Author's Note: Thanks again to Deepsoul for editing this for me.
Disclaimer: Second verse, same as the first. Don't own any of the characters and am making no money. Onwards!
Chapter 2 – Thicker than Water
Alyssa managed to surprise even herself. She didn't jump, or scream, or run away, in fact she didn't feel anything other than a mild shock (which probably dampened all her other emotions). In this odd state of numbness, she managed to look him straight in the eye without flinching.
"Hello Ralph."
There was a short silence, and then suddenly their audience burst into applause behind her. It might have been her imagination, but Ralph's grin may have widened imperceptibly in approval but she didn't have time to ponder it as she was suddenly surrounded by eager faces.
"That was so cool Alyssa!"
"He scared everyone else except you."
"Even George."
"Did not!"
Janine laughed in light-hearted amusement. "Yes, I must agree, that was quite impressive. Usually people jump a mile when he does that."
Alyssa's smile was wane. "This is the test you give all the newcomers, huh?"
Marcus whistled his appreciation. "Indeed, and I have to say, you passed with flying colors."
"Big deal," Nadine snorted, looking slightly put out that Ralph's appearance hadn't even fazed the new girl.
"I'm curious though," Marcus continued, ignoring his sister, "How did you know his name?"
"Isn't it obvious? Someone must have warned her, that's why she didn't jump."
"No they didn't Mistress," the maid informed her, torn between the shame at being party to a childish prank and bemusement. "I've been with her the whole time and no one said anything."
"Then how?"
It took Alyssa a moment to break out of her stupor and recognize the question for what it was. She locked eyes with Ralph a second time, absently noting that his expression hadn't changed at all. He still grinned at her as though they shared a magnificent secret and, in a way, perhaps they did.
"We've met," they said simultaneously, startling the others.
"Oh." Marcus thought for a moment. "Oh! So he was-" Janine nudged him delicately in the ribs and he fell silent. Apparently she had picked up on Alyssa's abrupt change of mood.
"Let me show you to your room Alyssa. Ralph."
She made a sharp motion with one hand that Alyssa didn't bother to interpret. The Scissorman seemed to understand though, for he gave a sardonic bow. "I live to serve," he murmured sarcastically, throwing one last smirk at the Hamilton girl.
"I'll see you later Alyssa." With an all-too-familiar flash of light he disappeared.
Much to the disappointment of the other members of the Children's Ward, Janine led Alyssa away and into the privacy of one of the side rooms. Alyssa recognized her own bags on the floor, but made no effort to acknowledge them. She didn't resist at all as Janine sat her down on one of the beds and pressed a glass to her lips. The water helped bring her back to her senses, and she managed to hold the glass on her own as Janine took a seat beside her.
"I'm sorry about that. Marcus and Nadine do love their little amusements, and I'm afraid it didn't even cross my mind that you might have…history together." From the way she said it, Janine obviously realized who had ended Ralph's immortal existence.
Alyssa shook her head to dispel the onslaught of bad memories the encounter had unearthed. "How?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's the most powerful technique our family possesses. Using the power of a Rooder and the expertise of a Warlock – that is, a male of our family with some magical talent – we can summon a spirit back from the Hall of Judgment."
That name was familiar to Alyssa. The Hall of Judgment was a place that existed somewhere between here and the afterlife, and only the Rooders had the ability to send souls to that dark place. It housed the spirits of the Subordinates killed by the Rooders for the length of time required of their crimes, keeping them from a peaceful afterlife until they had served their sentence. Though there were several methods for banishing souls to the Hall, from what Alyssa had discovered there wasn't a way to bring anyone back. Obviously she'd been misinformed.
"Normally we use the ritual when we want to find out more about what the Entities are up to, or if we need help with a particularly nasty Subordinate, but Ralph's purpose is to protect my sister until her fifteenth birthday has passed." Janine's hands clenched into tight fists, her mouth set in an uncharacteristic frown. "In a few months I'll be twenty years old. My powers are almost gone now. This is the last way I can protect Nadine."
