Chapter 172: Rusted-I

Elise was in shock with the glass breaking under her hand and she could tell Ian was the least affected, as if he knew the glass would break under her immense emotions after recalling of her family's death.

Her eyes were fixed at Ian whose smile was still as wide as always, "Do you know the glass would break?" she asked him, the question had her eyes to look at him with full of question.

"I know, one way or another," Ian replied bringing his hand to the glass that now turn to dust. Picking the dust, he then see it fell to look nothing less than a snow. "When I came to meet you as you break the window, I could tell there was only you in the place without any single presence of other person which mean, you might have been the one who had broken the window. You had confirmed it now."

"I didn't know this would happen," replied Elise. She never knew she had this kind of ability to break glass but it was more than breaking, the glass turn soft like snowflakes and she didn't know how she had managed to do it.

"I know you didn't," said Ian, uncrossing his leg, he brought his hand to her head. He loved to play with her hair, feeling the texture that felt soft, nothing less to a dog's fur but softer and silkier. "You were surprised and I take that you don't remember how you did that?"

Elise shook her head, answering with a no. Her eyes then look at her hands, the same hand that had broken glasses. What happened? was the only question filled in her mind. She never knew there was this ability inside her that could do this but instead of feeling happy, she felt unsettled and she didn't know why.

Ian said, "I could guess that your ability came out when your emotions are triggered and anger seemed to be the key. If you feel angry, you could maybe break glass," said Ian, Elise wasn't the type to get angered, and when she did this happen. Ian didn't look surprised but inwardly he was surprised but not shocked. As Elise was the same bride the oracle God have to him, he knew that one day she would have ability.

It was safe to take that the ability she had is to break things but to what extend?

God had never gave anything for free as there must be things they took in exchange that work as dismerit for the people that was gifted. Ian had experienced everything with God and Angels in the past and he knew how they work. They sounded to be the most Holy being when in truth they were no less than a demon dressed in white.

"For now, do not get angry while holding things. As much as I don't mind you breaking things, it would be dangerous if you keep breaking them. Don't worry, maybe this could be one of the power as Sweet Child hold," but Ian doubted that could be true. Sweet child has never have any other power than to smell good for the faeries and to be able to see things that people can't see.

"I don't know Sweet Child could do this. I tried to find more about Sweet Child from books, but I cannot find anything about them," she answered. She wanted to know about herself as a sweet child but she can't and it felt to her as if a large wall was braking in between her whenever she tried to know about herself which prevent her from learning more about the Sweet Child. "Do you think this ability of mine is dangerous and have things to do with how things fell after I left?"

"I don't know yet," Ian answered her. With Elise's origin being unknown it would be hard to pull informations. "Which reminded me Elise, I have to tell you about Tracey and the incident that happen days ago."

Elise felt her heart sunken to her stomach when remembering the maid's name who had tried to kill her by using voodoo magic. After that day, she learned there was three types of voodoo magic and the one she experience was fortunately, the lowest one that affected people less than the rest. She can't imagine how the strongest voodoo magic would work to her if Tracey had chose to use the strongest one; and whenever she thought of it, she could feel her body shivered in chill.

"Was there a problem?" she asked him, as she thought the problem had ended the moment Tracey died.

"She has been spotted visiting Runalia for a few times, passing by villages and I think you know this one village she might have visited," Ian's red eyes looked at her to find that Elise had drown in her thought, wondering what he meant as she had always been the girl who asked a lot, "It's the village of Saltige, the village where your aunt lived at."

"Saltige?" A gasp came from her mouth as she recall the village which she left nine years ago. "I don't remember Tracey to be from that village," Elise spoke with her eyes inquiring, she didn't know Tracey was a person from Saltige. She didn't remember ever seeing the girl before and she might not remember her face well because of how much she avoid herself from remembering her painful past.

"No, she came there with the reason to visit the village but I can't help to think of how close the place she visit was to your aunt's village," Ian stated, and Elise gave some thought to agree. "Coincidences never happen in my life and it's hard to think this is a one; as after the continuous visit to Runalia Tracey made, one day she was able to use voodoo magic. It's a miracle she was able to use voodoo magic with her lack of knowledge in magic and it is thinkable that she could use the magic after learning them from the time she visited the villages."

Elise felt uncomfortable and somewhere uneasy with the twist and turn Ian informed her. To know that Tracey visited Runalia and in particular her village, and to suddenly curse her when she had done nothing against the woman that could lead Tracey to be filled with so much anger that she want to kill her, make her feel that her aunt may have some involvement with the accident but maybe it was not possible. Her aunt had sold her, she would not know what happen to her life after she had been sold to the slave merchant.

Was Tracey's change in behavior took place after she had visit the village?

With all in consideration, Elise can't help but to agree with Ian's words. "But I don't understand, why Tracey would want to kill me if she visited the village?" she whispered, still trying to find reason when she can't find anything.

Elise then recount the screaming of curses Tracey shouted at her before the woman died. Was the older maid's death curses to her, said because it was related to her reason for wanting to kill her?

