Chapter 11 - Slave From Conrad's Manor

It was early morning when Lisa knocked on the door. I stepped out of my bed and walked to the mirror nearby. There were deep eye bags below my eyes. I touched it as I looked at how ugly my face was. There's no way I can sleep after last night's conversation. Keegan refused to tell me the details of how he could know that my parents sold the information. He dismissed me right away and didn't say anything more. 

Keegan and I were in a truce. I'd decided that because like he said, I had no choice in this matter. And at the end I needed his help.

I had to ask Conrad about that. But I don't think it would be a great idea, looking at how his anger did something to my neck. I touched it as the blue shade was not yet getting better. No wonder. After Keegan told me all of that, It was natural for Conrad to hate me. Only that I need to see the proof first. 

"Come on Eliana, we're going to visit someone." Lisa knocked harder, bringing my senses back to my head. 

After changing my clothes and washing my face, I opened the door. "Lisa.." 

Lisa creased her eyebrows because my voice was harsh when I called her out.

I cleared my throat. After one night, the effect of Conrad roughly choking my throat started to appear. 

"Oh goddess, what's wrong?" Lisa saw my bruise on the neck. She was gasping, closing her mouth with both of her hands. 

I scratch my head, "Well, you know. There's a circumstance last night. This was the result." 

She grabbed my shoulder, inspecting if I had another wound. I was wearing a short sleeve blouse, and the bandage was clearly seen. "Eliana, you had another wound." Lisa touched the bandage, and her eyes were filled with something I was not familiar with.

She looked at my eyes, as her hand rubbed my cheeks. "Oh! you poor girl." 

It was a long time ago when someone was sad for me. Not even once, after ten years of loneliness. But this old lady was shedding her tears for me. It was not a big tear, but I saw a little drop at the edge of her eyes.

"Let's go to the kitchen." She said, grabbing my shoulder. 

"Aren't we supposed to go?" I reminded her again of the important task. She could get scolded if we were late. 

"The person can wait." She said as she took a teapot, pouring it into the glass. Even my mother never prepared a cup of tea for me. There was always a servant that did all of that. 

It was a minute later when she brought a cup of hot lemon tea. Putting it on the desk in front of me. "Drink this. It will warm your throat." 

I took it and drank a sip. In ten years, I never lacked food or water. Gerald made sure I got enough energy to do my missions. But strangely, this cup of lemon tea tasted so nice, more than any food I'd ever eat. "Thank you, Lisa."

Her smile was warm. "It will get better."

After that, She brought me to a house not far from the manor. We went directly to the backyard. 

"This is.." It surely was a natural thing for homeowners to decorate the backyard, turning it into a beautiful garden or even building a stable. But I was surprised when I saw this backyard. It was full of familiar plants. I know some of them because I'd seen it when I was trained with poison. 

How could a house plant so much of these dangerous herbs? Some of them were noxious enough if the torn stabbed your skin. 

I took a step further, touching some flowers that an alchemist used to make sleeping drugs. "Why does this house like this?"

There was a voice from the side. "Don't touch it!". The voice was coming from a girl, and by the look of her appearance, she must be the one that took care of these plants.

"Lisa," The girl regarded Lisa as she walked towards us. She had a small petite body with blonde hair. Her face was beautiful, more like a charming and fun type of girl. 

"Kara," Lisa hugged the girl. "Let me introduce you to Eliana."

"Hi, I'm Kara." She smiled. "Believe me, you don't want to touch the plant." 

"Eliana." I shook her hand, trying to return her smile. This was an introductory conversation I had never had for years. I never had a friend. Gerald never let me socialize. He was afraid I would accidentally spill some secrets to others. Just like that, my social life was closed when I was working for him. 

The girl looked at me and noticed something on my neck. "You have the collar." She stated it. 

I was glad Lisa took the part of replying to her. "Kara, you know. Uhm.. This.. Is the new member that Keegan bought." She said, trying to refine her words more kinder.

I look back at the girl, there's something different with Kara's expression. "Keegan do that?" She creased her eyebrows, seeming to not believe Lisa's words. 

"He bought me." I said.

It was a little clear on her face, that she was showing a doubt of what I said. "Is it true, Lisa?"

Lisa looked at the girl, not saying anything but nodded her head. 

There's something dismayed that flashed on her face. Kara fidgeted a little, looking not sure about what she was going to say. "I have it too, you know."

She pulled down her turtleneck neckband and showed me a collar like mine. It was a same slave collar, only her stone was shaped differently than mine. 

Lisa exhaled, "She is also a slave, Eliana. One like you."

"You're Keegan's slave?" I muttered. 

"I'm not Keegan's" Kara shook her head. "I'm the slave from Conrad's manor."

When the name of that man mentioned, there's something disappointed dwelling at the pit of my stomach. "Conrad.. He bought you?"