At night Cronus used to move out of the house to collect information of all the auctions held in the empire. His knowledge of the current world was quite obsolete since he lived in the grimoire for so many centuries. Whenever I am awake in the dead of the night, I could not feel his presence in the whole house. Due to the events of my past life, I was plagued with insomnia. Sometimes I would jolt wake up from the nightmare my mind fresh from the wounds that were inflicted on me. The cold dark room would remind me of the cell and I would retch my stomach remembering the rotten smell that came from there.
I cannot die this time
I will not die
It had been a week since I came back, a whole year was still left for me to change my faith yet I felt uncomfortable. With each passing day, my time of death grew nearer and nearer. If I could not do anything I will die in the same manner and the cycle will once again repeat itself.
I was not afraid of death but of the pain that would come with it.
'You are quite late.' I said sitting up straight on my bed. I was not able to sleep this night too.
'Why are you awake?' Cronus said. He used to always enter the house through my room. Some nights I could hear his footsteps and deep breaths as they would jolt me awake from stupor.
'I cannot sleep…It has been happening for a week now.'
There was no light in the room, the lamps had already been extinguished and earlier curtains which had been drawn were now wide open as Cronus came from the window. I could see the full moon night illuminating his face. His russet hair and hazel eyes look darker just like the night. In that starless night, the moon concealed with a thin sheet of fog I felt strangely peaceful.
'Because of the trauma of dying?' He asked sitting on the window sill. There was no balcony in my room and any misstep would lead him to fall straight on the ground two stories below. Not that he would die…I was just amused how freely he could take such stupid risks.
'Maybe…What did you find today?' I asked from behind the bed curtains.
He could not see my face so he would not detect the twitching of my facial muscles and the helpless expression I made when he deducted the right reason.
'Seven illegal auctions are prevalent throughout the empire. Three of them are involved in slave trading and drug trafficking. It is in these auctions that her paintings have been sold secretly to the deviants involved in the rebellion.' He spoke.
'Are you done with the research?'
'Yes…my research never fails.'
I did not know where he had collected this information from and neither I was much interested in it. The places would be checked by the first knight squadron while I would look from the sidelines as the things would unfold.
'What makes you think that Sebalion will help us?' He asked.
I shrugged and answered. 'It is a matter of public importance, of course, he would help us.'
The three knight squadrons were designated with a certain department. 'Third' knights in which the heroine worked helped in keeping the frontiers safe, 'Second' were tasked with protecting the king so they comprised of the palace guards. The first knight squadron looked after the safety of the empire. All the internal matters that threatened the public interest were looked after by the First Knights. They were not discriminated against due to their serial order and had different names like 'Dragon' , 'Lion' which I guess only knights called themselves since it is too dumb. In common man's language, they were First, Second, and Third.
"Cronus? Do you ever think that all the people who have wronged you should die?" I asked.
"I might have once...but think logically, If I really did wish that those people should die then half of the population of Araka might be wiped off."
"I bet Ares, me, and father would be on top of your hit list ." I smiled .
"Damn right....but will that make me happy? Surely not seeing their faces every day would give me peace but is my hatred towards them so much that I want them to die? Is it not me who hates himself ?"
"But what if someone has done something really bad...like rape, murder of a child? What would you do then?"
"What I talked about was for my inner peace, my own conscience. People who deserve to die, will die even if you are not the one serving justice. Time leaves no one ."
"I see...then let us go to Sebalion tomorrow.'
'Let us see tomorrow then…' Cronus said.
'Good night Cronus…' I said as I snuggled inside my blankets warming my arms that were earlier exposed to the cold.
He did not answer…yet I smiled at his silent acceptance.
*****
'Baby…Are you ok?'
'Aria you look so tired…'
'My poor baby had to suffer so much due to that bitch and that asshole…'
'Language Mum…' I spoke.
My small family consisting of my mother, brother, and father were having breakfast together. Although we used to see each other's faces every day and I knew that they were keeping tabs on me since regressing I was always bombarded with questions with an occasional cursing of the perpetrators by my 'elegant' and 'kind' mother.
'…Next time I will see that duo I will send them flying into the sky…' my mother fumed. Her beautiful face still looked beautiful and her thin frail and small body did not compliment the words she was spewing.
Yes…that is what my mother is usually like…I don't know where these adjectives kind and elegant came from. Her maiden family is of Duke rank with extremely strict parents, sometimes I feel she has a split personality.
'Dear if you will not shut up how would Aria speak.' My father said. He used to have black hair that swiftly turned to salt and pepper in his mid-thirties, now in his fifties they were completely white. Nevertheless, he had the softest hair in the empire and verdant eyes that I share from him still looked charming on his pale face. He was wise and the greatest person to look for guidance yet I was unable to speak my mind out.
I cannot make them worry about me anymore.
'I am fine. Just a little bit cold.' I lied through my teeth.
Mother looked at me with concern flickering in her eyes. I was sure that by the time I come back from the Squadron office a new pair of blankets and fluffy carpets would await me.
'From my experience one who says fine is never feeling fine.' My big brother said.
That jerk…mum was buying it.
My brother Lucas was someone very close to me. So close that it felt we shared the same brain cells between us. Silver-haired with black roots, aquamarine eyes. He was a cute-looking boy that, by my standards would make any sane woman fall in love. Alas! He was too cute, kind, and considerate that women walk away from any relationship with him because they need that 'thrill'.
'I am really feeling good…just a little nervous about meeting the first knight squadron Captain' I said while eating the apple pie.
I needed something to stuff my mouth with so that these questions would stop already.
'That Sebalion? I heard he used to work with that bitch before he became the captain due to a leg injury.' My mother said. She had stopped addressing Lisbeth from her name now.
'Yes…we cannot really send you there alone Aria…let us call him here.' Brother Lucas suggested.
'Yes, you are right Lucas…Sebalion can be a son of a ….'
'…Mum language. As for Sebalion I will go personally.' I assured my parents.
'This girl! Why are you not understanding…I am concerned' mother was not backing down?
'I don't want to see you…again.' She mumbled under her breath.
She really loved her family. Since she was the one who literally saved us from sinking, she could see her child die In front of her again
Don't worry mum I won't die
Surely this time
'Let her go Jane, Aria would feel sad if we try to interfere so much.' Father said leisurely sipping tea. Somehow, he looked more stressed and severe than usual. He surprisingly had dark circles under his eyes.
'Darius!!! I am concerned about her...Leave it nobody understands me.' mum went out followed by my brother who was always put on duty to cajole her.
'Thanks dad…' I said moving out from the greenhouse where dining was set up.
'Aria…meet me in the office at night.' Father said.
'Yeah…' I spoke
He knew something.