Chapter 23
Diana furrowed her eyebrow at the unexplainable circumstances on this day. After Akko pulled her into janitor's closet, Diana called her chauffeur to drive them towards the cathedral from the neighboring town.
Perhaps, Diana would start with the elections work tomorrow once Andrew's death would become old news. She must not forget to focus on reviewing for her other exams and in between, she could work on analyzing Sucy Manbavaran's penmanship.
When the car arrived, Akko had to get into the car discreetly as possible. She still looked conspicuous and Diana refrained so hard not to strangle her with the seatbelt. Luckily for Akko, they arrived at church none too soon.
Akko brought two five litter water bottles placed for dispensing machine at the entrance of the church.
"Lady Cavendish?" A priest in his late thirties came to them after he was called by the church's servants. "It's been so long since I saw you. Is it an urgent confession you're after?"
"No, thank you," Diana said, noticing a small gold ring rested around the priest's finger, decorated with three small red rubies—barely visible to the naked eye. "My sins are too many and varied to mention, and frankly I intend to continue sinning so I won't waste your time. It's my friend who needs to speak with you privately."
The priest stared at Akko, waiting for her to start.
"Father, I'm looking for something called Agua... uhh Bendita? Professor Ursula told me to you are able to help."
"Oh, of course," a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. "What packaging would you want it, my child?"
"Refill it here!" Akko said as the priest grabbed both bottles motioned for them to follow them on the church's kitchen.
"Akko," Diana blanched. "Did you merely want a refill of blessed mineral water?"
"Shh! You are sworn to secrecy to never speak about this!"
"Oh, I won't," Diana said. "The affairs of the church and how they collect their funds from the people are in their own accord. The enigma of your actions today proves to be too much for me. Is it too much to ask why?"
Akko's eyes widen slightly before she gained control of her facial muscles to steel herself into a more neutral expression. Slowly and deliberately, she began to answer the question with another question. "Diana, is it just me or do you hate the church as much as Sucy?"
"She hates the church as well?"
"She was brought up in a strange orphanage." Akko began but in a soft voice, in order not to offend anyone who might be listening. "And the people who reside there are even stranger—not the children, but the nuns and priests. Sucy told me that they are fanatically religious."
"To believe in God is a good thing, a right thing," Diana said. "But when you reinforce your belief with words you take from the Old Testament that you seek out, and interpret in the ways that suit your needs best; that is hypocrisy, and is that exactly what that orphanage does?"
"Yes," Akko said, her eyes mirroring a shared sorrow. "There was this old man in a nearby estate that was dying, but every Sunday he is carried into the church either in his wheelchair, and he donates a share of his yearly income, to the church. So naturally, he is very welcomed. He paid to have the orphanage built, he bought all the stained-glass windows, bought all the blocks and cement, he controls the minister and his sermons, for he is paving his way to heaven with gold, and if St. Peter can be bribed; he will surely gain entrance. In that church, he is treated like a god himself, or a living saint. And then he comes home, feeling completely justified in doing anything he wants, because he has done his duty, and paid his way, and therefore he is safe from hell."
Diana's eyes widened, spellbound.
"When Sucy was growing up. They were literally forced to go to church. Even if they were sick enough to stay in bed. Religion was rammed down their throats. Be good, be good, and be good. That's all they ever heard. Every day, normal pleasures that were right for other people were made sinful for them. Sucy and the other children were not allowed to go swimming, for that meant wearing bathing suits and exposing most of their bodies. They were forbidden card games or any sort of game that implied gambling. They weren't allowed to go to dances, for that meant their bodies might be pressed close to that of the other sex. They weren't allowed to share a bed even if they are of the same gender and were ordered to control their thoughts, to keep them off lusting, sinful subjects for they said the thought was as evil as the deed. Oh, I could go on and on about all they were forbidden to do. It seemed everything that was fun and exciting was sinful to them."
Diana's jaw muscles tightened. To think that were more shady deals going on in that orphanage that she and Avery weren't able to uncover. She was glad she was able to retrieve new information from a source close to the person.
To think that Sucy Manbavaran endured such a controlled environment, and there is something in the young that rebels when life is made too strict. Making them want to do most of all the things denied to them. The orphanage, in seeking to make their children into living angels, only succeeded in making them worse than they would have been otherwise.
