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Chapter 19
A lonely mansion on a barren hill, surrounded by darkened forest.
Silence. Not even a breeze disturbed the house. It was like a morgue.
The painful chasm that was left when the kidnapper severed the bond between Dawn and and her toddler son Brandan was more than a void. It left the mother in the depths of despair. She didn't care about anything anymore. She would stare out the window, or just into space. She felt as though a part of her died.
And the dead don't eat, they don't speak, they don't sleep. All she did was breathe and stare. All day and all night.
Noir was very concerned for her friend, and worse, felt completely helpless; nothing she said or did helped the depressed mother or evoked a response. Even though the police were vigorously looking for any clues to Brendan's whereabouts, and were telling Dawn to hold off paying the ransom, that they would soon find him, it seemed a futile effort. The ransom note had said to pay the money within 1 week or the child would be killed. Half the week was already gone. Dawn had stopped funding the anti-recall effort in preparation to pay the steep ransom, but Noir didn't mind, the child was more important than the recall. If only there was something she could do! Something that would give her friend hope!
She hoped to receive a reply soon, not only from her suffering friend, but from someone else. Someone more powerful, that might be able to save the child. Someone with the power of prediction.
She had sent word to the Castle immediately after she involved the police. It had been almost a full day. Where was Von Paine?
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Early the next morning after Noir's visit to the Raven Estate had discovered the kidnapping, Crimson had awoken her father with the news. His face looked grave and his forehead furrowed with three deep wrinkles as he considered this tragic event.
"I did not foresee that the enemy would stoop so low, but it is logical." Von Paine said as he slowly looked up from the bed at his daughter.
"Fetch Renatus. The two of you meet me in the Library."
By the time Crimson had awakened Renatus from the guest room, and he had thrown a robe on to walk to the library, Von Paine was dressed and ready.
"Good Morning Sir."
"Renatus, it is not a good morning. Close the door and follow us." Von Pain turned and began walking towards the large gold framed mirror.
Rentus, still sleepy but becoming more aware since hearing the news of the kidnapping from Crimson, was confused. They were in the Library.
"Follow you ...where?" Then he had his answer.
Von Paine reached for one of the many gold leaves of the vine that made up the mirror frame design. But the leaf he touched moved.
The large mirror that almost hung to the floor and was at least eight feet high slowly swung open revealing a staircase. A staircase that went up.
"Come Renatus my boy, we have work to do. It is time." Von Paine stepped over the short height of wall leading up from the bottom to where the frame had been. Crimson stood by the open mirror and gestured for Renatus to enter first. She obviously had been through this hidden door before. He followed Von Paine, and heard Crimson climbing the narrow wooden steps behind him, his eyes becoming accustomed to the dimmer light as she closed the mirror from inside the stairwell. There was sunlight coming from above.
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