Menedelia remained adamant and refused to reveal Rebecca's location. "Just let the couple settle their own problem. Let's stay out of their problem. We have our own problem to worry about and that is Grandma Sitas. We should focus our whole attention to create the cure as soon as possible, so that we can heal her trauma and make her mental health return to normal," she elaborated further.
Ebony sighed. "Alright you win today, but I'm not gonna give up on this issue. I won't inform Lord Corbin that I found his wife for the time being," she said. "And one more thing, I would like to bring Grandma Sitas to the manor tomorrow so that I can look after her everyday and speed up her recovery. This time, I won't accept no for answer!"
Menedelia nods her head, feeling relieved. "No problem with me. I will visit you and Grandma in the manor everyday.".
"I'll go home now. I'll return here tomorrow to bring Grandma Sitas to the manor," Ebony said.
"Okay," Menedelia replied.
A few minutes later, Ebony vanished from the hut.
Menedelia stood up and went to her room, she checked her grandmother sleeping soundly on her bed.
She went to the window and opened it.
She was thinking of Nini and Zero and Evelyn's family. How are they coping up with her absence? It must be hard for Tony and his children to accept the painful truth that their mother was already gone, and they might not see each other again in this lifetime.
After her sister Ebony settled their grandma to the manor, she plans to return to her palm reading business so that she can provide financial support to her sister and Grandma Sitas. Then she can also start finding Evelyn and continue cultivating her power.
She closed the window, preparing to sleep.
She lies down on the bed beside Grandma Sita's and shuts her eyes to sleep.
Minutes went by.
Yet, she can't sleep no matter how hard she tried.
She got up from the bed, glanced at her grandma, she's still sleeping soundly.
She needs to go somewhere!
She initiated the teleportation process in her mind.
A few minutes later, she arrived at the capital inside Tony's manor in her invisible form. She has no plan to show herself to them, she only wants to see Evelyn's family and find out how they're coping with her absence.
She checked the rooms, surprisingly they were empty.
A frown appeared on her forehead. Where are they?
She quickly went to the study room...
And there... on the couch was Tony... drinking hard liquor nonstop, empty bottles paraded on top of the center table.
The distraught Tony was surrounded by his children trying to stop him from drinking another bottle of liquor, even Zero was there giving moral support to his wife Nini and the grieving lord.
"Father, please stop drinking!" Angela said as tears shimmered in her eyes.
Tony spoke, "Children, leave me alone! I want to drink until morning so that I will sleep the whole day and not able to remember your mother!" he shouted at their faces. He picked up the bottle and drink some more.
Aron went to his father's side and pleaded with him to stop drinking. "Father, please stop drinking! You can't keep doing this everyday! We will find mother soon!" he said.
Tony shook his head vigorously. "No... she will never come back! That monster will not let her go! We will never see your mother again!" he said in desperation and hopelessness.
A feeling of extreme sadness and desolation gripped the entire family.
Fresh tears appeared in Nini's eyes. "Father, me and Zero will start finding mother tomorrow," she said trying to give her father some sense of hope.
Tony looked at his children and dismissed them, "Go now! Return to your rooms. I'll be fine here. I'll just finish this one last bottle, then I'll retire to my room and sleep," he said.
The children obeyed and rose to their feet, they picked up the empty bottles from the center table and left the room.
Menedelia stared at Tony in his pitiable form, he is now a broken man. She sympathizes with his sorrow because it's not easy losing one's beloved wife to someone else.
A few minutes later.
Unable to finish the half-filled bottle of liquor due to drunkenness, Tony passed out on the couch.
Menedelia sighed inwardly, what a depressing sight to behold!
She picked up the bottle of liquor and emptied it inside the bathroom, then put it back on the center table.
Time to leave!
She teleported back to the forest to retire for the day.
...
Back at the vampire couple's manor.
A few hours after dinner.
Veronica glanced at Grandpa Terros with tears in her eyes. "Are we really going to die here tonight?" she asked as desperation was closing in, suffocating her. When she still has her power, she fears no one. But it's different when her power is gone, she can't do anything. She was petrified with her impending death.
