--- Nicholas ---

"Nick?"

"What are you doing here? I thought I'd never see you again!"

Nicholas stood still. Unmoving. Frozen.

"No no no no no", he murmured. This couldn't be happening. She couldnt be here.

"Hello? Nick? Are you listening to me?"

He finally brought himself to lift his eyes to her burning amber ones.

He thought he'd never see her again. His best friend. Alice.

She'd left when their entire family had gone broke, and everyone thought that she had been behind the bombing of the train that had left him and his sister orphans.

He opened his mouth to speak. But just then, Leah and Eliza walked into garden, hand in hand, deep in discussion.

When she saw him, Leah ran towards him and said, "Oh hello brother!! Eliza and I were just discussing about Loret-"

She paused, just as he had when she saw Alice. But unlike him, she pounced on her, looking ready to tear her apart with her bade hands.

That shook Nico from his shock and he sprung into action, holding Leah back, as Eliza stood between her and Alice.

The tension between them was palpable, yet somehow calm and collected, Eliza spoke, "Why don't we all go inside and discuss this over a nice, hot cup of tea"

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While they walked into the house, a tense silence had settled between them all. They reached into the sitting room and Nico was surprised to find Elias sitting there drinking tea.

He hadn't seen him all morning and being completely honest, he'd forgotten all about him.

Thinking about it he didn't even think that Elias was poisoned as he wasn't there at breakfast..................

How could he forget about that....

"Nice of you to join us Elias.", said Eliza, her voice dripping with venom.

"You dissappeared after last night and of course it seems clear that you have no intention of sharing your ideas with us."

"Whatever are you talking about?", he replied, standing up.

"Its not my problem that Loretta did the wrong thing at the wrong time. Good riddance she's gone anyway."

Eliza muttered, "Well atleast we agree on one thing..... The first time I saw her drinking water from that fountain like a god forsaken animal, I knew she was a complete lunatic."

Before a fully fledged argument could begin once again, Leah interjected by screaming, " I GOT IT! I GOT IT! I GOT IT, I GOT IT, I GOT IT!"

"You got what?" Nico asked stupidly.

"I got the cure. I KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS"

A/N

So...........

What do you think?

Adding Alice as a character was pretty spontaneous, but I think it'll bring some more drama to the story.

Anyway like and comment!

Till next time ✨️