The Secrets of Lore Seymour

97. Arline's Past

Seren POV

With Cyan and Arline gone, that leaves Lore and I alone. I take his hand, offering what I hope to be a reassuring smile.

"It will take some time, but they'll come to understand," I say, squeezing his hand.

"Right." Sighing, Lore rises to head for his desk. He falls into the chair, flipping through some papers that I doubt he registers.

"I'm going to work on those maps that Ristain requested of me," I explain, getting up as well. Lore looks like he needs some space. Everyone probably does, so I take my leave. The library will probably be my best bet, somewhere quiet that others likely won't find me. However, after scrounging up some paper and ink, I discover Arline seated on one of the couches in the library. Her legs are curled up on the cushion, eyes distant until they drift to me. I figured she'd head back to the school house, but in her state it is probably best that she not tend to the children. She needs rest too.

"Uh, sorry for disturbing you," I say, gesturing over my shoulder. "I'll go somewhere else."

"Why did you agree with him?" she asks, preventing me from leaving. She stares me down, brows deeply furrowed. "You've fought against the Red Moon. You know what they're like and they must hate you, so why are you working with them?"

I shut the library doors and head towards her, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch. I sit everything down on the table in front of us. She watches me with curious and frustrated eyes.

"I've only met with some of the members once," I admit. "Ristain has made it very clear that we're to work together and if anyone has a problem, they're welcome to leave."

Arline looks away when I mention Ristain.

"I don't fully trust them either. Trust takes time to build. Considering what we hope to do, I'm sure that trust will be built overtime. For now, we have to work together to, as Lore said it, get this job done. You do realize we can't fight the church and the monarchies without more help, don't you?"

"We could find help from almost anyone else that would be better," she says, grinding her teeth.

"Why?" I ask. She squirms, one hand tensing against the arm of the couch. "When I met with the Red Moon, Ristain asked about you."

She rolls her shoulders.

"He wanted to know how you were doing. Obviously you have a past with them, what is it?"

Arline abruptly stands, approaching a nearby window to gaze at the quiet yard. She crosses her arms, almost hugging herself, remaining silent for a few long moments.

"My parents were both once part of the Red Moon," she explains, her voice softer than a whisper. "They ceased their missions upon learning that they were expecting. They settled down to raise me, but they still did what they could for the Red Moon by being a safe house. I never knew about the hidden rooms under the house, a place where members could rest, heal, or hide weapons. When I was nine, members of the Holy Church raided our home after having acquired information from another member."

She spat out the word acquired as if the very word threatened to taint her tongue. Her eyes flash violent red, fingers digging into her arms to break skin.

"They tortured my parents for more information, but my mom was always a fighter. She distracted them while I ran, only to see a champion ride into town a few hours later with my mother's head on a spike." She glances at me, hatred in her eyes. I can't say I blame her. At the end of the day, we both know I've done terrible things. That I've tortured vampires for information, that I've relieved many of their heads. Regardless, she continues her story and that makes me believe that she trusts me, at least more than she once did.