Chapter 44

44 Six Distinctive Bells

“We’re back from hunting.”

Gretta’s demeanor looked calm and lady-like as she gently bowed before the two men who were deeply engrossed in a game of chess, but now had their attention diverted to the lady dressed in a black exquisite gown with her hair packed in an updo.

Azazel’s expression still remained unfazed despite the sweet smile being directed towards his direction and a silent scoff left his lips instead.

There’s never really good news behind the smile you see on an Astaroth family’s face, their smile only meant they had done something bad which again, is never good news.

“What’s with the look? I had high expectations of you being the first to welcome me, dear cousin.” Said Gretta, who masterfully feigned innocence as though his ignorance had hurt her feelings, except Azazel had come to know her way better than that.

“Where’s Gemma?” He asked instead, causing a little girl’s head to pop from behind Gretta who still stood at the doorway and all eyes shifted to the girl hiding behind her.

The little girl who looked no older than six, curiously let her hazel eyes travel amongst the people present in the solar room before hesitantly stepping away from Gretta’s back, keeping mute.

“Urgh! Gemma!! Aren’t you supposed to have taken your bath already??” Gretta complained as she saw the little one still dressed in her hunting outfit, a few leaves were stuck to her hair which she guiltily removed and her boots were covered in mud.

Whilst she paid less attention to Gretta, knowing she only cared about her standards and nothing else.

.....

Azazel met the little one’s stare before she hurried towards him with a happy smile, her eyes glimmering in delight as she reached for him to jerk her up and sit her on his lap.

Which he did, not minding her appearance at all as he found it rather cute instead.

“How was your hunting? Did you find something special?”

She excitedly nodded before looking away and lowering her gaze to the brown sack hanging around her waist. With itchy hands, she brought out a beautiful blue glowing pendant from her sack, holding it in her small hands and showing it to Azazel who looked impressed at the sight.

But to everyone’s unexpected surprise, a little blue bird suddenly flew out of her small sack, startling everyone in the solar room and with the way it flew, one could tell it wasn’t strong enough to carry itself and instead, watched it land on the floor with a soft thud when it had grown tired of flying.

Quickly, Gemma got down from Azazel as she hurriedly went to pick up the little bird with gentility, causing a look of annoyance to paint Gretta’s pretty face.

“I thought I already warned you not to bring that filth in here, throw it away right now before aunt Letitia sees it!!” Gretta half-scolded the little one whose big round eyes immediately looked downturny with sadness as her shoulders slouched.

That alone earned a little smile from Gretta, finally wanting to use the opportunity to talk some sense into Gemma and having her ruin her moment.

“Let me see the bird.” Azazel’s cool voice resonated next, interrupting Gretta who was about to scold her again and gaining Gemma’s attention.

Ignoring Gretta, Gemma quietly headed up to him with the beautiful little animal resting in her tiny palms.

Azazel stared at the bird and noticed the poor thing had a slight injury in one of its colourful feathers and a slow smile formed on his lips.

“I see, so you want to treat it.”

She nodded without speaking, causing Uncle Evan to bluff at her words as though she was being naive and truly, she was, according to him and Gretta.

“Why treat a bird that will end up being eaten someday in the wild? Haven’t you heard about the cycle of nature, little one.”

Gemma’s eyes immediately widened at her uncle Evan’s word, as though the news of the beautiful bird being eaten had shocked her to her core.

Azazel, who noticed his little cousin’s fright immediately made her look at him instead, shifting his warm gaze to the bird before bringing it back to look into her hazel eyes.

“You can keep the bird and make sure to treat it properly.” Came his response as well as a secret warning to the rest present in the solar room.

Gemma, who wasn’t expecting such a response from one of her cold favorite uncles, stared at him with a surprised look, as though asking if he really meant it and he reassuringly nodded, giving her head a gentle pat.

“Go freshen up and get changed, then we can talk.”

