Arianna’s POV
I ran my hand through my hair for the tenth time as I continued pacing the room. I wanted to go out to know what was happening. My body itched for me to move out of the large room and check what was going on but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Each time I thought about it, I was reminded of the day I got kidnapped at that party.
Gabriele had asked me to stay in his room and wait till he came to get me and that was what I was going to do… until it got much worst.
The scream filled the entire house again making me jump out of my skin. This time, the noise was getting closer. It seemed whoever was screaming their lungs out was coming to me.
What could be happening?
Was the house under attack?
I stopped pacing as a light bulb lit up in my head. If Gabriele’s household was under attack, it could serve as a perfect distraction for me to run away.
“Yes!” I let out as my adrenaline started building.
All I had to do was check the surroundings and decide how dangerous the attack was and I could make it out of there alive and in one piece.
I started heading for the door and just as I stretched my fingers to open it, Sofia stepped in.
“Oh my God! Arianna are you okay?” she cried out running to hug me. “You must be so traumatized!” she exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes and pulled her slightly off my chest. Sometimes she acted like she was my Nonna.
Geez, I wasn’t even freaking out! I was perfectly fine!
“Sofie, I am fine. What’s happening out there?” I asked her in a calm voice.
If I told her that I wanted to use the commotion as a distraction to run away, she would never agree. I would not rest until she loads off all the advice on how dangerous it was into my ears.
“I don’t know for certain Arianna. But whatever it is, it is very bad…” she trailed off shaking her head.
“What makes you think that?”
“All the men are restless and you know what?” she asked pulling away from me. “I even saw Nadia and Basilio heading to the upper floors,” she said and I raised my hand to make her pause right there.
“Nadia and Basilio?” I wondered aloud. “What is Nadia doing on this side of the house?”
If my memory wasn’t deceiving me, that scream did sound like a woman to me… what was going on?
“I don’t know what she is doing here but she wasn’t looking good-” she didn’t finish her statement when another shriek filled the room. This time louder and closer than the others.
“That was Nadia, wasn’t it?” she asked and I nodded positively.
“I was about to ask the same thing… have you seen Gabriele?” I asked instead as I moved to the door.
“What are you doing?” she asked. There was alarm in her voice and I turned to her with narrowed eyes.
“What are you hiding?” I asked instead.
She tucked a strand of her hair at the back of her ear and gave me a toothy smile. “Look, I am only doing what is right for you Arianna…”
I raised my brows urging her to keep talking.
“…Basilio asked me to stay with you and under no circumstance should I let you leave here,” she said in one breath.
I nodded dramatically and a smile covered my face.
They were hiding something. That instruction just proved everything. Nadia shouldn’t be on this side of the house. Gabriele had given strict instructions for me not to cross to theirs and for them not to come here as well. Or has the rules changed?
“What did you say Nadia looked like?” I asked her as I moved slightly away from the door to calm her down.
“She was pale… like she had seen something evil,” She explained.
I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. That were just normal traits. “You know how dramatic Nadia can be. I don’t think anything is wrong with her,” I dismissed.
Nadia was a sweet girl but she would rather act up and get what she wanted than stay locked up.
“Were you not the one telling me to act obediently with Gabriele so I can get what I want?” I asked her. “Nadia might just be playing at something… maybe she wants Basilio since Sara has claimed Gabriele,” I thought with a smile but Sofia’s face was as straight as ever.
“What you don’t find that funny?” I said nudging her on the side.
“First off, I don’t think Basilio is interested in women like her and secondly, there was blood on her dress Arianna. I don’t think she is acting…”
I narrowed my eyes as I tried to get my head around her words. “Wait… I will get back to the Basilio interest later. What do you mean by there was blood on her dress? What happened?”
“That’s what I am trying to say, I don’t know what happened but I am certain it is bad. Otherwise, Basilio of all people wouldn’t bring her here!” Sofia cried out.
I got away from her and resumed pacing.
The situation had just turned different. If there was blood involved it meant this was an attack as I had originally thought. But since they were picking on the women, I couldn’t dare try escaping or I would be offering them an easy kill.
But I couldn’t stay in the room and do nothing. I needed to know what was happening and how it happened.
“Sofie, I am sorry but I have to leave,” I said.
Her eyes flashed in alarm and she rushed to where I stood and held my arm. “Arianna you will do no such thing! You know what the master will do to me if he finds out! Please,” she begged.
She was right. If I left the room, Sofia would be in trouble again. I would have to think of a way to sort it without putting anyone in trouble.
“What was your instruction again?” I asked.
“Basilio asked me to come to stay with you,” she mumbled glaring cautiously at me.
“Just that?”
“Arianna what are you thinking?” she snapped.
“I need to go see Nadia okay? Now to avoid putting you in trouble, you will have to come with me…” I said slowly.
“Arianna?” she cried out but I shook my head disapprovingly at her.
“There is nothing that you will say that will convince me otherwise. I can’t stay here and wait for whatever is happening to them to come to me… I need to talk to her.”
She wiped her hand over her face and dropped her eyes to the floor. “You will be the death of me,” she mumbled. Then she raised her head.
“Promise me you won’t try to run away?” she stated.
A grin broke out on my face and I took her hand. “I am not stupid Sofie. I know I can’t make a run for it. Besides, it is too dangerous out there at the moment. I will take my chances with Gabriele.”
…at least I know he wouldn’t kill me.
“But I need to talk to Nadia before I die here in suspense,” I added.
“Okay fine. If you promise to be good, I will take you,” she said and I smiled in gratitude.
I had put her in so much trouble in the past yet each time I came up with a silly idea, she was always there to support me. If I ever left this place, Sofie would be the first I would help.
“Let’s go,” she said and I followed silently behind her as she stepped out of Gabriele’s room.
We took the stairs, after making sure there was no one on the other side. We took the steps two at a time, moving as swiftly as possible until we heard some noise coming from the lower floor.
I exchanged looks with her and the panic in her eyes confirmed my fears –someone was coming.
We pushed into the first door we could reach and thankfully it was opened. We moved in and secured the door behind us.
I leaned on the door taking a deep breath, “That was a close one,” I said.
But Sofie’s attention was on something else. She was looking straight ahead at something –or someone.
“Eleana?” I whispered as my eyes fell on her swollen face.
“What happened?” Sofia asked as we both got to her.
She looked terrible. Her hair was messy and her eyes were swollen like someone who had cried for hours. Her nightdress was wrinkled and she looked like she was going into a state of shock.
“Why isn’t someone with her?” I asked Sofie as I tried to reach Eleana’s hand.
“Don’t touch me!” she snapped pulling her hand away.
“Eleana?” I whispered in shock.