Belle Adams Butler - Chapter 208

The servants had dispersed from the hall in a state of shock while Belle herself wasn’t sure how far this was a good idea that they had told the servants about the existence of walking-talking rabbit that knew nothing but to bring trouble. With the servants gone, Belle released a sigh, her back touching the wall and she leaned back.

Seeing the others leave, Barron started to speak, “You know I was able to handle myself fine.”

Lucas snapped his eyes at Barron, “One hour. One decent hour and you cannot keep yourself out of trouble.”

Barron waved his hand at Lucas, “It wasn’t me! There was this damn honey bee that was buzzing in front of my face and I was trying to get it off but it was so freaking persistent as if I am a flower. I mean I know I am clean and all, it doesn’t have to tell me that. What? Why are you both looking at me as if I did something?”

“You are not a human to get bit by a damn bee,” Lucas voice dropped low as he took a step towards Barron who took a careful step behind, “One bee or two or the entire hive is not going to affect you. And this,” Lucas’ eyes shifted to look at the vase. He took a deep breath, “I swear I would throw you in the fire if you weren’t stuck in Belle’s toy.”

“Well then it’s good I am stuck here,” answered the rabbit before quickly escaping and shrieking for his life to get behind Belle, “Save me from this monster!” and he hissed when Lucas had pulled his scythe out of anger.

Belle could tell how childish Barron was as he had no clue about what sounds a rabbit and a snake made.

“Barron,” Belle spoke to the fourth Grim with patient voice, “You were supposed to look after the house and not terrify the other maids.”

Lucas’ eyes narrowed and he caught Barron by his ears and put him away from Belle to have the reaper flail his arms, “I have no interest to be a bird. Put me down!”

A cough was heard from, behind and the trio turned to see the maid named Felicity, “Sir Lucas, we got the ground floor cleaned. Do we need to clean the floor near the attic?” asked the maid, her eyes looking at the ground.

“No, that won’t be necessary,” replied Lucas, “There must be too much of snow fallen near the shed. Ask someone to remove it,” the maid gave him a nod and started to walk before pausing her footsteps.

She then said, “We actually found the rabbit climbing the tree.”

“Whom are you calling a rabbit! Come back here!” Barron tried to flail his hands towards the girl but she was dismissed so that she could go back to her work and would not have to listen to his complaints.

“Is this a good idea?” Belle asked Lucas.

Letting the servants know and hear about the existence of the afterlife. It wasn’t a lot but one thread being pulled after another would end up leading to the whole fabric being unwinded with the secrets spilling out.

“It’s okay,” Lucas nodded his head and assured her, “The servants who have been working here are all the loyal ones. The one’s that failed to be loyal have already been kicked out of the mansion for different reasons or have turned to compost for the apple orchard tree.”

“Ha! I knew it!” said Barron, “No wonder I have been eating them!”

Belle looked slightly confused at this and she gave Lucas a questioning look, “What does it mean?”

Lucas went to explain to her, “Barron is the creature of the dead. And he is still practising on being the perfect Grim, a new addition to the Grim which is why he and some of the others feed on the dead. The apple is somewhere using the energy and the remaining life source of the dead to feed the spirits, Mighouls and some of the Grims,” he then continued to say, “This is just the beginning and maybe it is better to prepare them before someone drops the news of who Barron, I or you are. It would be too much for them to handle. And if they do go running their mouth, they will need to cross over from the land of the living to the land of the dead.”

Lucas meant death. The servants would meet their ends if they didn’t know how to keep a secret.

“Things are not going to be easy,” Lucas informed both of them, “For the black witches it is reaching their goals but for us, it is just the beginning and there are far worse things to come which we will need to prepare ourselves.”

Belle frankly didn’t know what to imagine. All they had done so far was trying to figure out what exactly they were supposed to do and she knew what she was supposed to do. And like Lucas said, maybe it was better to prepare the servants of the mansion on what to expect and to be prepared. Of course, they couldn’t tell the others that they were the creatures who reaped people from their graves or places of death.

“How long does it take for the Hawverts to find out that a Grim has fallen down?” questioned Belle.

“Shouldn’t be more than two weeks, unless someone has asked them to come back and report,” answered Lucas.

“But if Greed was assigned by one of the Hawverts, the report will be sent out soon,” Barron chipped in his own thoughts.

“No,” Lucas shook his head, “If the Hawverts are involved, they will tread slowly. If and when the names are pushed out as rogues, they are going to panic wondering what is going on. Belle,” said Lucas looking at her, “You need to get in contact with the ghoul. Maybe even talk to the first star to see how she’s going to die.”

“I will go visit her now,” said Belle, grabbing her coat and leaving the mansion in the carriage.

“Will she be alright?” asked Barron.

Lucas stared at the closed door. He said, “She will be fine. She can carry herself fine, unlike someone.”

“I told you it was the damn bee!”