Chapter 3: A Tragic Loss
Early the next morning in Oxford England the girls were woken up by someone knocking on the door to their suite. When Lyra with others right behind her opened the door, a feeling of dread washed over them as it was revealed that it was The Master in the doorway.
"Girls sit down there is something I have to tell you. The Master looked at them with tears in his eyes and said, "I regret to tell you that this morning Isabella and Elizabeth were found dead at their home in Castile, Spain. I am so sorry let me know if there is anything I can do for you."
At first, no one said a word as if all of the air in the room had been sucked out.
Then all at once thirteen gut-wrenching cries of "NO WHY THEM? ANYONE BUT THEM. THEY DID NOT DESERVE THIS." Then the girls fell to their knees, tears cascading down their faces, looks of absolute grief formed as they shook uncontrollably.
Hearing the girls' cries Serenity came sprinting into the room coming to a dead stop in front of the girl one look at their faces told her everything. Then reality hit "Oh no Lex. What will happen to Lex?" instantly the girl's thoughts went to the little dark-haired and eyed girl who had brought them so much joy.
"Poor Lex, her entire world has been torn apart," said Ami. The other just nodded their heads in agreement as Robin pulled out her phone.
"Who are you calling?" asked Mina.
"You will see," Robin replied and put the call on speakerphone.
"Hello, This Is Emily St Patrick How may I help you."
"Hey, Emily, this is Robin. I need to know what Isabella and Elizabeth's wishes regarding Lex and funeral arrangements are."
Hi, Robin I'm sorry for your loss Isabella and Elizabeth were good friends of mine. Let me see the wills state that Lex will live with whoever you do. However, if something were to happen to you before they reach the age of eighteen, then Ari, Anna, Lyra and Lex will live with Rei or Mina if they are willing. Unless your mother reappears to take Ari and Anna and Lex and Lyra respective parents show up to take them. Regarding their funerals and gravesites, they want a joint funeral, and they want to be buried by their respective husbands. Also, as much as it hurts them, they advise that you girls either do not attend the funeral or only a few of you attend. Since they had a lot of enemies, they feel that it's too dangerous for all of you to be there. Emily replied.
"Okay, thanks bye Emily."
"Welcome bye."
"So we're all going to the funeral right," asked Mina?
"Yes," the others replied except Ami
"We are going to be in so much trouble when this is done," said Ami, shaking her head.
"Ami" exclaimed the others!
"What Grandma Isabella and Grandma Elizabeth warned us of the risk but we're going to go anyway. This is bound to blow up in our faces," Ami told them.
"Are you saying we should not go to the funeral," asked Rei?
"No, we definitely should go; I'm just pointing out how much trouble we are going to be in, but it's worth it," Ami replied.
"Catch me, Robin, I'm going to faint," Mina said dramatically.
"Mina you are such a Drama Queen," Robin said with a laugh.
"Yep, that's why you love me," said Mina.
"That as well as your personality and loving nature," Robin replied.
Meanwhile, in another part of Jordan Marisa Coulter had received the news that she had lost a mentor and friend. As well as the news that at thirty-five years old she was an orphan and started crying uncontrollably
A few hours later there was a knock on the girl's door Robin opened to find the Master and a girl with raven curls and raven eyes. "Lex is that you," Asked a stunned Robin? '
"Yes, Robin, it's me. Hi everyone," Lex said
"Hi Lex," they said.
Robin moved aside to let Lex and The Master come into the room. Lex came in, but The Master did not; instead, he turned to Lex and said: "I will leave you to catch up, and I will be back later." With that, The Master left.
Lex turned the girls and said, "I brought you some stuff that Grandma Isabella and Grandma Elizabeth wanted you to have."
"Lex how are you holding up," asked Serena?
"I'm heartbroken but I'm also angry that nobody is taking this seriously. I mean a year and a half ago Grandpa Charles and Grandpa George got sick mysteriously then they died and now Grandma Isabella and Grandma Elizabeth are dead from a mysterious illness. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that something big is going on but no instead everyone I've talked to has looked at me with sympathy and told me that I'm being paranoid but I'm not," exclaimed Lex.
"No Lex you're correct there is something going on. I just don't know what it is. I've had a feeling that something was wrong for weeks but I couldn't pinpoint where that feeling was coming from. When Grandma Isabella and Grandma Elizabeth kept getting worse I wanted to go to Spain, but The Master wouldn't let us leave any I asked," Robin told them.
"But why would The Master do that it doesn't make any sense," said Anna
"Actually it does. The Master is responsible for Robin, Ari, Anna, and Lyra's safety and wellbeing if he thought that by going to Spain they would be in danger. Then he would forbid them from going because if anything happened to them it could be considered The Master's fault for not checking to see if it was safe," Ami said.
"Damn it Ami your right especially when you consider the similarities between all of our Grandparents mysterious sickness and death. It wouldn't matter if The Master knew there was a danger to us, the suspicion that he knew would be enough to damage his reputation, and that could cost him everything after all reputation is everything in academia." Robin replied.
"Lex, we need to know what you remember about what happened last night," said Anna, realizing where Ami and Robin were going.
"Well, Grandma Isabella and Grandma Elizabeth had a dinner party for their society friends as they did every couple months. But for some reason, Lord Asriel was there. He went off with Grandma Elizabeth to discuss something. When they came back to the party, they were upset about something. All I know is that the rest of the night Grandma Elizabeth, Grandma Isabella, and Lord Asriel seemed agitated. Besides that, everything was the same as normal until I found Grandma Isabella and Grandma Elizabeth dead," She replied.
"Lex, you don't have to tell us right now if you don't want to," Robin told her.
"No, you need to know what happened," Lex replied as a white mist mysteriously appeared to cover them, and they were able to see what happened the night before.
Lex's Memory
A shrill scream pierced the still air as Lex shot up in bed awakened from a nightmare right as the clock struck midnight. She threw off the covers and raced toward her door and flung it open. The little girl's blood started to rush as a sense of urgency and unease filled her as she raced down the hallway toward the suite of rooms that both her grandmothers shared. Arriving at the entrance to the suite Lex threw open the doors running into her Grandmother's living room before turning to her left and heading into Isabella's room. Upon entering, Lex saw pale moonlight shining on Isabella as she lay on the bed. Walking over to her grandma and reaching out a hand to shake Isabella awake. Lex didn't notice that Isabella was cold to the touch, but as she realized this fact, Lex started crying,
"Grandma, please wake up. I need you. Please, Grandma, wake up, please I had a nightmare." Realizing that she was not getting a response from Isabella, she decided to get Elizabeth to help.
Running into Grandma Elizabeth's room, screaming, "Grandma, wake something is wrong with Grandma Isabella. She won't wake up, and I need you both. I had a nightmare." A Bone-chilling cold came over the room as Lex realized that her screams hadn't woken Elizabeth; instead both her grandmothers were dead, and she let out a blood-curdling scream before collapsing on the ground inconsolable in her grief.
End Memory
Coming out of Lex's memory, nobody said a word. They just cried sharing in the sorrow they all felt at the loss of their grandmother's biological and adopted.
Thanks to my beta reader Aelin