Alyssa nodded. She wasn't exactly happy with it, but she could see why Janine might have resorted to such an extreme measure. "Why him though? Surely there are others more powerful?" She thought briefly of Chopper, whose specialty had been killing Rooders, and shuddered.
Janine shrugged helplessly. "The ritual isn't very specific, I'm afraid. It gives you only a limited choice of those who choose to answer the summons. Ralph was the strongest soul who responded."
Interesting. Why would Ralph choose to answer a call from a Rooder? For that matter, why would any Subordinate? Those questions could wait, however, in favor of more pressing concerns. Like the fact that they were apparently letting a homicidal maniac roam freely about the house.
Some of her thoughts must have shown on her face because Janine smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry; he can't hurt anyone without direct permission from Nadine. The ritual ensures that anyone brought back from the Hall of Judgment is bound to the service of the Rooders, otherwise they just get sent straight back."
That was somewhat comforting, but it still seemed entirely unnatural to knowingly let a convicted killer into your home. Still, she was only a guest here. She didn't have a right to judge the methods of the Bevelle family…at least not until they'd been proven wrong. She dredged up a smile for Janine, who was at least considerate of her feelings.
"I think I'm okay now. I might just take a nap for a while."
"You've had a long journey," the brunette agreed, obviously relieved to see Alyssa cheering up. "I'll have a talk with the others not to bother you about it, alright?"
"Thank-you."
She waited patiently for Janine to leave, watching as the Bevelle carefully closed the door behind her. Finally alone, Alyssa folded her knees up to her chin and curled herself into a ball.
"Oh hell," she swore vehemently, unable to keep the lightest tremor out of her voice. This visit had suddenly gotten a whole lot more complicated.
xXxXxXxXx
It was a few hours later before Alyssa felt ready to face the world again. The playroom was quiet and empty, and she guessed the time at around late afternoon. Although the area was brightly lit, she now noticed that all the light was artificial. There were no windows. With no one around to advise her otherwise, Alyssa decided to explore the house. Maybe she could figure out its confusing structure.
The Children's Wing was quite straightforward. The playroom was a large square and all of the bedrooms lead off it in evenly spaced intervals around the walls. The only entryway was a single corridor that branched off the main house, made easy to find due to the impressive archway she'd noticed on the way in. Alyssa retraced her steps to the arch, deciding to use it as a reference to keep from getting lost.
Allowing herself no more than two turns at a time, she started exploring the hallways. Surprisingly, all the corridors seemed to be empty at this time of day, and she didn't encounter anyone. This suited her rather well; she didn't feel up to talking to other people just yet. She passed a lot of rooms, but wasn't brave enough to knock and see if there was anyone inside.
Even if she only made two turns on each trip, there were still dozens of corridors she could explore. If there was any kind of greater meaning in the layout, Alyssa couldn't see it. She discovered an open section of hallway lined with antique looking vases right next to a door that announced itself as a bathroom. There were carefully tended potted plants lining the corners at random intervals, and spider webs clinging to the ceiling. What she found strangest of all, however, was the complete lack of natural light. There were no windows or skylights at all, making the place seem like a cave, close and stifling. For an absurd moment she thought that maybe this place was a labyrinth intended to trap helpless victims like herself, and that she'd never find her way out. In the moment her concentration lapsed, she forgot how to get back to the arch.
Had she taken two left turns? Or had it been three? Or maybe she'd gone right?
Forcing herself to stay calm, she walked quickly along the corridor hoping to find someone who could direct her. There must be people here somewhere, right? But all the passages looked the same, and there was no one around. She was almost ready to call out for help and risk looking like a complete idiot when she caught sight of a change in the scenery.
An open door. An open door that seemed to lead outside! Breathing a sigh of relief she lunged for the handle and gripped it like a lifeline, as though she feared the door would disappear like a mirage. It felt solid under her fingertips, however, and she wasted no time in stepping outside and into fresh air, and found herself in a little courtyard.