Horace looked at Veronica in the eyes. "I wish I could do something to save us. But I also felt useless and powerless right now. In our next life, I will do anything to protect you," he said softly. He already accepted the painful reality that his time on earth had finally come to end, stripped of his power, he was just like any weak mortal being, that can be slaughtered easily and anytime.
Grandpa Terros released a troubled sigh. Just when they finally found Graven, they were about to lose their lives. This is sad. Are they really going to lose their lives tonight? Despite facing uncertainty, he was still harboring a tiny thread of hope in his heart. He looked at their hands and feet, both bound securely by a rope to the back of the chair. If they try to move, they will fell on the floor, face down.
There's no way they can escape tonight without the aid of their powers!
The atmosphere around the room was getting frustrating and saddening.
The trio looked at each other's faces in defeat.
Veronica addressed the men. "Guys, I'm happy to meet you all in this lifetime. See you in the afterlife," she said.
Horace shook his head. "No, you can't die. You can still save yourself by becoming the wife of the young lord then escape this place afterward," he stated. "Use your head wisely, Veronica!" he said one last time, trying to convince her that sometimes one needs to sacrifice something to survive.
Veronica shook her head. "No way! I won't be that guys wife! Over my dead body!" she said with finality in her voice.
Horace smiled broadly and looked into her eyes deeply. "Alright then... let's die together... no regrets?"
Veronica smiled and nods her head. "See you on the other side..." she replied.
Horace responded with a grin and said, "I'll find you in our next life."
After their lively chattering...
Heavy silence enveloped the room.
"Dying doesn't sounds bad after all when we accepted it with open arms," Horace said after some time.
"Yeah...right..." Veronica nodded her head in agreement.
Grandpa Terros looked at his companions with tears in his eyes. The truth is... he still not ready to die. He still wants to see Graven's children with Laura and Graven's child with the deity. He cleared his throat because he's getting emotional and he was on the verge of crying. "Guys, I'm proud and thankful for your willingness to die just to protect Laura's location. I'm willing to die with you tonight," he finally said.
They looked at each other, smiling bitterly.
Veronica spoke, "Not a lonely way to die because we have each other, right?"
The men smiled at her statement.
Silence wrapped around them, like a black heavy curtain signifying their impending death.
A few minutes later.
The door was opened by Madam's men.
They entered the room and lifted the prisoners' chairs, taking them outside.
They left the basement and the house, going to the backyard.
After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived at their destination.
The trio saw a hole, about six meters in diameter, covered with flames, it looks like a blazing inferno!
The flames were dancing in the air, so beautiful to look at yet so deadly!
In the corner, Nathan was observing the whole scenario, unfolding before his very eyes.
Sylvia went to the prisoner's side and spoke, "Guys, did you see the inferno that my men had created just for you? How are you feeling now?"
The trio ignored Madam's taunting, instead, they stared at the terrifying flames that are ready to devour them.
"Guys, bring me to your lord's home. You only have to say yes and you won't suffer a painful death tonight," Sylvia told the prisoners.
The trio looked at each other. No more words came out from their mouth 'coz they already bid goodbye to each other earlier inside the room. Terros told his companion that the pain will only last for a few minutes and after that, no more pain as their soul will enter the world of the dead and waiting for their time to be reincarnated into the world again after many years.
Grandpa Terros looked at Sylvia. "Madam, if it can make you happy to see us die in the inferno that you have created especially for us then by all means you are free to do so as you pleases," he said calmly.
Sylvia gritted her teeth in anger. "Alright, I'll give you what you want! Your stubbornness will bring you to your death!" she said in an enraged voice.
She commanded his men. "Throw the prisoners to the inferno, now!"
"Aye, Madam!" the men said and lifted the chairs.
Suddenly, Veronica felt something is not right with her body... darkness enveloped her, and then she fainted.
"Madam, the woman had fainted!" the guy informed his master.
Sylvia examined the woman, her eyes closed, she had fainted indeed. "Throw her into the fire first!" she ordered.
Suddenly... the third eye on Veronica's forehead opened wide.
Sylvia was shocked. "Throw the woman into the fire now!" she ordered instantly.
Without further ado, the men threw Veronica's chair into the blazing inferno.