure at the hands of the devil.”
Cage and Vale mutter echoing sentiments as they snicker amongst each other. I am quickly becoming sick of their presence in my family’s estate. But I have no voice in the matter. No power whatsoever. I sigh and make my way over to the window, joining my mother in our longing. “So, Finn will become the elder of this family… May the gods help us.”
“Hold your tongue, Arkana. Once he is sworn in, he will be most formidable,” she rasps.
I swallow hard, my throat dry, unsure if that’s a threat or a warning. “What of the Blackwells? They must be devastated to learn of Jessamine’s passing.”
“We’ll let Cage speak on that, as it is his family.”
Cage Blackwell stands taller than Atreus, and quite slimmer. With jet-black hair and eyes the color of burnt honey, he is a striking man. But his brow is in a constant furrow from his incessant brooding and foul moods. “That is the other matter that is most concerning. My family has taken a troubling stance. They blame all of you for my niece’s death. And have banished you from Ever Graves.”
My mother gasps. “That town is our namesake. They cannot be serious. I lost my son too, Cage.”
I feel a shift in the air. A gray cloud darkening to black as it hangs above us. I fear that it will follow our family for centuries.
Cage holds up his hands in mock surrender. “It is not my doing, Priscilla. They have turned on me as well since I refuse to give up my partnership with Atreus, Lucy, and Vale. They’ve even banished the ravens.”
My fingers tingle as the ravens caw from the rooftop. “This weakens us,” I murmur.
Atreus snickers. “No, it makes us stronger. We will learn how to control the ravens instead of being at their mercy. Even if it takes centuries, one day Nocturnus will be the most feared order in Melancholia.”
His narcissism is worse than my mother’s. “And how do you suppose we do that, Uncle?”
A smirk plays at his lips as his gaze flits to Bell. “By striking a bargain with an old friend. Surely having the devil’s son on our side will help. Tell me, Lord Erebus, would you like to become an elder?”
BELL
I hate this family. They are rotten to their very core. All except for my beloved, Arkana. She is the reason I haven’t slit all of their throats. But after the way they’ve treated her, she might just let me.
“You would make Bell an elder instead of Finn?” Priscilla gasps.