Someone was calling her name. Sucy struggled to open her eyes, but the darkness was seductively inviting.
With a good amount of effort, Sucy opened her eyes and looked into intense red ones. She blinked.
"Darling?" Akko was staring down at her with a blank look on her features.
She swallowed and attempted to speak, but her throat was painfully dry. Akko produced a glass of ice cold water from somewhere behind her, and slowly proceeded to pour the refreshing liquid into Sucy's mouth, pausing every once in a while to let her swallow. Sucy settled back into the rather comfortable bed she found herself reclined in, a feeling of well-being creeping through her. She cleared her throat and spoke.
"What time is it?"
"It's a little past six pm. Here drink this." Akko handed her medicine
Sucy grabbed it and downed it with the remaining liquid on the glass. "Is this tap water? It tasted weird."
"No, I got it from a water bottle I bought at a store," Akko chuckled, a visible sweat trailing her chin. She must have worked out before this. "It's a lot cheaper. How are you feeling?"
Sucy recalled her whole afternoon sick at home. She performed another voodoo spell to return the Canadian to her cop stationed room at the hospital. She didn't know she fell asleep.
"I feel like shit. Where's Loa?"
"I asked her to prepare you something to eat. Come let me help you get to the kitchen." Akko grabbed Sucy by the hollow of her arm and hoisted her upwards.
Sucy was still able to stand on her own on one leg no less. Bracing herself against Akko, Sucy took one hesitant step forward.
"You're doing great." Akko volunteered.
"I can do anything," Sucy whispered with too much sarcasm before her heart melted at the fact that they were both standing next to each other that not even an ant could get in between them. "Would you want to know what I did while you were gone?"
"What did you do?"
Sucy halted for a second there. She almost talked about how she basically cheated on her by having lovesick thoughts about Lotte Jansson. Sucy debated on telling her that she has Cavendish's hair strand at her disposal.
"Oh nothing," she quickly dismissed it.
"Aww, please Sucy. Tell me." Akko attempted to use her patented puppy-dog pleading face.
Sucy folded her arms. The girl was adorable, but Sucy was stronger than that.
"Please?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Just because."
"That's not a valid answer."
"Of course it is."
"Only from your point of view!"
"Exactly," she grinned.
"But that's not fair."
"Nor is life," Sucy said. "Get used to it."
Downstairs, Loa decided to make pasta with meatballs and parmesan. It was simple, easy, and yielded lots of carbohydrates and proteins.
"Loa, you're so helpful, you're like an all-purpose Roomba!" Akko left Sucy's side, getting out two bowls and the grated parmesan cheese from the refrigerator.
"Insolent wench!" Loa shrilled as if the loudness of her cry can make Akko hear her. "I will not be compared to a dust-eating machine!"
"Loa," Sucy subtly warned the doll for badmouthing her girlfriend.
Akko equally distributed the pasta on the two bowls, and she managed it without any disaster. It seemed that her sleight of the hand training was doing well. She began pouring the penne, marinara sauce, and meatballs into each one. She returned to the table and set one bowl in front of Sucy, and kept the other for herself. She walked back to the counter to retrieve the grated cheese and utensils.
"Parmesan?" Akko asked.
"Please," Sucy replied, as she took a handful and proceeded to sprinkle it on her pasta. Her thoughts suddenly strayed towards Cavendish, devastated; another pleasure in her life.
"Akko?" Sucy asked, getting her attention.
"Mmmm?" Akko mumbled her mouth currently full of penne.
"How's Cavendish holding out by the way?"
"She's really depressed, but she still has this Cavendish eyeliner thing going on."
"She still hasn't suffered enough then," Sucy said, taking a bite of her food. "But do you think she got the message now? Blood overflowing from his neck was a sight to behold."
"Hey!" Akko protested in between bites of her dinner. "No talking of gore while eating! Oh by the way, does Loa need any self-grooming? Does she like to be dry cleaned?"
"What? What is she talking about, Sucy?"
Sucy paused, glancing over at Akko. Her eyes were wide, her supper temporarily forgotten. Then she looked at the doll. "Damn, you mean all this time you're filth?"
"I volunteer to dry Loa off if you want." Akko raised her hand.
"Awesome," Sucy said. "Good. Then after dinner, I can begin."
"Begin what?" Loa asked, fretting.
