Chapter 219 - 219: The Harshest Winter

As they continued to walk, they came to a halt near a modest food stall. Ruelle's attention, which had been firmly occupied by extinct plants only moments ago, was shamelessly stolen by a row of warm buns glazed with different jams.

"What is that one?" she asked, pointing towards the darkest filling. The scent of warm yeast, sugar, and cinnamon curled invitingly into the cold air.

"Grapes, milady. Sweet and slightly sour," answered the man.

"I don't think you should be eating food from stalls like this, Miss Ruelle. With the wedding so close, falling ill would be inconvenient," Peyton murmured from just behind her shoulder.

Ruelle waved a dismissive hand, already stepping closer to the display. She reasoned,

"I've been eating from stalls like this for years. My stomach has long since grown resistant. Besides, food rarely spoils during the winter months."

A few paces away, a man in a thick woollen coat approached Dane. He greeted, "Mr. Slater, it's been a while."

Dane offered a nod and asked, "How has trade been faring lately?"

The man sighed, rubbing his gloved hands together for warmth. He admitted, "Slow. Though we should see things pick up soon once the last of the snow melts," and the two men walked away from the food stall to speak, "There was a break-in recently."

At this, Dane's eyes sharpened faintly though his expression remained otherwise unreadable.

"That's the strange part," the man answered, his brow furrowing with confusion. "None of the merchants came forward to report anything stolen. Not a single complaint filed. I can only imagine the items in question must have been illegal. That would explain why no one dared to speak up."

Dane turned to look over his shoulder, where Ruelle stood talking to her cousin and the vampiress. Turning back, he asked, "How long ago was the break-in?"

The official scratched the stubble along his jaw and then answered, "Two, perhaps three days ago. No more than that."

It was the same time when Lucian mentioned running into Ezekiel in the old town, thought Dane. He questioned, "What about the watch guards?"

"They tried following the person, but they said the person fell into the water and didn't surface. It led to some men diving in to make sure but with the cold water... you know," the man shook his head as if it were pointless.

Ruelle came to stand next to Dane and the man offered a bow before leaving them.

Dane's eyes dropped to her empty hands before returning to her face. He asked, "You gobbled the bun already?"

Ruelle smiled and nodded. "Yes, it was warm. I was thinking of buying a silk roll in the town."

"Are the other two still eating?" Dane asked, turning to look at the stand but they weren't there.

"I asked them to keep the things in the carriage lest we end up attracting attention. They will join us," Ruelle smiled and said, "We can finish shopping by then to save time."

"There's no reason to save time. I am quite enjoying my day today." As Dane gave his arm, she wrapped her hand around it, and they began walking. "It looks like we got most of the things we came for. Don't worry about the courthouse. I am sure Carnifex will help in that matter."

Ruelle gave a nod in response, leaving the centre of the harbour as they reached the buildings. She asked, "What was the official talking about earlier?"

"About someone stealing things and fleeing away. It could be Ezekiel looking for items. No witch is bold enough to do that," Dane explained when they stopped by a silk shop.

"Not this one," Ruelle replied and said, "I usually go for another one. They are much cheaper there."

"You don't have to worry about the price. I doubt Lucian would care if you were to spend his entire savings like water," Dane teased as he looked ahead, but Ruelle didn't respond to it.

"It is just a special place. I am sure you will like it too," Ruelle stated before asking, "How are we going to catch Ezekiel?"

"Usually posters of the person work, but considering he's changing faces, Lucian is planning for something else. Though I didn't bother asking what," said Dane, his eyes looking at the passing crowd. "Sometimes it's good to keep the plans in," he took a deep breath before releasing it.

As they continued to walk, Dane asked, "Did you come here often?"

Ruelle nodded and replied, "I did. Caroline and I used to come here, as the wool was sold here much cheaper."

"I sometimes find it hard to believe that you had to go through all of it because of Harold," Dane shook his head. "If we knew about the mistreatment, my mother would have got you married to Lucian right away. She always wanted a daughter and you seemed to fit right into our family."

"Your family has been very kind to me," Ruelle murmured. "Especially you."

"I hardly did anything. Though I am glad for not quitting my work at Sexton this year," Dane remarked with an amused expression. "My brother wouldn't have realised as fast as he did when I pointed him in your direction. I am glad that everything worked out fine in the end."

The further they walked, the quieter the streets became. The lively hum of the market faded into a distant murmur, then into silence altogether, until they stood before a narrow alley tucked away from the crowd. The shop before them was closed.

"Looks like it has been a while since it has been closed," Dane remarked, tilting his head as he studied the dusty wooden sign. "When was the last time you visited?"

"Before I joined Sexton," Ruelle answered from behind.

"Must be a couple of months then since it was closed." He nodded absently before saying, "I know an excellent place with silks. We can get—"

But the words died in his throat as his chest suddenly stung and he looked down.