With a happy smile adorning her lips, the little girl ran out of the room with the bird in her hand, causing Gretta’s mouth to fall open that Azazel really let Gemma keep that filth, the dirty thing!!

“It was picked from the bushes Azazel! Who knows what germs and disgusting organisms must be living inside of it.” She made her distaste known but that never really concerned the white-haired being whose focus was back to the chess game as he moved a piece.

“You just came back from the bushes Gretta, who knows what germs and disgusting organisms must be living inside of you.” Azazel’s words came soft, but they were a great slap to Gretta’s face as her expression fell.

“Pardon but I’m the daughter of a great Duke, and due to our family relation, I won’t take your words too deep.”

With the stern look in her eyes, one could tell she was trying really hard not to react to his words, hence she knew, without a doubt, that he’d find absolute joy in it, so what was the use of feeding him with that satisfaction.

Instead, she headed towards their table and sat in the middle by their right, unwilling to let her nerves be played with and quietly watched the two Demons play chess.

“A Game of chess, who is thinking and who is silently venting?” She inquired.

“Why? Got a bad day?”

“Not as bad as Levi.” She chuckled silently at her own words like she just remembered something. Uncle Evan seemed to have expected the news since he hasn’t seen Levi around and chose to ask.

“What did he do?”

“He came to join the hunt, stating he was tired of Azazel breaking his heart all the time.....” she redirected her gaze towards Azazel who just kept playing the game, acting like he wasn’t actually the one they were talking about.

Rolling her eyes, Gretta continued,”...we were after the six distinctive bells but unfortunately, the djinns got them first, some we had to kill and some we ended up bargaining with using Levi, I think he’s married to their queen now cause she found him appealing due to his appearance.”

She tried not to chuckle again while uncle Evan just shook his head.

“That boy is certainly no different from Gemma, no wonder they’re siblings, sometimes I wonder if he’s even an actual Demon, are you sure he wasn’t picked from somewhere?”

“He has more humor than you to say the least.” Azazel instantly striked, his polite smile was a complete contrast to his venomous words, earning him a half threatening glare from his uncle but he just politely motioned to the chessboard.

“Your turn uncle Evan.”

“At the end of it all, we got them.” She brought out the bells from her own sack, three were tied with a red knot while the remaining three were tied with a blue knot.

“What are those bells?” Questioned Azazel.

“It’s called the six distinctive bells, very unique and rare.” Gretta amusingly began, “they are two different types of bell as you can see, the love bell and the death bell.”

“Love bells?”

She nodded, “I have no idea how the djinns got hold of something like this in the first place but the love bell automatically rings when you stand before a person you’d love till eternity to come.” she batted her lashes at Azazel who once again, ignored her.

She held the bell with a red knot up, “this particular one is quite fatal, holding this bell and hearing it ring means you’re standing before a person who’d actually kill you someday, or you’d kill one another I can’t remember how Aunt Letitia placed them again.”

“That’s weird.” Uncle Evan found her little theory to be untrue but Gretta only shrugged with an empty look in her eyes.

“They’re more of magical fated bells, and with the three realms being unstable, I have my suspicions on something but I rather keep my thoughts to myself until proven otherwise.”

“Why do you even have them?” Questioned Azazel, who seemed to find them useless and bothersome to his gaze.

“Cause Aunt Letitia told me to keep them for her, Roshan’s return doesn’t seem to fit in well with her.” She whispered with a giggle that sounded sweet yet mocking.

“Did you show them to Gemma?”

“Why would I? Gemma actually enjoyed hunting but it’s like she’s always appearing and disappearing with each chance she gets,” Gretta couldn’t help but find that part of the adventure a bit strange and at the same time, wasn’t willing to let it bother her.

“It’s her first time going for such meaningful hunts and she should learn.”

“Is Levi still stuck there?”

“Most likely yes, but I don’t really care.”

Azazel rolled his eyes and with a snap of his fingers, he had vanished, startling Gretta and uncle Evan.

“How rude!”