It looked almost eerily similar to the one at the Hamilton estate; the one where her father had died. It was enclosed by the walls of the house, gray stone weathered with age and the effects of the elements. A staircase led down to an unruly garden that had been left to grow wild. It provided a riot of color that made the place seem far less depressing, and it took her mind off unpleasant memories of what had taken place in an almost identical courtyard. It wasn't so bad here, really. Maybe she'd stay put until someone came to find her. It was better than aimlessly wandering the oppressive corridors.
The garden begged to be given a closer inspection, and with no desire to return inside just yet, Alyssa indulged the notion. The staircase looked decidedly dangerous with most of the steps cracked or missing tiles, but she managed to make it down without incident. There was a stone path at the base of the steps, but it was practically overgrown with flowers and vines, blocking her from actually stepping into the garden. She settled for standing on the bottom step and admiring the menagerie of nature that had taken over the courtyard.
It must have been well tended once, for surely so many different kinds of plants didn't grow together by accident. Beneath the layers of leaves, she could make out the faint lines of flowerbeds that were now choked with vegetation. More interestingly, the garden seemed to feature several statues that were almost completely swamped with vines. The closest one was within arms reach, and before she could stop herself she pulled away the top layer of foliage.
It was a masterpiece. A rearing Gryphon locked eternally in stone, muscles rippling under a soft looking coat and eyes flashing realistically. The love of the artist was present in every perfect contour of the mythical creature. It looked as though it were capable of taking flight at any moment. Enthused by her discovery, she looked to the next statue. It wasn't close enough to touch, but she could just make out the form of a maiden brandishing a sword, her long hair blown back by an invisible wind. And the next one looked like a unicorn, perched proudly upon its pedestal like a show pony on display. And the next one looked like a young man except…
The statue blinked at her.
This time she couldn't suppress a shriek. She stumbled backwards into the wall, searching her pocket for the bottle of Holy water she had left in her backpack. It was about that time that she finally realized that the 'statue' wasn't moving to attack her.
Ralph was laughing, a sound comparable to breaking glass with an undertone of menace and a side order of madness. Even so, Alyssa couldn't help herself from scowling angrily at the former Subordinate. She didn't feel the same unbelieving shock like the first time, but she wasn't happy to see him either.
"Oh shut up," she grumbled, wiping dust off her sleeve and straightening her skirts in an attempt at nonchalance. Janine had sworn to her that he was essentially harmless, and since he seemed determined to get under her skin – whether under Nadine's orders or for his own perverse amusement – she was just as determined not to let him.
With all the natural grace of a dancer he stood up and offered her a mocking bow. "It's nice to see you too, Alyssa."
It was easy to see how she might have mistaken him for one of the statues. His pale skin matched the white marble of the others, and there was a slightly surreal quality to his features that matched the flawless beauty of the artwork.
For the first time she noticed that he looked slightly different from how she remembered him. His clothing was different for starters, though using the word 'normal' to describe them would probably be an exaggeration. He had kept the black mesh shirt, but now he wore it with loose white pants and boots that seemed normal until you noticed the faint patterns of scarlet that would have looked silly on anyone else. His vest was a bright, almost garish red, but it lacked the high collar and ruffles, and was trimmed simply with gold. He also had a small stud in each ear that she didn't remember him having, and there was no ribbon trailing from his hair. The end result was slightly outrageous, but not nearly as extreme as she'd expected.
There was something else too, but it wasn't nearly as easy to define as his physical appearance. It wasn't that he was any less flamboyant or wild, or outright insane for that matter, but there was something missing. The Entity, she realized suddenly. When she had sentenced him to the Hall of Judgment, the Entity would have separated from him so it didn't share his fate. He no longer gave off the unsettling vibe of 'Enemy!' to her Rooder senses. That didn't mean he wasn't still dangerous though, and she wasn't going to make the mistake of thinking otherwise.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to sound confident and unconcerned. He didn't appear to be carrying any weapons, but she knew from experience that his slim frame was deceptively strong.
He gave a long-suffering sigh, eyes not leaving hers. "My obstinate mistress seemed to think I should keep an eye on you, despite her sister's instructions. Apparently she seemed to think you might wander off on your own." He fluttered his eyelashes innocently. "Did you get lost Alyssa?"