Ruelle's hand was buried in his chest, her nails suddenly longer and sharper. Before Dane could react, she tore his heart free and dropped it on the ground

"Did you think," she spat in contempt as she tried to get away from him, her voice not belonging to her, "I wouldn't come for you after you tried to frame me?"

Dane felt the cold air hit the gaping hole in his chest. As realisation hit, his hand grabbed her face to crush it, but strength and life were quickly leaving his body. He had imagined death before. With the way he lived, it was impossible not to and he had rehearsed several endings, but not like this. Not by Ruelle's mask.

His vision was beginning to dim at the edges, a shadow of darkness eating away at the world. He knew he had only heartbeats left—less, now, as blood poured from his carved chest. Every thought turned sluggish as his body began to drown in the weather, with numbness spreading.

But his hand moved with the stubborn defiance of a person who refused to accept his end without payment. His fingers scraped against the rough stone wall of the building beside him.

Using his last strength, he took a deep breath before the wall split beneath his palm like black lightning, and the very ground beneath them began to move and shift. Soon the building began to shake and crack. He picked a shard of broken stone from the wall and drove it deep into Ruelle's body.

A painful scream escaped from the person.

"If I am dying, you are coming with me, Ezekiel," he gasped with a dry smile.

Around them, the alley began to collapse, with buildings moving to fall.

Not far from the mouth of a narrow alley near the harbour, Ruelle stood holding two cream buns, the warmth of the pastries bleeding through to her cold hands. She had kept one aside for Dane, but he had disappeared from sight.

"Where is Brother Dane?" she murmured to herself, her lips pursing as she scanned the crowd. "He was there a moment ago talking to a man and then he disappeared…"

But before her worry could take root, the ground beneath her feet began to tremble before turning to shuddering quakes. Stalls rattled, crates toppled, and the air filled with the frantic cries of merchants and townsfolk alike.

"Earthquake! Run to safety!" someone shouted.

"The earth is going to swallow us!" another passing person shouted as they ran.

The once orderly harbour turned into a swirling mess of stampeding bodies and overturned goods. People collided and pushed in every direction, desperate to escape the trembling ground.

Ruelle's eyes landed briefly on the same official Dane had been speaking with earlier, who was trying to keep the crowd calm. Without hesitation, she moved forward and caught the man by the arm and yanked him to a stop.

"Where is Dane Slater?" she demanded, her grip tightening on the official. "He was talking to you just moments ago!"

The man blinked, clearly flustered by her urgency. "I believe I left him with you, milady. Now, please—take shelter before—"

Her eyes widened as dread began to fill her chest and the buns she was holding fell on the ground.

"It's Ezekiel! He's here! We need to find Brother Dane—now!" Ruelle whispered.

The harbour had dissolved into madness as bodies shoved and collided in every direction now. Peyton was pushed by some of them before one tripped and so did another, before she was piled under people and struggled to get off.

"Stay together! Don't drift!" Lachlan shouted, his voice straining as he tried to catch hold of her so that she wouldn't be separated.

"Lachlan!" Ruelle cried out and finally grabbed his hand. Her heart pounded, her breathing ragged. They had lost sight of Peyton too now.

"Come. We need to get away from the street," Lachlan urged, pulling Ruelle towards the buildings.

When Ruelle and he moved towards the building, her stomach dropped when she caught something. There, jutting out from beneath the crushed wall, was a pale hand with still fingers frozen mid-stretch as though they had reached for something in the last moment. It was a hand with the bracelet around the wrist that she had bought at the fair.

"No," she whispered, the word coming out broken and hoarse. She reached for the cold hand. "No, no, no, no—"

Soon her gloved hand began to claw desperately at the fallen rubble. A low, broken sound tore from her throat—

"Brother Dane!" she screamed but the hand didn't move. She threw one of the rubbles out of the way. "You said you'd keep me safe, remember? So get up."

Lachlan, who stood there shocked, snapped out and helped her push the heavy slab out of the way. Having worked in construction, he was able to move it bit by bit. But before the face beneath could come into view, a loud crack sound came from beside her.

Ruelle paused and turned to find Lachlan's entire body had gone rigid. One drop of blood fell on the dusty ground before his head snapped against the edge of a broken crate with a sickening, hollow sound.

"La—Lachlan—" Ruelle's voice died in her throat as blood pooled beneath her cousin's head.

She moved without thinking, her knees hitting the ground beside him. Her entire body was shaking as her hands reached out, pressing uselessly against the wound as the blood soaked through her gloves.

"Don't go, Lachlan! Please—stay with me, stay with me—"

"Ru—"

"I'm right here!" But his body only twitched faintly before the colour of his eyes dimmed out.

Footsteps moved closer to her and when Ruelle looked up, she saw herself smile.

"Ruelle." The voice was warm, intimate, as though it had been saved only for her but her heart only grew cold. "It's finally time to come home with me."