Page 15 of Haunted Hearts

“Mayhap the warlock killed him,” said Posy, not afraid to speak freely.

“Warlock?” Beatrice looked up in confusion.

“That’s who Milo said he saw,” answered the woman.

“Are you saying Lord Payne had something to do with my husband’s death?”

“Nay, of course not,” protested Arthur. “If you ask me, the boy is just trying to start trouble. I was there and saw no one else.”

“I’m scared,” cried Serena, taking a hold of her mother’s arm.

Lillith realized now that she never should have said a thing. This was how rumors started and feuds began. She was no better than any of the wagging tongues around the castle. Lillith regretted not just keeping this information to herself. Now everyone was going to do nothing but worry about something that probably meant nothing at all, just like Arthur said.

“I’d like to hear more, but from Milo.” Beatrice called Milo over.

Milo was a thirteen-year-old page who had always been a good friend of the family. There had never been any reason to doubt his word.

“My lord. My lady,” said Milo with a bow.

“Milo, did you see Lord Payne near my husband on the road the day he died?” asked Beatrice.

“I – I’m not exactly sure,” said the boy, shifting from foot to foot. “I thought I saw someone in a cloak leaning over his body and then they were gone.”

“I’m sure he just imagined the whole thing,” said Arthur.

“I saw something else too,” said Milo.

“That’ll be all,” said Arthur in a dismissing manner.

“Nay, wait.” Beatrice stopped him. “I’d like to hear everything. After all, this is my husband we’re talking about.”

“I saw a dagger lying near Lord Bonnel,” continued Milo. “I mean, if that’s who I saw.”

“If you saw a dagger, why didn’t you pick it up?” asked Arthur.

“I was going to, but the look of it frightened me.”

“How in heaven’s name could a dagger scare you?” asked Arthur with a roll of his eyes. “God’s eyes, you’re too fragile to even be a simple page.”

“Arthur, please,” begged Beatrice. “Milo is a good friend of the family. If he said he saw something, I have no reason not to believe him.”

“I didn’t want to touch the dagger because it was bloody and I didn’t want to be cursed,” Milo finally admitted, looking as white as a ghost.

“What?” asked Beatrice.

“It was the warlock’s dagger, I’m sure of it.” Milo’s eyes grew wide. “I’ve seen him carrying it in the past.”

“Now, that’s nonsense,” said Arthur. “All daggers basically look alike. How would you know who it belonged to?”

“Nay, this one is different,” Milo told them. “This one had moons and stars on the hilt as well as a skull right on the end of it. It is terrifying, I tell you.”

Lillith had been at Skull Manor when Blaze’s mother gave him the blade many years ago, so she knew Milo was telling the truth.

“So, the Paynes are once again responsible for the death of a member of our family,” said Beatrice, crying and dabbing her eyes once again.

“I don’t think Blaze would kill father, or anyone for that matter.” Lillith surprised herself by saying this aloud.

“Lillith, you’re only saying that because you’re still in love with him,” said Serena.