"Oh sod off," she hissed, turning around and marching back up the stairs. Suddenly the garden had lost its allure. Unfortunately Ralph wasn't ready to give up his sport, and followed her close enough that his breath whispered past her ear.
"You really shouldn't do things like that. All sorts of terrible things could have happened to you."
"You can't hurt me." She refused to give him any satisfaction by looking at him.
"Oh I wasn't talking about me," he responded airily, falling back slightly, much to her relief. "Do you think these people really want to help you? They're just using you to get what they want-"
She finally reached the door to the house and, with more force than was probably necessary, she slammed it behind her, right in Ralph's face. Her plan was made useless a second later, as he simply teleported in beside her.
"-and as soon as you cease to be useful they'll get rid of you," he finished, unperturbed.
She blinked in surprise. He may not have been a Subordinate any more but he wasn't human either. Evidently he still retained some of his former powers. No wonder they thought he'd be useful for protecting Nadine. Of course, it also looked like she wasn't going to be able to get rid of him until he decided to go away.
Damn.
She set off down the corridor, intending to ignore him. He made the job extremely difficult by his continued presence, talking at her as if they were old friends.
"Mind you, I was quite surprised to see you here. Your houses have been fighting for four…five decades? Surely you knew that."
She hadn't, and it certainly didn't help assuage any of her fears about coming to this place. He might be lying, of course, but she doubted it. Why lie when the truth was probably more painful? She came to a T-intersection and spontaneously decided to go left. Her progress was immediately blocked by Ralph as he decided to teleport in front of her, smiling wickedly.
"You don't belong here, Alyssa. These people are nothing like you."
Disgustedly, she turned on her heel and went right instead. How could she possibly be expected to ignore him when he did things like that? And why did he have to be so damn good at plucking out her uncertainties and putting them on display? He's probably had a few centuries of practice, she thought sourly. Entities lived on human fear and agony, and the Subordinates were the tools they used to harvest these emotions. Physical or mental, Ralph had been a master of torture.
"What's the matter Alyssa? Am I hitting a bit too close to home?" She'd intended to turn right down a corridor, but Ralph obliquely stood in her way again, leaning casually against the wall. She was forced to go straight instead.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" she asked, clenching her fists and wishing she could hit him. She probably could, of course, but she didn't know if that would somehow break the seals that prevented him from hurting her.
"Not at the moment," he informed her cheerily. "Besides, we have so much catching up to do, don't you agree?" He was suddenly beside her again, close enough that it set alarms off in her head, and made her pause in mid-step.
"I haven't forgotten what you did to my sister," he whispered dangerously, suddenly completely serious. "Sooner or later, I'll make you pay for that."
His eyes were filled with deadly, sadistic intent, and Alyssa's breath hitched in her throat. Maybe Janine had been wrong; maybe he could hurt her. For a second it certainly looked as though he was going to try, but then he stepped back, a guileless smile on his face once more.
"But given the current state of things, I suppose it'll have to be later." With a flash of light he faded from view completely, and Alyssa realized with sudden clarity that she was now alone in the corridor. Still gaping slightly at his abrupt change in moods and his even quicker departure, she turned to find something even more intriguing.
She was back at the archway to the Children's Wing. He'd been distracting her so completely that she hadn't realized that he'd been herding her in the right direction the whole time. He'd threatened her…and helped her?
What the heck?
xXxXxXxXx
The maid, who finally introduced herself as Bonnie, was extremely apologetic when Alyssa returned to the playroom.
"I'm so sorry m'Lady, I only stepped out for a minute, I swear. I was supposed to show you around myself when you woke up." It took a few minutes for Alyssa to reassure her that it was perfectly all right and she hadn't gotten too lost. She decided not to mention Ralph's odd appearance.
"Where is everyone anyway?" Alyssa asked when Bonnie finally managed to calm down.
"The Children are at their lessons," the maid informed her. "And everyone else is helping prepare for the ceremony. Fifteenth birthdays are always a great cause for celebration here, and this one looks like it's going to be magnificent."
