The dinner table was very quiet that evening, nobody mentioned a word as they settled to eat a well prepared meal of roasted duck and vegetables. Alex had reluctantly come out from her room to join them, and the effects from the encounter with Gregory and Madame Miller was still very much eating at her. The threat in their actions, and the cold warning from Madame Miller.
Julian occupied his usual position at the head of the table, tapping and scrolling away on his phone like he always did and paying no attention to whatever was going on around him. On either side of him were Lucas and Sophie, two very different personalities at the table. Lucas was picking at his plate without interest, while Sophie seemed to be overly ecstatic and chatty.
"Uncle Julian… I can call you uncle Julian right? She asked, dangling her legs under the table. "If bats are always hanging upside when they sleep, do they fall if they sneeze?"
Julian lifted his head at her question. He didn't seem annoyed, he instead had an intrigued look on his face. Then he replied very calmly. "They don't sneeze like us, their body systems are built differently."
Alex was stunned. That... was not the reaction she expected from Julian at all.
"What if one has a cold though?" Sophie continued, ignoring the look of dismay on her mother's face. "Do they hang with tissues in their wings?"
Julian looked like he was going to smile… a brief movement at the corner of his mouth. "That wouldn't do them any good actually, they actually just warm themselves by combining their body heat."
"Group sneezing too," Sophie giggled.
Madame Miller arrived carrying a tray of vegetables and set them down beside Gregory, who had walked in and took his place at the end of the table, opposite Alex. His eyes met hers and both of them scowled at each other with obvious disdain… God she hated him.
"Good evening," she said slowly, trying her best to act civil as Julian's eyes were on her.
Gregory only mumbled a barely audible response, and instead proceeded to stab a potato in his plate viciously.
"Bet you wish my head was that potato." She thought silently, while adjusting herself and giving Sophie a sweet smile.
Soon Madame Miller began dishing out potions for them, making small talk and fussing over Julian who wasn't really interested in whatever she was saying.
They all are in relative silence, with Lucas barely touching his plate and only stealing glances at Sophie every now and then. His face was blank, but Alex was seeing an opportunity already as Sophie kept on pestering Julian with questions.
"How come the moon doesn't fall and kill us all? How does it just hang there in the sky… floating?"
"It's because of something called gravitational lock," Julian said. "The earth and the moon actually seem to match each other's rotation, and that's why we always see the same side."
"That's kinda creepy," Sophie decided. "It's like it's watching us."
"Like a silent witness." Julian replied as he took a sip of wine, muttering it like he was talking to himself.
In the silence that followed, Alex watched him, studied him. She was fascinated by him, not just the words he spoke, but in the quiet way he knew how to relate with Sophie… not many people could do that.
The moment didn't last long before Gregory coughed and broke it. Madame Miller poured him more wine, and when she reached Alex, their eyes locked.
"Drink up, Miss Reynolds," she said with a sarcastic smile. "You look quite pale."
Alex forced a smile in return. "Maybe I'm just tired."
"I can imagine, getting lost can be quite exhausting isn't it? Madame Miller replied smoothly.
Julian didn't seem to hear that, or maybe he did and chose not to react. It was like his special power, the ability to selectively ignore certain things. Alex wished he would actually ask about the incident once again, but she had to make do with his silence and ignore the housekeeper.
They had dessert, apple pie that Sophie devoured in three bites. Lucas still hadn't touched his food, and Alex was about to remind him when Sophie spoke up.
"Hey, Lucas?"
The boy slowly raised his head.
"Wanna play after dinner? I found an old chess set in the library we can play together, you can be white if you like."
Lucas didn't move, and everyone seemed to hold their breath in anticipation for his reaction.
He looked at Sophie for a while, then nodded slowly.
Julian looked at his son with a surprised expression, quietly observing the sudden change like he was seeing an unexpected result. "He plays well," Julian said finally. "Taught himself by watching others."
"So did I!" Sophie said excitedly. "Mom taught me last summer. Right Mom?"
Alex nodded slowly, although her thoughts were miles away. She was still thinking about every second of the afternoon, the locked door, and the way Gregory had held her hand like a shackle... His ugly breath that almost burnt her face off.
"I'll get the board," Sophie announced and disappeared into the library.
Julian got up also. "Gregory, I'll be taking the black car tonight." Then he left towards his room.
Gregory stood up and left without a word, while Lucas followed Sophie out quietly, leaving only Alex and the old lady who was watching her across the table like a cat about to pounce on it's prey.
After a while, she finally spoke. "Be careful, Miss Reynolds… you and your daughter must never forget your place in this household." she said coldly and rose with the dignity of a queen.
"That sounds a lot like a threat to me." Alex responded without fear.
"Take it however you like. Then she left silently, leaving Alex alone in the room with her thoughts.
Alex sat there for a while as maids began to clear up the dishes, her heart was pounding for so many unknown reasons. Madame Miller was the least of her worries at the moment… Where was Julian heading to in the black car at that time of the night?