Chapter 4:The Dark Castle

After Jasmine left the chamber, the room turned cold because of a certain someone. He clenched the scroll in his hand tightly until it turned to ashes. His eyes which were blue a moment ago had turned pitch black emanating a murderous aura.

"Come out!" his voice was calm but the weight it carried could shake every nerve in people.

A man appeared behind him smiling devilishly. It was none other than Orson. His previous playful face was gone replaced by a cunning and an unfathomable gaze.

He walked around tapping on the table and stopped in front of Deimos.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" Orson asked almost sure of the answer.

"I did but we can't be sure if it's her. I couldn't feel any celestial power in her," Deimos replied but his mind was far away.

"I did feel it too but she...she does not have a scent, nor could I enter head. Is that not enough to know it's her?" Orson asked doubtfully.

Deimos shook his head then stood up abruptly.

"She might be the one we are looking for or she might not. We can't be so sure. I haven't heard of anyone able to hide their celestial essence so she might not be the one."

"There's is only one way to know if it's her."

"No!" Deimos refused almost instantly.

"Don't tell me she already got into you?" Orson asked jokingly chuckling as if his words were an old joke.

Deimos narrowed his eyes at him and said, "You know why we can't do that. They will know we are here."

"Alright. So, what do you plan to do?" Orson turned serious almost like he didn't know how to laugh.

"Find Ozias and Orion!" Deimos said matching his way to the door.

Orson looked at him as if he had uttered a taboo.

"And where in the world should I start looking for those two demons?" he asked almost shouting.

"Am sure you know where to find Lamia. She can be of help," Deimos said as he left.

Orson leaned on the table defeated. He had just been sent into the devil's liar. And what's with Ozias and Orion sudden disappearances? Didn't they know he was the one who always suffered when sent to look for them? Just because he was the youngest did not mean they could mistreat him.

He sighed and patted himself. "It's time for war." He said to himself and vanished into thin air.

**************

Night had already fallen when Jasmine was brought to Lord Deimos' house. The place was quite far from the palace.

After she got off the carriage, a castle rather than the house she imagined greeted her sight. If she didn't know better, she would have thought this was the palace. It was almost the same size as the palace. The only difference was the palace was full of people but this place, it looked dull and lifeless. There was a deafening silence that she could hear her own irregular heartbeat.

The sounding of the carriage leaving added fear especially when she saw the mansion was full of darkness with no lights on. She wondered if there were people living there or she had been abandoned in a haunted house. Her body stiffened when that thought crossed her mind. She held her pants tightly and took a long deep breath.

Slowly, she stepped forward walking on the lane that led to the door. Only she knew how much courage it took for her to walk forward. She might have appeared brave but that was just a facade in order to enter the palace. She did have knowledge in swordsmanship, but she had never been in a real fight. She used to only practice with her father who had taught her everything she knew.

Jasmine was just a few steps away from the door when it suddenly opened. She almost fled but the silhouette of a middle-aged man made her stop. She looked at him warily to make sure he wasn't a ghost residing in this haunted castle.

"Good evening, my lady?" the old man greeted giving her a friendly smile.

She cooled down a little bit but still did not let her guard down.

"To you too," she replied politely her eyes still glued on him, full of curiosity and burning questions.

"You must be lady Jasmine whom I was informed of. Please come in," the old man said moving aside.

That was fast. Jasmine hesitated but eventually walked into the devil's liar. She looked around and to her surprise, the place was not as dark as she had expected. There were candles lit in every corner of the hall. It was because the windows were covered with thick black curtains that one could not see the light from outside.

"My lady, my name is Albert, the housekeeper," the old man, Albert, told her his voice still as polite as ever.

Jasmine turned to him and nodded. She smiled to the fact she was not alone in this big castle. She wondered if there were other people too.

"Are there other servants in this house?" she asked the question that had been bugging her since she entered the house.

"No, my lady but during the day cleaners do come and leave before sunset."

"Isn't the mansion big enough to accommodate a few cleaners? Why do they leave?" she asked confused.

"The master does not like people in his house when he's around."

Jasmine was stupefied by such a logic. If he hated being disturbed, then why did he bring her here. Or did he not consider her a person?

"Then why did he ask me to be brought here?" she asked though she didn't expect the housekeeper to give her a definite answer.

"Only master can answer that, my lady."

Just as expected, she got nothing out of him.

"What work will I be doing?" she asked in order to prepare herself mentally tonight for what was coming.

"The master did not inform me about that. You can ask him once he comes back or tomorrow morning."

After a few series of questions, she was taken to her room upstairs. The room was thrice as big as her room in her home. It was dimly lit but enough for her to see clearly.

The housekeeper left and told her to rest he would call her later for dinner. Jasmine thanked him and he gave her his friendly smile.

She slammed her tired body on the king-size bed which could accommodate seven more people. She had not realized she was this worn out and in no time, she unconsciously slept off.