Bonnie smiled happily. "The Baroness has great hopes for Nadine. Both her brother and sister have been a source of great pride for the family, and Nadine looks to be following exactly the same path."
"I'm sure," Alyssa agreed, but deep down, she wasn't. Whereas Janine seemed like a decent sort, her younger sister had an air of conceit that would probably get her into trouble sooner or later. Their conversation was interrupted by a distant chime that made Alyssa jump in surprise. "What was that?"
"Oh that's just the dinner bell," Bonnie said. "You'd better get ready. I'll show you the way when you're done."
Alyssa chose a conservative, formal dress in a gentle shade of green, and hastily ran a brush through her rumpled blonde hair. When she returned to the playroom, it was obvious that the others had returned from their lessons, and were dressed in similar attire for the evening.
"Oh Alyssa," Janine came over, looking resplendent in a dark blue dress. "It's good to see you're looking better."
"Now ladies," Marcus edged in between them, offering them both an arm and a dazzling smile. "We'd better hurry. Nadine will be upset if we miss her introduction speech. She's been working on it all week."
It almost felt like they were organizing an expedition. Bonnie ushered the younger children into pairs before leading the way out of the Children's Ward, and Alyssa took Marcus's offered arm and kept pace with the two oldest siblings of the Bevelle family. Nadine, Alyssa realized, wasn't with them, and she was somewhat guilty to find that a relief. The younger girl hadn't made it any secret that she didn't like Alyssa.
They talked of inconsequential things on their way to the dining hall, and the Hamilton girl enjoyed a brief sense of belonging. The only similar feeling she'd had in the last few months had been with Dennis and Linda, but even with them there were things she couldn't talk about. Anything to do with the Rooders, for instance.
Dennis knew all about her heritage, of course, but even he didn't quite comprehend what it meant to be a Rooder. After her birthday, he'd told her to just quit being one, as if it were that easy. He didn't realize what the Entities were capable of, or understand her sense of duty. But here she was surrounded by people who'd been through similar ordeals, who understood what she was going through.
They're...my family.
The thought kept her smiling all the way to the dining hall. As a guest, she was afforded a seat of honor next to Nadine, who sat at the head of the table. To Alyssa's surprise, the main table was occupied by the members of the Children's Ward, while the adults and other family members were on other, separate tables.
Because it's the current Rooders who hold the most respected positions, Alyssa realized, not the adults.
It made sense, in a strange sort of way, but it contradicted sharply to how she herself had been raised. She wasn't sure if she approved of the custom or not. It seemed odd to have children leading the family gatherings.
Finally everyone was seated, and Alyssa was surprised to see how many were present. The Bevelle family was larger than she'd imagined, and had managed to fill the great hall with barely any space to spare. There was a quiet roar of conversation, allowing Alyssa the chance to watch people without attracting any undue attention. She glanced around cautiously, but it didn't look like Ralph was present, and she fleetingly wondered where he'd gone to.
When Nadine tapped her glass for attention, everyone quieted respectfully. Across the table, Marcus winked at her. This must be his sister's grand opening speech.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Nadine intoned, her voice ringing loudly in the new-formed hush. "Friends and Family. I bid you welcome to the first day of feasting. As many of you already know, in seven days I shall face the most important trial of any Rooder's life, the Coming of Age Ceremony."
She paused for effect, and Alyssa had to give the younger girl credit; she was a fine public speaker.
"Like my sister before me, I hope to bring honor and glory to the Bevelle family name, and carry on our proud traditions!"
There was an excited rumble of conversation at her words, but Nadine expertly called them to silence once more with a wave of her hand.
"I would like to thank you all for being here to join me in the first day of celebration, and especially to our cousin Alyssa, who is joining us for the very first time."
There was another outburst of chatter, and Alyssa suddenly found herself the center of attention. People craned their necks to get a good look at her, and small snatches of conversation reached her ears.
"The Hamilton girl!"
"..an orphan now. Isn't that terrible?"
"She'll be a powerful one, no mistake!"
"-Her own Grandfather. Can you believe…?"