"Oh, you'll see. I think you'll enjoy it." Sucy smiled mysteriously.
"Sucy," Akko reprimanded. "Go ahead and finish your dinner. You'll need a lot of rest."
Finishing their dinner, Akko stood up from the table and picked up both her bowl and Sucy's and brought them to the sink. Washing them as well as the various pots and pans used to cook their meal, Akko worked swiftly and with surprising efficiency, Sucy didn't know the girl could achieve.
Sucy started to hoist herself up from the table, and turned around to Loa, a mischievous grin on her face and reached for the doll by the kitchen counter.
"You mean you're going to clean me?"
Sucy shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a playful gleam in her eyes. "Yes, you're filled with germs."
"I'm AN ANCIENT BEING WHY WOULD I BE COVERED IN GERMS?"
Sucy shoved the doll at the washer and pressed the delicate cycle button. She paid no attention to the multiple curse words muffled by water and machine.
Putting the last fork in the drying rack, Akko walked over to Sucy and held out her hand. "Let's go back upstairs."
Slowly but surely, they eased their way back upstairs and into the bedroom. Sucy took a seat on the edge of the bed and Akko leaned over and softly kissed Sucy's forehead. Sucy closed her eyes, letting herself experience and enjoy the moment.
"Are you alright?"
Sucy opened her eyes to see Akko studying her. A slight blush crept across her face as she nodded. "Tough day," she said with a hint of a smirk on her face, she had something more on her mind.
"I better get back, Sucy," Akko said after making sure Sucy was all tucked up. She grinned at her job well done and headed towards the doorway. "Goodnight, see you tomorrow!"
Her hand was reaching for the knob to yank the door open, but before she could exit, Sucy grabbed her by the waist and twirled her body around.
Sucy swiftly pushed the door shut and pressed Akko against it. Akko looked up to find Sucy's ardent eyes burning into hers. Akko gasped when Sucy swooped down to kiss her feverishly. Their teeth clashed and her tongue was in Akko's in a heartbeat.
She could feel Akko grasping at her shoulders, trying to push her away, her cries of protest muffled by her mouth. Refusing to acknowledge Akko's wishes, she roughly grabbed Akko's wrists, pinning them on the bed's soft surface either side of the brunette's head. Akko whimpered trying to regain control of her hands, but Sucy only growled, pushing her body harder into her beloved.
Lifting the girl off the floor, Akko's arms and legs automatically wrapped themselves around Sucy's sudden strong body, her hands roaming over Akko's back and squeezing her bum.
Desire washed over her like a heat wave in the desert. Her fingers laced through her brown hair, pulling it slightly and causing Akko to moan in her mouth.
The night was dangerous. It brought out the person one has kept hidden away inside. The darkness exposed the hidden depth of feelings one hadn't realized that they even possessed. Darkness had an all-powerful hunger throbbing through it that was almost forbidding one to try to fight its natural seductive nature.
But Akko gripped Sucy's shirt collar tightly and summoned her strength to wrench her lips away from hers. Sucy was about to claim her mouth again but Akko turned her head away. Sucy's eyes flicking rapidly over her face and grabbed her chin and forced Akko to meet her gaze. Only one thing was certain, Sucy's eyes were dark with desire and she could see it on the girl below her too.
"Stop it!" she cried and then broke into a heart-wrecking sob again. Everything was silent for a long moment as their chests pant.
"Akko..." Sucy's voice came out in a soft whisper, yearning to taste Akko's lips once more.
"Please, Sucy... I'm not ready yet."
Sucy looked utterly shocked with what Akko just said. Did she mess it up? Was she too impatient? Did she scare Akko away by being too fast?
Then as if forgetting herself, Sucy came to wrap her arms around Akko's waist from behind and pulled the shorter girl back against her front. In a few minutes, Akko leaned back to her chest.
"I'm sorry... I got carried away."
"That's okay," Akko said, softly heading towards the door, although reluctantly. "We have exams tomorrow, after all, Sucy. I have to get back to my desk and study."
Sucy grimaced as soon as she faced away. She heard Akko's footsteps fade as she left. Pent-up anger and bitterness flooded her system. She needed to let it all out. Someone has to be punished. She seized the textbook that contained her nemesis' golden hair and was cut short.
She had to finish cleaning Loa first.
