Back at the Briedis estate, a very frazzled Allerton clutched two books under his arm as he burst into the office of the Marquess.
Startled, the Marquess lifted his head, and his annoyance turned into confusion as he saw Allerton's panicked expression.
"Allerton? You look like you've witnessed a ghost. Compose yourself. What has you out of sorts?"
Taking a few deep breaths, Allerton straightened himself and fixed his hair. "Apologies, my lord. I was just caught off guard by my findings."
"Your findings? What are you talking-" Brow furrowed, it was only when Allerton placed the spellbook with its ornate lettering on his desk that his eyes widened and the Marquess flinched away from it as if it was something repulsive.
"Is that-!?"
Nodding his head, Allerton felt a twinge of pity. "Yes. While retrieving the book I lent the young lady, I noticed this spellbook lying on the floor of her closet."
Fist tightly clenched, the Marquess slammed his fist down on the table. "This is unacceptable! I thought her curiosity was odd enough. But to go against the ways of our ancestors!"
"When she arrives back, I want you to bring her here immediately!" Rubbing his eyes, the Marquess scoffed and waved his hand in dismissal. "Make sure my son and the Marchioness are present as well!"
Allerton bowed and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. With a heavy sigh, the Marquess pushed back his hair and glanced at the spellbook with a look of apprehension. "Honestly. How has that woman been raising our children?!"
As he leaned back in his chair, the Marquess reached out and opened the uppermost drawer, revealing a stack of reports. "As if I don't have enough on my plate already…"
…
Something was off when Horatia and Mabel arrived back at the estate. As she walked through the entrance, Horatia noticed the nervous expressions of the servants and furrowed her brow.
It's so quiet. Where is everyone?
Not even seconds after setting foot inside the manor, Allerton came down the hall with hurried steps and a stern expression.
"There you are! Your presence is required immediately, my lady."
Confused, Horatia could only allow Allerton to usher her down the hallway with Mabel right behind them.
As they silently walked through the manor, every so often, Horatia would notice a few of the servants looking at her with almost pitying expressions. Something that not only irked her but left her even more bewildered.
It was only when the three of them stopped in front of her father's office door that a sense of dread gripped her.
Standing in front of the door in silence, Allerton knocked on the door. After several seconds, Horatia was surprised to see that it was her mother who opened it.
"Mother?" Unable to read the expression on the Marchioness's face, Horatia was left with a sense of unease as she and Mabel entered the office room, the door closing behind them with a click.
Even without anyone having said anything yet, Horatia could feel just how tense and serious the situation was. Not only was her mother present, but also her father and brother.
As she looked to her brother for reassurance, the sense of unease she felt only grew as he looked at her with a pitying expression, motioning for her to stay silent.
"Horatia." Her father's voice suddenly could be heard, and Horatia instinctively straightened herself as she felt the weight of her father's gaze. "Y-yes!?"
Motioning her forward, Horatia tentatively stepped closer to his desk and watched as her father opened a drawer and took out a book.
In that moment, Horatia suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe.
He found it. He found the spellbook.
Seeing his daughter's reaction, the Marquess's expression hardened, and he let out a heavy sigh. "So it's true. You were aware of having it in your possession."
With shaking hands, Horatia clenched her fists so tightly that she could feel her nails digging into her palms. Looking at Mabel, who was standing by the door, a wave of guilt washed over her as she saw her terrified expression.
How did he find it!? What should I do!? I thought that I hid it in a place where no one could find it!
Racking her brain to try to think of how exactly they found the spellbook, she suddenly remembered the day of the dream and how she was in a hurry to hide it when Mabel was outside her room.
Oh… so it was because of that day…
Furrowing her brow, Horatia could feel her breath becoming quicker as a sense of panic fell over her.
Even if I've been caught, I have to say something, anything that won't have Mabel killed and me exiled!
Lifting her head, she stared at her father and tried to push down the fear that she could feel. "F-Father! It's not Mabel's-"
Her father suddenly raised his hand, and Horatia fell silent as he stood up and walked over to stand in front of her.
"I will reiterate what has been told before. All who live in my domain and under my roof are not to use magic, and no spellbooks of any kind are to be harboured."
As he spoke, the eerie calmness of his voice did nothing to soothe Horatia as she could feel herself begin to tear up.
Her father continued to speak, and Horatia could only feel herself become more panicked with each word that he spoke. "I thought that as a member of House Briedis, you understood our duties. As your father, I blindly believed that you knew how to rein in your curiosity. Unfortunately, it seems like I was wrong."
Turning his head to look at Mabel, Horatia could only stay silent as his expression grew grim. "And you…" Standing up from his desk, he walked over towards her before raising his hand and slapping her across the face so hard that she fell onto the floor.
Letting out a gasp, Horatia's eyes welled with tears, and she turned away in shame.
"Father!" Finally speaking up, Horatia could hear Lucian yell out and looked up at him to see that his own expression was panicked. However, the Marchioness's firm grip on her son's shoulder quickly silenced him.
"I allowed you to raise my daughter. Teach her. Guide her. And you give in to her pleas and bring such filth into our home!?" The Marquess's voice grew louder, and the anger on his face was evident.
Kneeling on the floor, Horatia noticed tears streaming down Mabel's face as she could barely get any words out. "I-I apologize, my lord.. I only wished to indulge the young lady's curiosity-!"
"At the cost of going behind my back!" Speaking over Mabel, the Marquess didn't seem pleased by her excuse as he let out a heavy sigh.
Walking back over to his desk, he sat down, and as he did, two of the estate's soldiers entered the room. "I hope you understand the severity of your actions."
Watching the soldiers come in, Horatia felt the tension in the room thicken, and she struggled to force any words to come out of her mouth.
"Given that you've served my daughter for so long, I am hesitant to execute someone so close to her despite our rules. However, I cannot let your actions go unpunished.
Realizing what her father was going to do, Horatia looked up at him in shock. So with a heavy heart, as of today, you, Mabel of Veritas, will be expelled from your position and exiled from my land!"
With wide eyes, Horatia looked at her father and then turned to look at Mabel, who was kneeling on the ground and shaking.
The soldiers, who were now flanking Mabel, helped her stand up. As Horatia tried to go over to her, she suddenly felt herself being picked up and turned to see that it was her mother.
A wave of frustration washed over Horatia, and she struggled in her mother's grip as tears fell down her face. "Wait! Please! It's my fault! I begged her to get me the book!"
Unable to do anything, Horatia watched as Mabel was led out of the room. "Miss Mabel! I'm sorry! Please don't go!"
Hearing Horatia's cries, Mabel turned her head to look at her and gave a small smile. "My lady, please be well." And as she's led away, the door is closed behind her.