Alyssa concentrated on keeping her head high and ignoring the comments. Thankfully, Nadine called for attention again, and the noise died down.
"I'm sure they'll be many things we can teach each other," the Bevelle Rooder continued tactfully. "But first of all, let us begin what we all came here to do. Let the feast commence!"
A rousing chorus of cheers met her statement, and on cue the servants appeared out of a side door, bearing trays heavily laden with food. With almost unnatural efficiency they arranged dishes of every flavor in front of the hungry masses, and within minutes the dinner party was in full swing. Wine flowed like water, but Alyssa firmly refused the bottle every time it was passed around. She got the feeling she'd need all her senses running at peak efficiency.
The food was marvelous, and good cheer and laughter seemed to have taken the gathering by storm. Even Nadine seemed friendlier, though that might have been due to the fact that she'd already emptied her wine glass twice. Marcus kept them all entertained with childhood stories, attempting to embarrass his sisters, but all he succeeded in doing was making them laugh.
Soon the main course was over, and dessert was presented with equal ceremony. Instead of staying at the table, everyone was encouraged to take a plate of their choice and mingle, and Alyssa soon found herself fending off a group of adults who wanted to know all about her. It was of little consolation that Nadine was receiving much the same treatment, trying to split her attention between several family members who wanted to wish her a happy birthday. Janine threw her a sympathetic look, but both she and her brother were caught up with a group of old friends and unable to help.
Realizing that she'd have to fend for herself, Alyssa began moving unobtrusively towards a door she'd seen several others exit to. It seemed to lead out to a balcony of some kind, and hopefully she could seek refuge until the party was coming to an end. All the attention made her decidedly uncomfortable. Finally an opportunity presented itself – a lull in the onslaught of curious passersby – and Alyssa slipped out the door without anyone noticing.
Night had well and truly fallen outside, and the air was cold and slightly muggy. Even so, it was better than being treated like an oddity. She knew they probably didn't mean any harm, but neither was she going to put up with it if she didn't have to. At least out here she could get some peace and quiet…or so she thought.
A muffled noise to her left caught her attention, and when she recognized it she blushed madly. The balcony was apparently the place for lovers to get a little privacy without straying too far from the party. Now that she'd noticed it, she could see a few pairs of shadowy figures twining in the darkness. She hesitated, caught up in her dilemma. Did she risk going back inside to a new barrage of questioners, or did she stay here and chance the embarrassment of being caught? Eventually she decided that no one was paying any attention to her, and if she kept to the far side of the balcony then she could ignore the noises behind her. She leaned over the edge to peer at the darkness-obscured landscape, feeling an exhilarating rush as a fierce wind rushed up to meet her.
"Seems you have a knack for wandering into interesting situations," an amused voice said from beside her, but Alyssa realized that Ralph hadn't managed to surprise her at all this time. Some innate sense had given her a seconds' warning of his appearance.
He sat precariously on the balcony rail, looking as unconcerned as if he were three feet from the ground instead of thirty. He regarded her with a wide, suggestive grin. "Or maybe this is some hidden voyeuristic desire manifesting itself, hm?"
She frowned. "You know perfectly well that's not it." His expression changed to one of exaggerated disbelief, and she hastily changed the subject. "So what are you doing out here?"
"Me?" His hand splayed across his chest theatrically. "I wasn't invited to the party, in case you couldn't tell. For some reason, they seem to think I might dampen the mood."
Despite his dramatics, he did seem honestly put out…as much as he ever did, anyway. Looking down, she saw a forgotten slice of dessert still clenched in one hand – she hadn't had time to eat it yet – and before she could think better of it she offered it to him. "Are you hungry?"
To her bemusement it looked like she'd actually managed to take him by surprise, and she carefully filed that information away for future reference. He recovered quickly though, reassuming his Jester's grin. "No thank-you. I am hungry, but it's not the kind of appetite that can be solved with food."
"Oh." Entities fed off human pain and anguish, and their Subordinates acquired a similar taste for it. She felt slightly silly. "Sorry."
