Necromancer Dreams of Mechs Chapter 69: Chapter 75

Read chapter 69 of Necromancer Dreams of Mechs by Magic on NovelPedia.

Chapter 69: The Architecture of the Heart and Past Ciara felt like she was walking a razor-thin line of stability as the older woman guided her through the massive estate. Her carefully constructed "Ice Princess" persona, the one she had spent years building to survive her father’s world, was on the verge of a total meltdown. She had always known Alexander Clarence was ruthless—that he viewed people as assets to be managed or obstacles to be cleared—but this was a level of sociopathy she couldn't even wrap her head around. “I cannot begin to fathom the depths of your current tribulation, but I have observed your fellowship since our introduction,” Seraphine said softly, her Victorian lilt steady as she guided Ciara up the grand staircase. “My Lord Allen spoke of you with great frequency during our travels. It is evident that he holds you in the highest regard.” “I know he does, but... how am I even supposed to look him in the face?” Ciara’s voice trailed off, her eyes fixed on the stairs. “My dad literally had his parents murdered, Seraphine. And you saw him—he flinched when I tried to hold his hand. He’s never done that before.” “He has been subjected to a most harrowing ordeal; I would not permit a singular reflex to distress you,” Seraphine replied, pausing as they reached the landing. “The boy possesses a formidable spirit, and though he is yet young, he shall undoubtedly ascend to greatness. From what I have gathered, he masters every endeavor he undertakes. A ‘Grand Seeker of Accolades,’ if I am to believe Alric’s colorful descriptions. He is a man who shall not rest until every triumph is secured.” They reached the master bedroom, where two Fleshed Squires stood like silent, alabaster sentinels. Ciara couldn't help but stare at the one Allen called Silas. She paused, startled by the gentle, knowing smile on the undead man’s face. When she had first seen him, his expression had been as rigid as the grave; now, he looked almost human, despite the visible patches of ivory bone and necrotic tissue beneath his skin. The Squires nodded in unison and pulled open the heavy double doors. As the women entered, the doors clicked shut behind them, sealing the room in a heavy, pressurized silence. Allen lay motionless on the bed, looking smaller than usual against the dark velvet linens. For a moment, neither moved. It was Seraphine who finally broke the tension. “As much as I desire to be of service to my Lord, I perceive that this particular labor falls within your province,” Seraphine explained. She walked slowly to the far side of the bed, the hem of her emerald gown whispering against the floor. She reached out, resting the back of her hand against Allen’s cool cheek. “While I possess the advantage of years and the experience woven into my very essence, I remain a chaste woman. I have no knowledge of romantic entreaties, nor how one behaves in such... delicate matters.” The sheer honesty of the statement finally broke Ciara’s composure. A small, involuntary giggle escaped her, followed by a long, shaky sigh. She moved to the other side of the bed, furthest from the massive window where Seraphine stood. Reaching down, she gently brushed a stray lock of dark hair away from Allen’s forehead. “That’s one way to put it, I guess,” Ciara said softly, her North American accent sharp with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. “I mean, I never expected the guy I chose would end up having another woman basically forced on him by the plot. I also never imagined I’d be asked to share my boyfriend by the digital ghost of his dead mother. Or any mother, for that matter. It’s a lot.” Seraphine turned away, her gaze lifting to the jagged white tear pulsing in the center of the velvet-black sky. The stars looked like frozen shards of ice against the void. While the teenager behind her was drowning in the complexity of her feelings, Seraphine found a strange hope in the girl’s presence. Allen had his "Legacy" in the Marquis, but in Ciara, he had h