Chapter 3.

Looking around the entryway of the Casters Manor, I tried not to draw too much attention to myself. Just go and find Theo. Then maybe he can find a magical solution to the flower crisis I have at home. As I tried to make the first step in the direction of Theo’s room, a deep voice to my right almost gave me a heart attack. “You do know that it’s considered rude to creep through a house that isn’t yours without greeting the people living there?” Everett’s voice was laced with toxic sarcasm. I turned to face him, his 6’3 frame hovering above me, so I had to turn my head up to meet his cold grey eyes. “Of course, I would’ve greeted you, but I thought that you were down in the cellars doing some blood ritual to feed the demons that live inside of you.” My smile was so sweet that maybe he would die from it. But he doesn’t. He just shoved his dark brown hair back with a hand away from his face to give me a hard stare. Tough crowd today. And again, there were no emotions in his eyes. How could he do that? I can always read people through their eyes; that’s how I get along with so many people. I can see what they think and feel and build my personality around that. But with Everett? I never know how to act around him, and that drives me crazy. Annoyed, I tried to shove past him to get to Theo’s room. Everett stopped me by gripping my arm. “Bloody hell, Everett, let go of me.” I struggled against his tight grip on me, and his grey eyes turned to liquid silver. His voice got so low that I had to slow my heavy breathing to understand what he wanted to say. “Your little boyfriend isn’t here, but you know that already, don’t you?” I was utterly confused when I saw emotions flickering in his gaze for the first time. “You are quite delusional, did you know? Theo told me that he was in his room expecting you.”, and there it was, another new emotion flickering through. “He told me he was on his way to you. What is-?” His little anger outburst was interrupted by a calm but stern voice to our left. So much about getting to Theo’s room unnoticed. “Everett, let go of Celest right this second.” It’s Cecil, thank God. Cecil’s gaze fell on my red wrist, and his grandson’s hand, which was tightly wrapped around it. I hissed as Everett let go of my wrist, and I immediately cradled my hand against my stomach. “Now, my dear, I hope you know that is not how we treat a lady in our home. Come, accompany me to my study.” With a last hateful glare, I looked at Everett, who, to my surprise, looked rightfully shocked at the hand that gripped me just a few seconds ago. I turned to Cecil and took his hand, which he offered to take. “Thank you, Cecil; I just…” Cecil looked at me with a warm smile, his grey eyes shining with understanding. “Hush now, my sweet Celest. It’s okay, but you need to let an old man tell you something.” At that, I turned to look at him curiously. He stopped in front of a window that had a beautiful view of the gardens. “Love can make us do stupid things. We lie. We hurt. We most certainly do things that we are not proud of. But we do all these hurtful things to protect those who we love.” He softly took both of my hands in his. And looked at me as if he knew something that nobody else did. “We need to remember that when we are hurt by those we love.” I don’t even know what to think any more. I shook my head at him to show him that I really didn’t understand a word that he had just told me. His joyful laughter dragged me out of my thoughts. “But what does an old man like me know about love, right?” Oh, Cecil, but you do know what it means. I gave him a sad smile. “Everything, Cecil.”