Diana analyzed the handwriting as soon as she locked herself in her room at the estate. Both Manbavaran's and the one left at the crime matched. She spent another hour reclining on her bed and mulling over the day's events.
Everything still hurt. Usually, two cups of herbal tea would fix that. Now, she actually swore off tea since this morning and considered coffee.
If someone had told the twelve-year-old Diana that she would one day prefer coffee over tea, she would have called that person something foul and taken it upon herself to make their life miserable for a week before finally demanding a formal apology.
And even after that, she probably would have held a grudge.
She grabbed one of her textbooks to review for her exams tomorrow. Her focus narrowing at the handmade bottle of ointment on her desk's surface that Miss Jansson gave her. Diana absolutely had no idea what to do with it. It felt wrong to just dismiss it.
Without any hunches what to do with it, Diana started to read. The best way to fall asleep faster is to take on the natural remedy.
After quite some time, she yawned. She stretched her arms, wondering what time it was. A quick glance at her bedside clock told her it was before midnight. Placing a bookmark in her book and setting her alarm for a bright and early morning, Diana snuggled under the covers.
She heard the sing of rasping metal as he drew a knife, intending to make a quick work of his throat. It flashed in the night, reflecting the metal with a red sheen of blood, his face bloodless and white.
She was unconscious in minutes.
Diana's whole body convulsed at another nightmare. The images of Andrew's feet tied in ropes and a knife plunging onto his jawline kept visiting her in her dreams.
She jolted from the sheets, her lungs constricted, and her voice numb and dry. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and wept silently.
It was always the same but the methods keep changing. Tonight's nightmare was all about Andrew drowning in his own blood, Frank swallowing acid, and Sucy boiling Avery alive in a witch's cauldron.
The days are false. The nights are true. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish what was real anymore. She arranged her pillows, making herself comfortable as she gave another attempt to sleep that night.
There was a banging sound somewhere. Diana opened her eyes and glanced towards her bedroom window.
"Hey!" A dark hooded Amanda was sprawled all over the glass, standing on the ledge.
Diana almost screamed out of her mind.
"Shh!" Amanda said tapping the window. "Open this thing up and let me in!"
Diana swung her legs off the bed and scrambled towards her, before deftly undoing the lock and sliding the window open. "Why are you here at this hour? Can it not wait until tomorrow?"
"Nah, I always wanted to pay you a surprise visit."
"How did you dodge the alarms?"
"Are you really asking that to your one and only?" Amanda slipped in the room, patting her skirt and removing her jacket hood.
The night breeze blew in the room, Diana shuddered. "Whatever. There better not be any stolen jewelery when I wake up. Do you have anything to report to me?"
"Yes, I saw them kissing."
"W-what?" Blood drained from her face and Diana lost her ability to think.
Amanda placed both her hands on her hips. "There's no shame attached to indulging in the sensual pleasures of life."
"I know that! B-but I... oh my goodness!" She stammered. Her mind spiraled into a weird territory of the two girls doing the same wild things to the secrets places of their bodies. Pulling her runaway thoughts back, Diana tried to concentrate on their conversation again. "I didn't know they had that sort of relationship."
"I knew Sucy had it in her, to be honest," Amanda said, unruffled, "while Akko is Akko; although they didn't reach home base. So there you have it, Sucy was sick all day and Akko was taking care of her then BOOM—feelings! I had to leave when Akko moaned. Now you have to pay for the trauma."
Diana imagined the thought of Akko moaning and it caused her cheeks to flush hotly. She began walking around in circles to keep her mind from heading towards uncharted territory.
"Why are you so rattled up by this news?" Amanda asked. "You wanted to know this. Stop walking back and forth! You're making me dizzy!"
"Akko could be in danger." Diana blurted.
"What are you talking about?"
Still pacing, Diana passed by Amanda, shooting her a glance that the other girl can't decipher judging by her looks. Diana's lips pressed into a neutral line.
"What's with that face? I can't tell if you're pleased or infuriated."
Diana's jaw clenched. It's no use, she thought. Amanda can't be deterred. She will never stop pestering her at this rate. She looked up to see Amanda her brow quirked.
"As we have agreed, I will tell you everything. After all this, you must hope I do not catch you whining to me, or you have wasted my effort in trying several times to keep you out of it."