She suddenly felt a chill when thinking of how her thought could be possible.

They were still in a talk when knocking came from the other side of the door which startled Elise whose body was tensed with the news about Tracey and her unknown ability she never knew she had one.

"Milord, it is me, Maroon," said the butler from the other side of the door without opening the door, he had spoke.

"Elise," said Ian before turning his eyes at her, his smile was pulled gently and he placed his hand over her head, rounding his hand on her to soothe her mind as many informations filled her mind at one time, "Do you remember the reward I promised you?"

Elise think to recall the time in the library where Ian had given her short seconds for her to make a choice in what reward she would like to have. "I do," her smile that disappeared to a mulling frown earlier made its appearance or her lips again.

"There will be a Winter Ball held right at the end of this week and I was thinking to bring you there for your reward," Ian pulled her hair softly, gently using his finger to brush through her hair.

"But I do not have a gown," and Elise doubt she could come to the annual Winter Ball using the simple attire she had on her wardrobe.

"I can arrange that. For you sweetheart, I could do anything," Ian said, his tone like a promise for Elise to unable holding down the smile on her lips. "Now go and do your work, sweetheart, I will talk to you again later."

Elise stood up from her seat, her eyes hesitantly shifted from Ian and came the feeling in her where she doesn't want to leave yet but Maroon once again knocked on the door, reminding that he was there as if knowing that Elise was thinking to speak a little longer with Ian.

"Ian," Elise called Ian's name when she stopped in front of the door. Stepping a few steps away from the door, she held her hands on her back. The shy color took place to paint her cheeks and Ian enjoyed seeing her shyness while calling his name. He would love to see her getting use to call his name without feeling embarrassed but he didn't hate the shy nature Elise had in her as it was enjoyable on its own way.

"Have a nice day," she whispered, her wishes sounded much better than an Angel's trumpet and in response, Ian smiled at her sweetly.

"You too," he replied.

When Elise opened the door, she saw Maroon and their eyes met. Elise can't help but to feel unnerved by the butler's presence. The look the butler gave to her was not a look that was welcoming but a hawking look as if he was watching every action she took as if she was a thief to his eyes.

He said nothing and she didn't either, when Elise was about to bow in greeting the butler, Maroon had bowed to show his curtsy before her. Seeing how the man bowed first, surprised Elise. She wasn't a lady who Maroon had to respect which explain her surprise for his sudden change of behavior that was polite.

She quickly returned the man's bow and her eyes watched how Maroon left the spot he was standing previously to then close the door on his back.

Leaving the place, Elise felt something latch on her skirt, and she looked down to see that it was Hallow, his body was in a mess that his yellow body had changed to ash color after being dusted around and worse, he was chased by a cat! He wasn't a chick for any reason! It was because of the Demon inside the room beside him had used his demonic magic that his body had turned to a chick.

In exchange of his own protection, Hallow agreed to become a chick, or so he would want to say, when in truth he had no other choice but to become one. Ian didn't believe him and still suspect he could flip his sides on a drop of a hat to betray them that explain his reason for turning him to a chick. But he didn't sign up for this!

To change back to his previous body, Hallow knew he had to gain the people in the castle's trust and after what took place today, he swore to become loyal to Elise so he could turn back to being in his true form.

Elise picked him up carefully from the hem of her skirt, her eyes looking at Hallow full of concern and question, "Are you alright?" she asked gently. Seeing how her cape was no where to be found and she recalled Austin's words of chasing the chick, he must have been in a long chase, thought Elise in concern.

Hallow tried to resist screaming madly or crying, cross that, Hallow never cry! It was a shame of him to cry! Being in this body make him feel weak and it did not only affect his physical body but mental state.

The real him was not like this, thought Hallow, still holding his pride nature and he convinced himself that he was a strong person.

"I am alright but I am now dirty, very very dirty," he said in distress. There was still more than dirty he had suffered from but he decide to tell Elise only the part of dirty that seemed to make him felt distress. As if he said the truth, he felt like he would be viewed as a weak person.

"Would you like to take a bath?" offered Elise, feeling half guilty for knowing how Austin had chased him.

"Yes, I need a bath," said Hallow, his gloominess starting to fade out on her offer, "Help me pour a cup of water. I will have to wash myself from this sticky grim. This is completely disgusting!"

"Would you like a warm one?"

"Warm one please!" Hallow could feel his spirit lifted at the mention of bath and they left the place without knowing someone had been watching them with their eyes vigilant. Before Elise or Hallow could tell there was a person behind the walls, the person hide and run from the place, not knowing what they had dropped on the spur of moment.

Not long after, a maid came to pass by the direction after being told to take things that were stored in the attic. While walking, her eyes fell on the knitting sticks and out of concern by thinking it could be one of the maid's possession that fell, the maid took the knitting sticks and went to Maroon's office to report for the lost item, so it would be found by the owner.

Today is one chapter because it's two chapter at once~~ enjoy