CHAPTER 420: NOTHING LIKE IT

From poetry to fairytales then back to her personal favorites, history logs. Those always were more successful at capturing and keeping Arabella’s attention.

Between everyone’s suspicious behavior and the recent argument with her husband, at least one of those things threatened to burn holes through the walls of her stomach.

What was she to do? To try and speak with him? Would he even listen or consider her words?

While debating the proper solution to her predicament, Arabella caught herself casting judgement and making assumptions about Silas time and time again... That didn’t help her situation one bit.

The history of Vintanotter, how it came to be and carry its then name kept her head from collapsing on those pages.

The small bit she knew about the village turned out to be quite negligible compared to the fountain of information that flowed through those lines.

For example, she had no idea the village had been bestowed that name due to the peculiarity of its winters. Namely its nights which turned colder than the windy lands. No other town or village in the entirety of the cold region suffered those freezing moons.

The words continued to soothe her until a familiar voice came small from the nearest shelf, "It is time for us to go. We should be back in a few hours or so," said Ada, her expression dubious.

"Right!" Arabella rose from her seat at once, "Please, keep your eyes peeled. You never know what might happen and keep physical contact with strangers to a minimum, especially with witches,"

"Of course!" Ada chirped.

The two women stood facing each other for a good few seconds after their tongues had stopped moving. So shifty in their stance as though they had more to say but no courage to.

"I shall see you tomorrow then if we come back at a late hour," Ada smiled.

"Sure!" Arabella mimicked the expression.

She did not immediately sit back down after Ada’s departure. Her knees simply refused to bend as her eyes remained soldered where her friend had stood only moments prior.

Eventually, even though books never stopped zooming across the room, the noise they created faded into the background.

The weight of silence alone pressed upon her shoulders, forcing her to take a seat.

It was so stifling, in fact, that the instant a new sound broke the monotony, Arabella clocked it immediately and pushed her chair when standing to her feet similarly to the way she did before.

"Did you forget something, Ada?"

But the sound of footsteps did not belong to Ada. It was Silas that stood by that same shelf instead.

Her face fell as her jaw moved slightly up and down, betraying the intention of speaking which never manifested.

She remained mute in front of him until he said something.

"The doctors have a new series of tests based on Remus’ words that they wish to conduct," there was nothing, no opening. His features returned not the sliver of warmth, "Morgana will soon be here to assist with that as well. Come,"

Arabella flung her eyes to the floor and held her peace all the way to the medical wing. Nothing kept their ears company but the clacking of their shoes against the marble beneath them.

Silas spared her not a glance and she did not particularly feel the need to test his patience. At least, not before preparing her speech.

"There you are," Dr Damiana guided Arabella towards a reclined chair the moment they walked through the doors, "Please, lie down and get comfortable. This may take us some time,"

Arabella did as told without as much as a peep and stared at the monochrome ceiling above.

Silas stepped closer and towered over her. Under the light, it was hard to distinguish all of his features, but she thought there was no need to see it for a glare would have been all that was there for her.

He said nothing. Not that she expected him to say much. After all, he had never been a man of many words and so Arabella expected it to definitely be the case when his nerves lurched on the edge.

Dr Zarveth’s hand went under her head and lifted it off the examination bench before bringing a glass cup towards her lips.

"Please, my Lady, we need you to ingest this elixir,"

It was blue, opaque and very low in viscosity.

Though as Arabella opened her mouth to take her first sip, Silas’ voice echoed across the room.

"What is this for?"

"Well," Dr Damiana, cleared her throat, "We have been focused on tests pertaining to her blood so far and since nothing was apparent, we thought everything with her heart must have been just fine,"

"This fluid allows our eyes to see more clearly through her flesh and skin,"

"Is it a potion?" Arabella quizzed.

"It did originate from a witch and was later adopted by people of science such as us doctors," Zarveth nodded with a smile.

No more questions were asked as Arabella sipped the liquid to the last drop. It had no taste and practically no scent either.

The three vampires surrounded her figure and stared down, waiting for it to work its magic through her chest.

Close to a minute went by in pure silence... Which did not quell Arabella’s screaming heart.

But thankfully, the discomfort did not last as Dr Damiana’s mouth opened to take a gasp of air as Zarveth’s eyes opened the widest they managed.

"What is this?" Silas asked, leaning slightly forward.

"It’s... I am afraid I’ve never seen anything like this before...," she trailed off.

"Neither have I," Zarveth did not help shed any more light on the result than his colleague.

"What are we to make of this?"

"What? What is happening? What do you see?" Arabella fought the urge to sneak a peak at her own chest no more.

The doctor’s hand on her forehead prevented her from rising, however, "Please, remain fully reclined, my Lady," Damiana tried to remain calm, but her tone expressed anything but that.