Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“I feel so much safer now that you’re here.” she rubbed her soft cheek against his bare chest and Brax felt a strong wave of protective possessiveness come over him. Which didn’t make sense—he could protect her but he could never possess her. It was she who owned him, he reminded himself.
Still, he couldn’t help how he felt. He dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head and hugged her tightly, letting her know she was safe in his arms. He loved the feeling of her soft, curvy body pressed against his, loved the way she came to him for protection.
“Ah, I see you have found the gift which was sent to my old Mistress not long before her death.”
The high, robotic voice interrupted their hugging and Brax looked over to see that Robbi was looking at the necklace.
“Gift?” Serenai asked, frowning. “What do you mean, Robbi? Are you talking about the necklace?”
“Of course. It was sent here to Mistress Bloodlash’s penthouse just about a week before she died,” Robbi explained.
“Did she have any idea who sent it to her?” Brax asked.
The robo-butler shook his round metal head.
“No, it simply was addressed, ‘To Mistress Bloodlash—you deserve this.’ I believe those are bloodstones it’s set with,” he added, his blinking yellow eyes scanning the necklace. “Very rare and precious.”
“Bloodstones?” Brax didn’t like the sound of that. “What the fuck are bloodstones?”
“According to legend they are diamonds that have been dyed with blood, though I do not know if it is actually possible to dye gemstones a different color,” Robbi said.
“Do you think the necklace could be tied to the red-eyed thing?” Serenai asked in a trembling voice. She looked at Robbi. “Did my mother say anything about a thing with red eyes stalking her before she died?”
“No, Mistress, but she did seem agitated in the week leading up to her death,” the robo-butler said. “She began to sleep with the lights on and she looked worried and tense. I asked if there was anything I could do for her, but she denied that anything was wrong. I was considering calling for a physician, even though ordering medical help without a direct order to do so contradicts some of my programming, but then her sister, your Aunt Nibblegrim, came into the penthouse and found her dead.”
“And you didn’t see or hear anything on the day of her death—anything that might give a clue as to how she died?” Brax demanded.
The robo-butler shook his head.
“No, I’m afraid not. I was in my docking station, charging myself at the time of her death. The medical personnel whom Mistress Nibblegrim called seemed to think that my old Mistress’s heart simply stopped beating, but they could not give a reason for it.”
“But then how—?” Brax began but just then Serenai exclaimed.
“Oh look—there’s a note in here—hidden under the velvet!”
She tugged at the corner of the velvet and after a moment, pulled out a piece of fragile looking parchment, yellowed with age.
“What does it say?” Brax asked because as she read it, her expression was first puzzled, then worried.
“Here—you read it.” She passed the yellowed parchment to him. “It doesn’t seem to make any sense.”
Brax took the paper and read aloud.
“See it once
Or see it twice
You must beware—
You’re on thin ice!
See it thrice,
Four times or more,
Pack your bags,
Look for the door.
See it seven,
Watch your breath.
Forget your name
Or face your death.”
He frowned as he finished reading.
“What in the Seven Hells? You’re right—that doesn’t make any sense.”
“It sounds so ominous though—what does it mean, ‘Forget your name or face your death?’” Serenai shivered. “I wish there was someone we could ask.” She looked up. “Robbi, did my mother say anything about reading this poem we found with the necklace?” she asked him.
He shook his head.
“I am afraid not, Mistress. But if you are hoping to find someone to ask about the necklace, I believe Mistress Trembledamp might be the one to speak to. She is the foremost expert on Bloodstones in all of Opulex. Your mother made an appointment to see her a few days after she received the necklace.”
“She did? What did she say Mistress Trembledamp said about it?” Serenai asked.
“I am afraid Mistress Bloodlash died before she was able to keep her appointment,” Robbi said. “Would you like me to contact Mistress Trembledamp and ask her to see you?”
“Yes, please!” Serenai nodded. “The sooner the better. Maybe she can shed some light on this.”
Robbi cocked his head to one side and his yellow eyes started flickering rapidly. For a moment, they heard a thin, high string of what sounded like garbled speech—or possibly language speeded up so fast it was incomprehensible.
A moment later, the robo-butler’s eyes stopped flickering and he spoke.
“I spoke to her assistant—another robot butler like myself. Her schedule is full for today, but she has an opening tomorrow.”