28

'You'll have to admit,' said Kuro smugly, 'that I did my task to perfection, Lucien.'

'Huh?' said the demon. 'What did you do?'

'I chose her, remember? You wanted that kind of girl and I sure delivered!'

Lucien rolled his eyes. 'She's a human being, not a chicken sandwich or a stack of post to be delivered!'

'Whatever. You know what I mean.'

'Yeah, well, it's not much good now that the method I wanted to use doesn't work anymore! Honestly, this new information just makes me guiltier for bringing her here...'

'Please don't be guilty,' said Grace gently, placing a hand on his arm. 'You thought we would both get out of here, but it didn't work, and you couldn't help that! You did your research and it wasn't your fault if it didn't go as planned.'

'Thanks,' said Lucien, brushing her hand off almost at once.

'So, what's going to happen now?' said Kuro, looking at both of them.

'Nothing, I suppose,' sighed Grace. 'Light or not, if it doesn't get me out of here, what can I say... it's all the same to me.'

'Can't you use it at will?' said Lucien shortly, staring at the wallpaper instead of her.

'I only just saw it for myself,' said Grace uncomfortably. 'I never noticed the glowing thing before. I have no idea when it gets triggered or how to control it.'

'Is it when you're really happy, by any chance?'

'I'm not sure... it doesn't happen every time I'm happy, after all.'

'Well, I guess that's how it is, then.'

'Maybe I was wrong about telling you that cross was useless,' said Kuro sheepishly. 'How was I to know all this?'

'I don't think it's the cross itself,' said Grace. 'It was always normal back on Earth. And Azel did say that the light energy was from me, didn't he?'

'The energy is from you, but the cross conducts it especially well,' said Lucien almost impatiently. 'It's the same as dark energy; it strengthens with certain powerful objects. As for Earth, many things aren't so obvious there. You can't see the energy, but it's always there, I think. Just like animals talk but you can't understand them.'

'I never knew that,' said Grace softly, looking at the demon. What was wrong with him?

They fell silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts. At last, Kuro spoke.

'Is anyone else getting sleepy?'

'Not really, but I guess I could sleep if I try,' said Grace.

'For Goodness sake, don't wander around outside at night, okay?' said Lucien, getting up. 'We don't need more complications around here!'

'I won't,' said Grace and she felt a tinge concern as she noticed his tone. Wasn't he a little irritable?

'Kuro, before you sleep, I need to talk to you about something.'

'Go ahead!' said the cat.

'Not here,' said Lucien, looking rather awkwardly at Grace. 'In my room.'

'All right!' said Kuro.

'Good night, Grace,' said Lucien, barely nodding at her before walking out of the kitchen and into the hall with the cat at his heels.

Grace followed slowly behind them and watched the two disappear upstairs in Lucien's room. For some reason, she felt a little lonely. The castle seemed larger and emptier than usual. The fire had almost gone out in the parlour and the night was cold and silent.

Half an hour passed before Kuro came downstairs again and lay down by the dying fire.

'Should I rekindle it?' asked Grace.

'No,' said the cat, lazily stretching out and closing his eyes.

'What were you two talking about?'

'Nothing.'

So he didn't want to tell her. 'I see. Good night.'

Kuro only purred softly and fell asleep – or pretended to.

Was she just imagining it, or were the two of them avoiding her? Why?

Grace went upstairs and paused at Lucien's door as she remembered the previous night. Somehow, it didn't feel the same now. He had seemed a little disturbed after the angel had left; and he wasn't talking to her in the same way as before.

Had a divide come between them? Did they secretly resent her for the light energy she had never known nor asked for? For the trouble her presence would bring in the future?

Of course they must, she thought with a sigh as she entered her room. Why wouldn't they? Lucien had summoned her here as a gateway to Earth, and instead, he was stuck with a girl who stuck out in this place like a sore thumb and was a walking trouble magnet. Light energy, indeed! What good was it here, anyway?

She lay in her bed and debated whether to draw the curtains or not. She quickly decided on the latter. Like the demon had said, she didn't need further complications right now. As she closed her eyes, she wondered what Lucien and Kuro had talked about in secret. Was it related to her? Did they want to be rid of her before the Assistant or the likes of him came after her eventually? She sighed sadly. All they had to do was ask her nicely. She would understand, and not resent them for it at all. They had done enough for her already, and she didn't want to cause them any more trouble.

She heard a sudden sound outside her door and opened her eyes. Was it Lucien? That careless step was definitely his. Did he want to talk to her? She waited as he lingered in front of her room, but he never knocked. The subtle shadow under the door passed and she could hear his footsteps pass by and go down the stairs instead.

Grace slipped out of bed and opened the door curiously. She could hear low voices down in the parlour. Kuro hadn't been asleep.

She strained her ears but could only catch snatches of their quiet conversation.

'...not ... fault...'

'I know! But, Kuro...'

'Come on, she doesn't...'

'We have to do something about her!'

'Not so loud! .....figure something out...'

'...can't take it anymore...'

'Stop.... she'll not like...'

'No!....burden.... bother... just a menace...'

'....not mind but she...'

'...truth.... hate!... not the life...wanted... get rid of...'

Grace went back into her room and shut the door with tears threatening to fall. It was just like she had thought. Lucien was tired of her, and thought her to be a bother and a burden – a menace! The tears she had barely held back fell freely as she wept silently, just like she used to back in her aunt's house. Her aunt had never liked her, either. No one ever did.

How much hate, how much frustration had been evident in Lucien's words, even with the incomplete sentences she had heard! She wished she hadn't heard them – but then, they had confirmed her previous suspicions. Truth always hurt, but truth was truth, wasn't it?

Then why was she still crying? Maybe because she had thought that even in these untoward circumstances, she had found one good thing: a home; something she hadn't had since her parents had died. But, like all happiness in her life, this, too, had been an illusion. She remembered the Assistant's words, and her rebuttal. Now, it didn't seem so strong.

She wanted to be wanted. To be loved and welcomed. To belong somewhere. Was that so wrong? Why, then, despite her best efforts, was she never given that simple pleasure?

She felt her cross. God loved her. Didn't he? But she was in Hell. So, perhaps even He, like everyone else, didn't want her.

The thought hit hard – but it was the truth; the truth of her life. She was unloved and alone. Alone in her room, alone in her life. And nothing she did would ever make a difference to change that.