Forced to face the dangerous Marquis in the dark tower, fear took hold of Saphira. But it turned out the Marquis wasn’t there to hurt her, but to disclaim any fault in her best friend’s supposed death. And he doesn’t stop there. He has truths for Saphira that will shake everything she thought she knew, including information about a mysterious enemy.
***
I measure him up and down. Tall and strong, dark eyes intense and sovereign in his ivory face, he looks honest and confident, and even a shade respectable. I decide to at least assume he’s telling the truth.
“Say I take that for a fact. What do you suppose the ‘mysterious man’ was after? Why did he need to get inside the asylum?”
“The sewers underneath the asylum link to the catacombs under this manor. He wanted access to those sewers and therefore to me. He wants my head.”
A revelation hits me. “You think the mysterious man is Ivan Basarab. The Slayer.”
The Marquis snorts as if insulted. “The Slayer. Undeserved distinction for a coward who fights from the shadow. He’s afraid to face me for real.”
“You think he succeeded in breaching the sewers?”
“If he did, it’s irrelevant. I secured them from halfway to here. But I do have something more on Basarab’s true identity. I think he’s a Northville local.”
A shock. “Say what?”
The Marquis continues. “Your friend Vivien Grant clearly knew him. Her mother too. I also think that he was a member of the group that raped and killed Catherine, and that gave me over to the people who turned me into what I am today.”
The pathos with which he speaks the words, the fearlessness in “rape” and “kill” and “what I am today” emphasize his entitlement to revenge. I surprise myself indulging him. And accepting his theory. Tension dissolves from my body as I begin to understand things. I let go of my knees.
“When you proved to be stronger and deadlier than the other serpents, you became dangerous to your makers,” I draw the conclusion. “Then you went independent. That’s when they must’ve activated Basarab, the Slayer. He’s always been one of them.”
The Marquis smiles a disturbingly charming smile. “You’re very bright, Saphira.”
“So Ivan Basarab is a false name for a man we already know.” I attempt to ignore how his praise makes me feel.
“That’s right.”
He looks hard at me with those impossibly black eyes that seem to hypnotize me, only that this time I’m sure he’s not trying. Silence settles between us for moments in which I just stare, unable to rip my eyes from him.
“What are you thinking?” He whispers, lowering himself so close that his bitter-sweet breath touches my face, the mattress and the pillows giving in under his weight as he leans on his hands. I feel lost.
“I’m wondering why I find it so easy to take your word for everything,” I whisper.
His expression deepens, his eyes now flooding mine. It’s hard to breathe, they seem to weigh on me.
“Because I may be a villain, but I’m the only person without a reason to lie to you. All you ever got from me was the truth. You’re beginning to trust me.”
I let my gaze wander all over his marble face.
“I must be really stupid.”
“By no means. You’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, actually. And I wish to win your complete trust.”
“What use do you have for it?”
“It’s the key to your affection.”
My heart flutters. “You desire my affection?”
“Ardently,” he says, his eyes lowering to my lips.
***
Enjoyed this? Stay tuned for a new episode on Friday and check out the prequel, Saphira, in the Christmas Story Book for Adults, available here.
I found myself very glad that this scene with The Marquis and Saphira. I enjoyed the closeness and the growing trust between both of them. There’s going to be quite the stand down between The Marquis and the mysterious man. I must read more!
The Mysterious Man is the real villain in the story. He’s the Slayer, the one who’s hunting the Marquis 🙂 I’m honored you enjoy the story, dear Sara
🙂 I very much do enjoy it.
So that’s interesting.
The Marquis now desires Saphira’s affection.
It looks like a romance may be budding amidst all this suspense and skulduggery.
So Ivan Basarab is the false name for a man they already know.
Hm, putting on my Sherlock Holmes cap and doing some speculating like in a game of Spot The Murderer while watching an Agatha Christie mystery on TV, I wonder if Ivan Basarab is Saphira’s policeman ex-fiancé.
If that is indeed the case you heard it here first. 😀
If that is not the case, then forget I ever said that.
Looking into your eyes in Marquis hypnotic like fashion so you’ll forget I ever said that. 😀
Shhhhhhhhh, hush hush LOL
You’re so cool Chris, LOL 🙂
Thanks, Ana. 🙂
LOL !
I sense Saphira’s conversion is near and so is the confrontation between the Marquis and the forces trying to stop him. Two apex predators hunting each other is enough for me to go pop some popcorn and get comfortable. I wouldn’t miss this confrontation for any reason. Another intriguing episode, Ana.
So I guess, dear muse, you too have a hunch of who Ivan Basarab actually is 🙂 If you do, then rest assured that indeed, the final confrontation will be epic. I already “saw” it a few days ago.
I look forward to having my mind scorched by the coming episodes. I’m easily pulled into the scenes, feeling and seeing everything as it transpires. What a ride its been!