The Bride of the Immortal (34 page)

Adrijan was right but that didn’t change that his social behaviour left room for improvement.

“Call her. Court her. Sleep with her – or leave her to me.”

His brother answered with a sigh.

“It really is that easy, Adrijan.”

“Anyway… there is something else I wanted to talk to you about. It’s about a dream I had on my way to
Traumstadt
.”

“A
dream
?” Vivian frowned. He was old and had seen a lot of the world but he certainly wasn’t Madam One-mystic-name-or-the-other who would act as his brother’s dream reader.

“Tell me about it,” he requested, already regretting it.

“He has neither been eating nor drinking since yesterday, Alfred. Do you think he is going to be alright?”

“I don’t know, Miss.”
“I know you don’t
know
, but do you
think
he is going to be alright?”

Mairin was close to being hysteric and continued caressing the small kitten that was resting on its side, breathing fast and heavily. He hadn’t come to her at all today and had been hiding in places that were low to the ground – moreover in places he usually ignored.

“Should I call for the vet, Miss?”

Mairin nodded. “Please do so immediately.”

Therry looked so exhausted. With the utmost care Mairin instilled some water into him.

“Don’t give up little guy. Help will be here soon!”

Even though she had said that, it took another hour Mairin spent restless until the vet arrived. After a thorough examination and with a frown that bode ill he gave her his opinion.

“An infusion might help him to regain some of his strength but…” The physician seemed to be hesitant to continue. Why didn’t he just tell her the truth?

“Is he going to…?” She didn’t even want to put her worst fear into words.

“He is still young. He has a fair chance.”

The doctor’s words did nothing to calm her. Once more Therry was sick and she held him, so his head wouldn’t drop into his own vomit. When it was over she bedded him on a soft blanket and did her best to suppress her tears while cleaning away the slimy substance. She had very little experience with medicine and watched in terror how the vet gave Winther the infusion.

After some of the fluid had vanished into the kitten’s body, the physician removed the needle and put away the bottle.

“Everything else is in God’s hands now,” he said.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, Father Adrijan, but there is a frivolous girl at the door, demanding to see you.”

He hadn’t heard the charwoman approaching even though he had lived with her long enough to discern her by the sound of her steps. Who could it be?
“Thank you, Ms Sophie. I’ll talk to her.”

Adrijan had been busy planning for the past three weeks, but now that most of the arrangements were made, he had regularly ended up pondering.

The door wasn’t far and when he bent around the corner he was surprised to find Hilda standing in the entrance, wearing her maid uniform under a coat she hadn’t even bothered to button up.

“Father Adrijan! It’s horrible, Therry is dying and Miss Muriel is so upset! We haven’t been able to get in contact with Master Vivian and I’ve been calling you to no avail for the past three hours!”

“Therry?” Adrijan wasn’t able to cope with Hilda’s blabbering and indicated her to follow him to his study. There he was finally able to pull out his phone. The message on the display notified him about thirty-six unanswered calls.

“Oh you must come back with me, maybe you can speak a prayer! After all, the vet said, it’s in God’s hands now.”

Trying to make sense of Hilda’s words, Adrijan realised that Therry had to be the cat he had entrusted to Mairin. The kitten… dying? How could that be possible? Horrified he went for the door.

“Stay here Hilda and don’t talk to Ms Sophie unless you have to.”

“Therry, stay with me. Don’t give up!”

The vet had left and Mairin was alone with the kitten. She had done her best but now she was unable to hold back her tears. She felt so helpless watching him fight. What kind of God was it, that could take the life of a creature that was still so young?

“Adrijan has survived too. Aren’t you carrying his name? You will get through this, do you hear me?”

Mairin was wondering if any of her words truly reached the kitten. It was so difficult to maintain a certain level of calmness yet she didn’t want to make things worse for Winther by fully giving in to her fears.

“Fight!” she whimpered gazing at the kitten’s eyes that looked far too empty.

Adrijan flew up the stairs.

“Viv? Where is it? Tell me you’ve left it at the castle!”

“What’s wrong?” The immortal sounded sleepy and bored.

“The kitten is dying and nobody has been able to reach you.”

“I-“

“At the moment I do not care what you’ve been doing. Just tell me where the hour glass is!”

“At its usual place. Calm down, Adrijan. If you’re planning on doing what I think, then there’s something you should know.”
“Hm?” Adrijan continued to run, pressing the mobile phone to his ear.

“It’s a little different with animals, you’ll have to be careful. I know because of Nebel. Transfer it very slowly, and be ready to give up a great amount.”

Adrijan frowned. He hadn’t really thought about it, all that had mattered to him had been to allow the kitten to live and to spare Mairin the pain of losing someone precious. Had Magdala’s motivation been the same?

Perhaps he had been wrong and she had never intended to die.

Mairin was startled by the sound of heavy foot-steps on the stairs. Astonished she turned away from Winther to find out who it was, who was in such a hurry to get to her. Had Alfred finally been able to get in touch with Adrijan or Vivian and was coming to tell her the good news? It was very unlikely for the old man to fly up the stairs.

“Mairin, I’m here now.”

Adrijan came running towards her, panting for air and sank down beside the bed, where Winther was resting.

“Everything is going to be alright now, I promise.”

Mairin was overwhelmed with emotion at his sight. Wasn’t he in
Traumstadt
? When had he come back? There was a worried look on his face but she couldn’t tell whether it was because of the kitten or her.

“He’s been like this all day,” she tried to explain. “The vet said…”

“Nevermind all that,” he interrupted her. “Relax, there’s no more need for you to be upset. The kitten… Therry will be just fine.”

Therry? Had he found out whose name she had given him?

 “Alfred?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Mairin turned around again. The elderly servant had silently joined them in her room.

“Please take Miss Muriel downstairs.”

“Very well, Sir.”

“But…” she tried to resist.

 “There’s no time for this, Mairin. Please go.”

Why was he trying to get rid of her? If the kitten had to die, she wanted to stay with him until his last breath.

“Please.”

He had kept his promise when he had saved her from Sunflower Garden and she hoped that he would do so again. Too tired to argue and trying not to make matters more complicated, she decided to let Alfred take her downstairs and nodded in agreement. The old man offered her his arm and she gratefully accepted it, noticing that her legs were rigid from crouching next to the bed for so long. She resisted turning around as the servant led her away.

Downstairs Alfred tried to persuade her to come with him to the dining room, but she insisted on staying close.

“Did you manage to contact him?” Mairin wasn’t really curious but after a short while the silence already lay heavy on her.

“No, Miss. Hilda went to
Traumstadt
to notify the Master Adrijan.”

 Mairin was surprised to hear that.

“I’ll make sure to thank her properly,” she said.

“I’m certain that won’t be necessary, Miss,” Alfred politely replied without changing her mind in the least.

Mairin impatiently walked up and down in the bathroom, now and then letting her fingers slide over one of the pillars. Adrijan had seemed to be trying hard to sound calm. Had he been nervous about something?

“Won’t you calm down, Miss? Remember, Master Adrijan said there was no reason to-“

A thud, coming from upstairs, made both of them turn their heads.