Silas stood in the map room amongst the hundreds of rolled up papers, stretching the maps flat on the desk at the very center of the cylindrical chamber.
Once the sought after piece stared back at him, he finally stopped and gave it all of his attention.
The chart carried a detailed depiction of the Eleazar property as well as its close surroundings.
The vampire's goal had been to mark his new findings upon it before adding the tunnel among the underground passages' lists.
Longitude and latitude were the two parameters that allowed him to fulfill that task with utmost exactitude.
As he watched the ink dry upon the thick sheet of paper, his eyes traveled towards a different map.
One that held specifics of not only their property, but the territory of Umbraria as a whole. Quizzes riddled Silas' mind. Disputes as to how many tunnels had remained shrouded behind witchcraft since the great war.
A reality that posed a potential threat to his people should the information ever fall into the wrong hands. The fact that even a harmless young woman such as Arabella had found a use for it did not bode well.
Silas had done enough pondering on the matter and time for action had come. In his hand, he took the small bell that lay on the desk.
Similar bells lay in almost every room for them to ring whenever the need to was felt.
A knock fell on the door almost immediately, but no one entered until Silas' voice blared, "Come in,"
"How may I serve you, Master?" a young man, dressed in black and white, bowed before him.
"Where might Arabella be?" Silas's eyes remained on the maps in front of him.
"If I am not mistaken, the young woman has been summoned by the Lady to the music room," the man never raised his gaze.
"I see,"
"Should I send a word for her to join you somewhere?"
"There will be no need for that," for the first time, Silas' diamonds snapped onto the servant, "You may take your leave,"
Their exchange had reached its end there with the servant excusing himself before exiting the room. Silas took a moment then walked the same route but made his way towards the music room.
Instead of flashing there, the vampire ambled the hallways, first stopping by his father's portrait at the stairs for a few seconds. He allowed his hearing to probe around for any music that might ride the air and sure enough, a sweet melody gilded along the walls emanating straight from the music room.
A tune that mingled with the soft metrical clacking of heels, perfectly following its tempo.
"Closer now, don't be afraid, girl," Lady Persephone's voice broke that rhythm.
Another sound, that had escaped Silas' attention at first, became more prominent the instant his mother had spoken. That of a little heart losing all direction, growing agitated with every second that went by.
"Yes, my Lady," With a bit of a trembling voice, Arabella had replied.
The piano sang again, picking up where it'd stopped and a pair of feet shifted shortly, accompanied by yet a second pair only for both to then move in unison, becoming one with the music once more.
A sight that did not please Silas in the slightest greeted him. That of Arabella in the arms of another man, their faces as close to each other as could be due to the difference in height between them.
Sebastian's eyes clung onto Arabella's features while the young woman merely followed his lead on the dance floor, never meeting his gaze.
"Lower your arms further towards his chest," The Lady interrupted a second time.
Arabella remained quiet and obeyed, slowly dragging both hands down from Sebastian's shoulders to his chest. It seemed the grin that had appeared on Sebastian did not help quell her nerves one bit. On the contrary, Arabella's heart only threatened to leap out of its coop louder.
Lady Persephone signaled at Amelia to play again, prompting the couple to resume their practice. Plopped against one another, their bodies moved as though they were one.
Although, it was evident one of them enjoyed the situation far more than the other.
"Enough!" Persephone's voice rose a third time, completely silencing the room. Head slightly turned to the side, towards the doors, she added, "Take five minutes,"
The sigh of relief when Sebastian had unclasped his hands from around Arabella's waist was faint, but still noticeable to their kind.
It was only when everyone exited the room and bowed in front of him that Silas noted the presence of Allegra, Grace and Amelia besides the three others.
"Katherine," Silas stopped Katherine at the door, "I'd like you to guide Arabella to the map room,"
"Certainly, Master," she curtsied and threw a glance back at Arabella who stood right behind her.
Arabella too curtsied, but just like she'd done with Sebastian, her green gemstones refused to meet his eyes.
"What's the matter?" Lady Persephone asked from her sitting place, looking as unbothered as her usual.
Silas stepped inside the music room and stood before his mother. Though he remained silent, merely glaring at her.
"What business might you have with her?" a weak twitch overtook her eyebrow, "I hear you've been spending quite the amount of time in her company these days,"
"There is nothing for you to worry about," Silas withstood her gaze, returning the cold stare she offered.
"You haven't been taking more than you should from her, have you?"
"Do you think me weak, mother?"
"Aren't we all, in one way or another?" she placed her hands upon her lap.