He waved a hand as if it were of no matter. "The Rooder girl's powers keep me sustained well enough. I don't really need to eat."
From the other end of the balcony, Alyssa's sharp hearing picked up the sudden sounds of a heated argument, and the muted ringing of a slap echoed in the night. She glared at Ralph accusingly.
He responded with an eloquent shrug, though his smile widened slightly. "Of course, that doesn't mean I can't have a little taste, does it?" He threw a mournful look over his shoulder, pouting. "Although that was hardly a satisfying dish. She didn't even hit him hard enough to bruise."
Alyssa made a face at him – that was more than she really wanted to know – but it seemed she had caught him in a peculiarly talkative mood. She wasn't going to let the chance go to waste. "You didn't answer my question."
When he arched an elegantly formed eyebrow she expanded, "Why are you here?" The way she said it made it clear that she wasn't just referring to the balcony.
"Ah," he murmured in understanding, but didn't respond to the question itself.
"Janine told me that the ritual doesn't force you," Alyssa continued stubbornly. "It only takes those who respond to it. Why did you? What about Jem-"
The look he shot her was pure poison, and she wisely shut up. Given their history, it probably wasn't such a good idea to bring up his sister, but he didn't look angry at her lapse, but worried. He glanced around as if to make sure there was no one who might try to spy on them before turning back to Alyssa. "Alright. A deal then."
She stared at him, blankly. A deal? Once again he'd gone from lighthearted frivolity to complete seriousness; an emotion he seemed to solely reserve for anything to do with Jemima.
"I'll tell you my reasons, but you have to promise you won't say anything about her where they," he jerked his head towards the dining room, "Can hear it. Deal?"
So he didn't want the Bevelles to know about his sister. She wanted to ask why, but the look he was giving her was so intent that she didn't think it would be a good idea. She tried to think of any harm that could come of withholding that knowledge, but nothing came to mind.
"Fine. It's a deal." When he didn't say anything she held up a hand in an imitation of scout's honor. "I give you my word as a Rooder."
He nodded, seeming to relax. "Then I'll tell you."
But he didn't immediately launch into an explanation like she'd expected. Instead he seemed to carefully consider his words, surprising her once again. She hadn't thought he was capable of such grave deliberation. Finally, he seemed to make up his mind.
"You banished me," he said carefully. "So you know the length of my sentence, yes?"
She nodded. The knowledge had come to her in the same instinctive fashion that all her other powers had. If she remembered correctly, his punishment was supposed to last for more than eight hundred years, an inconceivably long time.
"And you know her sentence too."
He was talking about Jemima. She nodded again, wondering where he was leading her. Maybe this was just another joke he was playing on her, and any minute he'd be laughing his head off like usual, teasing her for her gullibility.
"Well…what you probably don't know is that the summoning ritual they use creates a pact, of sorts. I give them my services, cater to their requests, and do their dirty work. In exchange, they agree to lessen my sentence."
Suddenly she understood. Ralph's sentence was more than twice as long as Jemima's. If he could get the Bevelle's to shorten his time, he and his sister could leave the Hall of Judgment together. Seeing her comprehension, Ralph allowed himself a small, honest smile that was nothing like his usual twisted grins.
"She always did hate waiting for me," he said fondly, resting his chin on folded hands. "That is why I am here."
She believed him, too. Ralph may have been a ruthless, sadistic murderer, but the one thing he did care about was his sister. It wasn't that much of a surprise that they wanted to be together in death as well as life. She wanted to ask more questions, but at that precise moment Janine stuck her head through the door, peering into the darkness. When she spotted Alyssa by the railing, she waved frantically.
"There you are Alyssa. I've been looking for you for ages. Come inside, I want to introduce you to everyone."
Alyssa forced a smile, mentally preparing herself for another hour of questioning stares. "I'm coming."
When she glanced to the side, she wasn't surprised to see that Ralph was nowhere in sight.
Author's Note: All comments and constructive criticisms are welcome. This is a tiny fandom so I'm not expective miracles, but a few reviews wouldn't go astray just so I don't feel too lonely.
