Free Web NovelChapter 244: Stranger (1)
"Regina! Regina!"
"Ugh. It cannot be morning already," Regina groaned, rolling to her side. "Let me sleep a bit more."
"It is me, Regina. Esmeralda."
Regina’s eyes flew open as she realized it was Esmeralda. "Where have you been this whole time? I have not seen you walking around."
"There is a man called Gilbert here. He is speaking with my daughter about the children in the mountain," Esmeralda said. She had been sticking to Minnie like glue, listening to the conversation Minnie was having with the man.
"Gilbert? He’s in on her plans? Why am I not surprised? Where are they?" Regina tossed her feet over the side of the bed where her shoes awaited her. "It’s really bad that Gilbert is involved. He has connections all over the kingdom and must be the person searching for Aurora.
"I know there was always a good reason for me not liking Gilbert. Outside of being a pervert, he has always been a minion to Minnie. Why on earth did Samuel think Gilbert would ever be on his side?"
"That man is not human. He is a witch," Esmeralda informed Regina before she could do anything rash.
"What?" Regina looked at Esmeralda in shock. "Is he a relative?"
"No, he is a witcher from another family. Just like Minnie, his witch side is weak but they are talking about making it stronger by using Aurora. I could not stay to listen as they placed a candle in the room for some reason. They would pick up my presence should I stay in the room for much longer."
"That is suspicious," Regina had read the majority of the witch book she bought in her free time. It was better to do that than to speak with her family.
Special candles were used to identify when something you cannot see was around. When she first went to visit the three witches that was how they knew of a soul being with her.
"Why do they suddenly think a soul is hanging around them?" Regina wondered. She had never seen Minnie with a candle until now. Unless, Gilbert was the one to bring it? What was he being so careful for?
"If you have taken many lives, at least one of them is bound to hover around you. Perhaps a soul is haunting them. Not all souls unable to leave this world are good. You should even be careful around me," Esmeralda warned Regina. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Esmeralda was aware the only thing keeping her from turning evil and trying to take control of a living person’s body was her memories. She clearly remembered her past life but the moment she forgot who she was, she would be a threat to anyone nearby.
"Good to know but we should also talk about you wanting me to put your soul into something. Don’t look so surprised. You want to be the one to stop your daughter. It’s completely obvious but you can’t do it as a soul. You need an object to take over." Regina wasn’t oblivious to what Esmeralda wanted to do.
From the moment Esmeralda was pushing her to learn the spell to control a puppet, Regina pieced together what was happening.
"She is my daughter. I should be the one to stop her," said Esmeralda.
"I don’t mind it. If you take care of Minnie and I take care of the rest of my family, there is no need for Aurora to have to get revenge on Minnie. She would be able to come visit me without being worried of getting trapped again."
Regina preferred to get revenge for Aurora instead of Aurora having to return from wherever she was to fight against her family. It was a gift Regina wanted to give to Aurora for the lie she lived for many years.
It was not always needed for someone in Aurora’s position to be the one to get revenge. Though it might be satisfying to watch your enemies meet their end, it would open old wounds. Regina did not want Aurora to return until all of her family was dead. freewebnoveℓ.com
"It makes no sense for us to allow Minnie and her partners to continue to plot any more than they already have. I say we start working on stopping her right now but first, I need to hear what she is talking about with Gilbert. We’ll have to get rid of him too," Regina walked to her closet to put on a coat to hide her night dress.
Esmeralda was glad to hear Regina wanted to start getting rid of her family. It was time for the fake Hamiltons to leave the house they had stolen and let all the souls roaming around be free to leave this world.
Just like Regina, she wanted to take revenge on her family for Aurora. Her guilt for bringing Aurora here only to be trapped was what fueled her need to avenge Aurora. Only then did she think she could ask Aurora for forgiveness.
In Regina’s case, she was doing it to have Aurora be able to visit her and repay her family for their lies.
"You mustn’t be seen," Emeralda said. If Minnie were to catch Regina listening to her conversations, she would be locked up in her room.
"I am well aware of that. I don’t want- Duncan?" Regina said in confusion when she opened the door and the butler was standing on the outside. "Are you some kind of creep? Why are you outside of my bedroom?"
"I heard voices," Duncan looked into the room to get a look at who Regina might be talking to.
"This is what I mean by you not knowing your place. Just because you heard a noise does not mean you can stand outside my door to listen and I didn’t miss how your eyes just scanned my bedroom. Do you think you are Minnie’s equal?"
"He knows that he isn’t," Minnie stepped into Regina’s view with Gilbert by her side. "My sweet grandchild. Do you truly think I am not aware of what happens in this house? Nothing gets pass me. Who is the soul you are speaking to?"
"They knew I was there," Emeralda whispered, scared for what was to come. "They followed me to your room Regina."
"Soul? You know if you spout nonsense the new king will have your head. I am going back to bed," Regina tried to close the door but Duncan placed his foot to prevent her from doing so.
"Regina, I have been meaning to punish you for letting Aurora escape but my love for you has always held me back. I truly adored the two of you and if it were possible, I would love to go back to what we once have. Unfortunately, you have continuously irritated me these days causing that love to change. Tell me, who is the soul?"
"I don’t know what you are speaking of. There is a law to not speak of such things grandmother. Do you wish for us to be locked up because you are looking for a soul? Please, seek help," Regina tried once again to pull the door shut but Duncan wouldn’t bulge. "Get out of the way, you imbecile."
"If you had given her to me, she would be this rebellious. It is not too late to make her my life. That last one was so boring and too easy to break," Gilbert rubbed his hands, excited to have Regina.
His eyes were always on Aurora but he could not deny Regina was a beauty. When Minnie proposed the idea of Regina marrying him, he was thrilled but then the news came of that plan being dismissed, and now Timothy Payne was courting Regina.
"I would rather die," Regina felt disgusted hearing Gilbert say he wanted her. This was why she would never forgive Samuel. He knew how much of a creep Gilbert was and yet, he agreed to let her become this old man’s wife.
"That is what my last two wives said until they ended up in my home. Don’t you think it’s a good idea Minnie? I can make her become quiet."
Minnie stared at Regina while her granddaughter did the same. "You will not have her Gilbert. I have told you that once before. I have my own ways of making her become quiet. Regina, you are keeping too many secrets from your family. You have become a stranger amongst your family."
Duncan grabbed onto Regina’s hand, prepared to drag her to her new room.
"I do not care for strangers," said Minnie.
Her patience with Regina had officially run dry. There were many chances for Regina to redeem herself in the past but now there were none.
Minnie didn’t know if Regina was communicating with a soul or was unaware of the soul being in her bedroom but these days, it was best to assume Regina was aware of the things happening around her.
"Drag her to one of the cells," Minnie ordered Duncan. A stranger was not allowed to stay in a room as grand as the one Regina had.
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