Chapter 46

All the guests have left except for the three saintesses who have asked permission to stay longer. Saintess Karen was still helping at the infirmary while the two other saintesses went to see Uriel and Athy.

I saw mother sitting quietly on a chair, Astrid and the other maids beside her. I walked towards mother and leaned down.

"Are you okay ma?" I asked her worriedly.

"I'm fine." She replied. "Where is your father?"

"He's outside with the knights." I answered.

"Will he be fine?" Mother asked worriedly.

"I think he is." I answered her.

I really think father will be fine as long as it's not humans he killed.

"You should go back and rest, mother." I told her. She didn't look so good.

"Astrid." I turned to mother's maid. "Go bring mother back to her room to rest."

Astrid nodded and they assisted mother back to her room.

I went back to Athy's room to check on my sisters. Uriel was there, sitting on the bed beside a still sleeping Athy. Beside the bed was Saintess Jubie talking with Uriel. Saintess Sachi was sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea in front of her.

Uriel looked up when I came in.

"Sis, come, let me introduce you to Tribmaka's saintess!" Uriel said excitedly.

I came closer to them and sat on the bed.

"Sis, this is Jubie Do Fredow. Tribmaka's saintess." She introduced. "This is my eldest sister, Melody Castellan."

"I greet the eldest lady of House Castellan and goddess Parsua's vessel." Saintess Jubie greeted.

She has wavy blond hair with a tinge of blue, or are those blue highlights? I coudn't figure out. Her eyes were green like the forest enhanced by her long thick lashes. Her brows were obviously untouched and bushy but it fits her face perfectly. Her high pointed nose and thin lips all emphasized her beautiful eyes. I thought she was pretty from far away but she is prettier up close.

I wonder if being pretty was a criteria to be a saintess.

I nodded to saintess Jubie.

"How is Athy?" I asked Uriel as I touched Athy's forehead. No fever.

" She's been sleeping even during the attack." Uriel replied.

"Saintess Jubie had filled me up about the attack." Uriel turned serious. "Do you have any idea why a portal appeared in our estate?"

I shook my head tiredly.

"A portal does not appear just like that my lady." Saintess Jubie looked at me.

"What do you mean?" I looked at her.

"She means that the portal that appeared here was summoned by someone." Athy explained.

"A guest?" I asked.

"Or a traitor." Saintess Sachi chimed in.

I looked at the saintess thoughtfully.

She could be right. A traitor could be inside our house without us knowing. But with Athy and Seb's meticulous hiring process, it is highly unlikely. Seb has really good sense of people and Athy would immediately know.

"I'll have to check it during the grneral's report." I sighed.

"My lady," Saintess Sachi faced me. "if you don't mind, I can send some of my priestesses here to help you."

Huh?

"That's right my lady." Saintess Jubie nodded. "The temple of Sidapa has many highly skilled priestesses that could help you."

"What do you mean?" I asked them, not understanding.

"The priestesses of Sidapa are highly skilled warriors my lady." Saintess Sachi explained. "We can also communicate with diseased spirits."

"Ahh.." I nodded. "Would they be okay to serve us though?"

"It will be a great honor for them to serve a vessel."She answered.

"Okay.." I thought for a moment. "I'll go visit the temple to check on the priestesses with Athy."

"We will be waiting my lady." Saintess Sachi answered.

"Also sis-"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Three consecutive knocks cut off what Uriel was about to say.

"That should be Sebastiene." I said as I stood up. "They must have finished cleaning up."

I looked at Athy again and stood up.

"I'll come back later." I told Uriel. "I'll have someone prepare rooms for the saintesses. Excuse me."

The saintesses stood up and thanked me.

I went out the door to see Sebastiene smiling.

"The generals and His grace are in your study, my lady." He informed.

I nodded and turned walk towards my study.

"Let's go." I said seriously.

"Seb, compile all the informations of everyone in this house except for our family and you. Give them to me by tomorrow." I told him. "Do not let anyone else know."

Sebastiene looked at me indescrously.

"Is something wrong, my lady?" He asked.

"There could be a traitor within our house." I stopped and looked up to him. "Secretly check everyone's backgrounds before they came here. I want the traitor weeded out carefully."

"As you wish, my lady." Sebastiene bowed.