Redstone: Sanctuaries
Chapter 16: Phantasm

"It's in the direction of the Golden Path," Blake said after being silent for ten minutes. "So we're going to the wheat field?"

"You've expected it?

"Not really. I thought we were going to Van Heiden."

"Sometimes I feel you can read my mind, Mr. Krucher," Jose's voice sounded amused. "I really want to visit him. But baby, he's going to Aston."

"Aston's only an hour from here" Blake calculated the speed of the car in his heart and compared it to the distance between regions. "If you really want to see him, why not go there?"

"A marquis can't travel anywhere" Jose said cautiously. "We must inform the palace and wait for approval. We were even forbidden from coming to Aston uninvited by His Majesty or the Prime Minister."

Blake just found out there's a ban like that. "Why?"

"The rules are so. It used to be a rule to prevent dukes and marquis from creating their own faction to overthrow the throne. To this day it is still maintained for the same reason."

"What if your family gets sick at Aston?"

"Well, maybe my arrival will be understood. But technically, unless the conditions are very emergency and precarious, a marquis should not travel out of his area without permission. The consequences are great."

"To my knowledge, Marquis Argent was not in Argent."

Jose thought of Bjork, imagining his winding streets, his strong red tinkles, and his ground surface covered in flat stones. "My uncle has a privilege."

"And you don't have that kind of right?"

"No. Privileges are always accompanied by special burdens." Jose looked out, towards the muddy streets of Redstone. "I ..." It stopped suddenly. His hand reached out, patting Boris's arm. "Off the engine!"

The car stopped on the side of the road. Weston pulled out a dagger from behind his sleeve swiftly and Boris also prepared a weapon. Blake did not ask. He felt his waist, pulled out a short knife as soon as he felt the tension in the car.

They stopped next to the market. There were only stacked wooden tables and the smell of wet garbage. Blake swept a glance around, but did not see anything strange.

"Master?" whisky Weston.

Jose put a finger in front of his lips. "You hear that?" whispered.

The car engine is dead. There was the sound of crying babies from one of the houses somewhere, there was the sound of people fighting, there was the sound of men chatting from the veranda of the house somewhere in another alley.

Blake sharpened his ears, trying to listen. There's nothing strange.

"What sound?" tanyanya, surrender.

Jose opened the car door and walked out. Weston and Boris immediately rushed to follow. Blake stayed in the car. Face bored.

***

Maria had already changed her clothes in a nightgown. He slipped the scriptures under a pillow and draped the rosary, leaving his cross dangling in the chest. Susan was in the same room, setting the fireplace on fire. There were also other servants who were fixing the bed and tidying up the comb and clothes instead. But Maria still could not get rid of the strange feelings she had felt since.

"Who were the bottles taken?" Mary made sure again. He already knew who was guarding, but only asked in order to hear the voices of others.

"Max and Zoe" replied Susan. His eyes stared probing, clearly catching the unrest of his daughter master. "I'll keep watch here, madam."

Maria nodded. Tomorrow, he thought while peeping under his warm blanket, tomorrow I will tell Jose about the bracelet. The longer I feel bad.

When he opened his eyes, there was someone else on the side of his bed. The first thought that came to Mary's mind was Susan, then Jose. But Susan couldn't have gotten into her bed without permission, while Jose was away.

Wh who? Maria buy. His heart was beating hot in the chest.

That figure is silent.

Maria felt her entire body stretch. The walls were stretched, away, as if he were in a dream.

"Mistress?" Susan called.

Mary looked behind her back, finding Susan standing on the side of the bed. Heart's smearing. The face of her ladies twitched strangely, every corner of the skin filled with black wrinkles piled up.

Maria wanted to scream, but her voice was blocked. "Hey," he choked. He was still in a half-turned position on the bed. His neck was stiff, unable to move. "Go away. Here's my room. This is my house."

The black shadows darted through the walls of the room, slowly enlarging. The glass windows were slowly rolling, then suddenly becoming silent as if someone turned off the sound button in the world.

Mary moved her eyes, spreading her gaze to every corner of the room.

Susan wasn't in the room. There was no one in the room. Even the blackish figure lying on his side earlier also vanished.

Maria pulled out the blanket. His feet felt the texture of the fur carpet that was spread around the bed. The tip of his finger was scratched onto the table, it felt smooth. Feels real. This isn't a dream. She called Susan, calling her other lady.

There's no answer.

Maria took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. He can't panic. Panic will drain energy. Panicking will make him unable to think. Finally he approached the bell rope on the side of the makeup mirror and pulled it firmly.

There was no sound of bells. No sound of feet approaching.

Mary swore in her heart as soon as she realized she was no longer in the room. He's not at his house. He's not in Redstone.

***

"What are you looking for?" Boris asked tensely, puzzled to see Jose walking back and forth without direction. Now that his master was standing still at the crossroads of the road, his forehead was furrowed.

"Maria," Jose replied with a doubtful face. "I heard Mary calling."

"The lady was home when we left" Weston said in surprise. "Even if the Madam catches up with us, it's impossible to get past here."

"I know, but it's Mary's voice." Jose looked around in confusion. There is not a single human being in sight. The corners of the market are covered in darkness without light. "You didn't hear it? At all?"

Both Weston and Boris shook their heads.

"Master wants us back?"

Jose stared at his abandoned car on the edge of the market. Blake looked at them from behind the window without any interest.

If they go home now then none of the plans are really successful this week.

Jose shakes. He turned his head over his shoulder, making sure once again that Mary was not there. "We're going again" he said.

***