Heidi and the Lord - Chapter 145

“Thank you, Nicholas. The last town you recommended was good. Their service was remarkable. Lionel informed me about the lake. How’s that going?”

“The work is almost done. The rivers around should be safe in two days,” informed Nicholas.

During the time Nicholas had gone to Woville in search of Heidi, new problems had bubbled up in Bonelake. Less than a dozen people had died in the river which was not far from where the actual lake of bones resided. A small tunnel had been created due to which some of the deceased souls had begun to pass through it, attacking anyone who stepped too deep into the river. It was the same river where Heidi had once fall into. After the word reached the Rune mansion, the butler had contacted both his master as well as Mr Warren about it. The white witches who disguised themselves as white priests were called at the location and rituals of spells were cast before the tunnel which was created was sealed completely.

“That’s good to hear. I will send Killian to have a look at it once it’s done,” coming to stop at the door, Nicholas turned the knob of the wooden carved door to open the room where a woman sat in a chair bound to it.

At the sound of the door opening and seeing the lord back in the room, the woman looked frightened as if she saw a ghost that would suck her soul out. Fear dripped with every breath of air she took and released.

The councilman gave her a suspicious look. He didn’t know why she looked scared when there was no sign of a single assault on her. She looked unharmed and her dress was clean, “Isn’t this Ms Curtis’ sister?”

“Indeed she is. This is Nora Curtis, and Ms Curtis,” Lord Nicholas smiled at the woman, “This is the head councilman. Why don’t you tell him what you told me.”

The woman opened her mouth but it seemed that she only mumbled and found it hard to speak. Sure not a single scratch was done on her but there were far worse things a person could experience than a physical torture. And Nora was a pampered child which made it easy to break her. Since she had arrived in Bonelake, the lord had tied her too close to where the wolves roamed which was enough to instil the horror and fear of being eaten. Nicholas had got her to witness people, who were none other than the guardsmen being eaten by the wolves. As if it weren’t enough, one of the ghouls shared her room, eating the human scraps in front of her.

“It is only right you speak, Ms Nora. If you won’t things will only turn dire upon you,” Reuben’s eyes trained on her, waiting for her a proper sentence to come out of her mouth.

“I-I…I am so sorry!” Nora burst into tears.

With that Nora spilt everything that had taken place until now. The way her uncle traded Heidi in her place and the plan that was meant to be. Questions were fired and a meek Nora answered everything at the fear of what might happen if she didn’t because the glint in the Lord’s eyes scared her.

After the interrogation took place in one part of the mansion and the councilman left the mansion, on the other side of the mansion where the Lord’s room was located, an unconscious Heidi who had been sleeping for hours now woke up with a blurry vision. With the curtains that were closed and the fireplace that burned intensely, it was hard to tell that the sky was still bright.

When she sat up on the bed, she felt a sting like pain pass through the back of her body which reminded her of the leather that had kissed her skin. As memories began sinking in, Heidi’s heart began beating loudly, so loud that she could now hear it very clearly in her ears. Flashes of blood and a body appeared in front of her eyes mingling with the painful cries she heard at the establishment. What she had done, repeated in her mind over and over, and as seconds flew by panic struck into her mind.

Without realizing what she was doing, out of instinct to flee, Heidi jumped out of the bed ready to run. But before she could reach the doors of the balcony which were closed, she felt something tug by her feet that restricted her from going any further. The clink of sounds which she had previously not felt now made its presence known, Her feet had been bound with chains that were fixed to the foot of the bed.

“Where do you think you’re going, darling?” came Nicholas’ voice from the corner of the room.