And so, Diana spilled the whole miserable story. She told Amanda what living in the House of Cavendish had been like so far this year, how the serial killings had taken over her priorities, about the rumors that had started about her from what Blackwell informed her, how Avery was at the hospital because of her and must keep quiet about it, and about how she knows that it was all because of Sucy Manbavaran, their battle of wits and the reason why Amanda caught her little display when she stole something from a Professor's desk.
By the time she was done, Amanda was quiet for once, she started to ponder pensively. "So, you think, Sucy Manbavaran is the one who killed all those boys and tried to kill Avery."
Diana nodded.
"I believe you. You're rarely wrong."
"Nice try uplifting me."
"Thanks! I might as well try." She said cockily.
"Do you have your friends waiting out for you outside?" Diana inquired. "If not, you are welcome to use one of the guest rooms."
"Nah, but I have the Shooting Star parked outside your estate. Don't worry I will send it back. Akko can finally calm her tits." She added after seeing the disapproval on her face. "About Sucy though..."
"What about her?"
"Well, what are we going to do about her?" Amanda demanded, giving her a look that seemed to say don't be absurd. "I don't know what the best way is to go about this, though I suppose we'll have to start with figuring out if her handwriting matches—
"We?" Diana interrupted, incredulous.
"Well, of course," Amanda replied, her brow furrowing in reproach. "What, you thought you'd tell me this just to let me know that the reason why you're avoiding me isn't actually because you hate me, but because you feel like me joining you in your quest for truth will make me a target, and then I'd just leave you to fend for yourself?"
Diana glared at her obstinately and Amanda seemed to take that for confirmation because she scoffed.
"Don't act like an idiot, Cavendish. It doesn't suit you."
"Back off, Amanda," she snarled, crossing her arms instinctively. "Why in Beatrix's name would you want to help me if it means causing trouble for yourself? I've been a complete bitch to you. I'm not worth it."
"I told you not to act like an idiot, Cavendish," Amanda murmured, putting a gentle hand on one of Diana's wrists and giving her a tiny, warm smile. "You're no bitch to me. I mean you are a bitch but not that kinda bitch. Get it? Do you understand why I want to help?"
"You were only in it for the fun though. Why do you still mean it?"
Amanda looked at her straight in the eye. "I meant it because first of all, I still want to have some fun, and second of all, I like you, Diana. I thought you knew that. I didn't at first, true. I mean, yes, you're right, you used to be horrible to me," she snorted. "But these past few hours or so since yesterday, I thought we'd become friends. Was I wrong? Have I misjudged things?"
She stared at her, wide-eyed, barely suppressing her tears. "I thought you were just putting up with me, for whatever your mysterious reasons were."
The redhead laughed, and it was a strange, breathy sound that seemed oddly distraught. "You really need to get your shit together, Diana, because your deduction of solving me as a puzzle is decreasing its accuracy."
Diana had a clear idea that Amanda was prone to spur-of-the-moment but not like the one she had demonstrated earlier. "You are absolutely right. I do need to get my sh—self in order."
"Oh my, she can say the word bitch, not shit." She bantered. "Diana, you're cursed, aren't you?"
"A judgment you have repeatedly validated."
"But seriously Sucy Manbavaran had driven you insane."
Diana shot her a no-nonsense look.
"I mean come on! If she was a witch, I would have believed it without a doubt. How else could she have tortured a person even in her sleep?"
"I'm escorting you out; we will make stupid assumptions after today's exam," Diana said. Then she had to wince at the sharp pain on her neck. She placed one hand over it, her arched eyebrows knitted together.
"What's wrong?" Amanda asked. "You don't look well."
"It's nothing," she said, but she was breathing harder. Her shoulders ached so much this time, she felt as if she had been carrying one of the pyramid stones under the scorching heat of the sun.
Bile rose in her throat, the taste almost made her retch. She cupped the underside of her slightly swollen belly. She had no idea why or how her delicate stomach got upset and refusing to expel her sickly tummy contents proved to be difficult.
Her body convulsed and decided it was no time to save face. Even with Amanda there, all she wanted was to be free of the pain and discomfort. She reached for a plastic bag under her drawers and she managed to open it all before shoving her entire face inside.
Diana retched.
"EWWWW!" Amanda's cry of disgust echoed through the walls.