It was like a stain on the cloth that wouldn't disappear no matter how many times she tried to wash it away. She should have known that death would follow her no matter where she went. Taking her hand back, she looked at Nicholas with her smile that had fallen down from her lips and this was noted by Nicholas as he caught her expression.
"Everything alright, Miss Adams?" asked Nicholas and Belle quickly gave him a nod along with a smile.
"Yes," she answered, "I got lost in some thought," Bell added so that it wouldn't appear to be suspicious.
The woman who had shopped a lot of things now carried the bag while complaining, "These are too many bags I can carry at a time," she was hoping for Lord Nicholas to take some of them or all of them as that was what good gentleman would. Even the couple who stood in front of the woman, the man was holding the bags for the lady.
"It is why they say to shop only how much you can handle. Don't worry I am here," Lord Nicholas' words brought a big smile on the woman's face only until she heard the next words from the man, "I will be here to encourage you in every step you hold the bags. If it turns out to be too much, you can have some of the items returned back to the shops," he gave the woman a kind smile and the woman gave a look of disbelief.
She didn't complain because it wasn't him but her who had proposed to come here today and she was the one who insisted on shopping for herself.
"No, I am fine," replied the woman was far beyond than fine in carrying all of them.
Belle realized it was the smile that Lord Nicholas and Lucas shared, they were the similar kind which looked polite and kind which in truth was not. At least that is what she had noticed while Lucas conversed with some of the guests who visited the mansion in the past.
"It was good meeting you here," said Lord Nicholas and Belle smiled at the man to see both the man and the woman he was accompanying leave the street.
Seeing them go, Belle said, "I saw something," to Lucas, "Creatures covered in a cloak, ragged ones. Tall and lean in the dark."
"Ghouls," answered Lucas that had her turn to look at him.
"Like Mighouls?" she asked him.
"Let's walk back," he offered and they started to walk back to the carriage where he spoke in a volume which was meant only for her, "Ghouls and Mighouls are different creatures, though their source of food isn't too far from each other. Ghouls feed on the dead and Mighouls will feed on anything and everything. What did you see?" he asked.
"I saw two of them...like it was being born from a young boy," and the young boy was undoubtedly Lord Nicholas but the colour of his hair was different. It was black in colour. She felt pain, anguish and a void that had her skin turn cold by what she felt when her fingers had touched Lord Nicholas.
Seeing the confusion on Belle's face, he revealed to her, "The way things reflect in the other realm, there are some things that come to reflect from there to here. A lot of things that you already know comes from the land of the dead. Forbidden magic, corruption of the heart, switchers, most of the bad. The ghouls that you saw were from the land of the dead. Something must have happened..."
Lucas was right. Something bad must have happened with the lord to have the ghouls. If she wasn't wrong, it felt like they were protecting him and it made sense because, like corruption that went to a certain individual, it was possible that the ghouls had come to protect him.
She heard Lucas say, "Sometimes corruption can take different forms during a mortals trauma in the land of the living," it was then Lucas realized something, "Nicholas is close to the first fated star. My guess is he knows about the alignment of the stars."
Though Belle knew each of them was going to die, telling them was not an option as it could change and s.h.i.+ft the course of life. This was something she would need to do it herself.
"How do you find a ghoul?" asked Belle to see Lucas smile as if she was on the right path.
"If the ghouls are being commanded by the man, I doubt they will come searching for you unless they want to be found or an order is pa.s.sed."
"Order?" Belle asked him with a frown.
"An order to kill," said Lucas and Belle understood, "The ghouls will take your life before you even know it. It would be better for you to be able to summon them and talk to them. You will need to find a way to contact them. When the time comes you should be able to keep her alive."
Both Belle and Lucas got back inside the carriage and decided to head to another town without going back home this soon.
In that time, Barron who was in the mansion tried to spot the maid or servant who had caused the supposed bucket of water to fall while another maid was cleaning in the morning. With soul stuck in the rabbit, he walked hiding and peeking at every single one of them until he finally found one maid who appeared to be suspiciously walking alone in the top floor of the mansion.
