Eve and Anaya moved to the side, giving way to the other people attending Noah's funeral. The two young women shared friendly words, sharing their good thoughts about Noah.
"Anaya, dear," Anaya's mother called her, who was done talking to the Sullivans. "We will be leaving."
Anaya gave a nod to her mother and responded, "Two minutes, mother. I will be at the carriage soon."
Anaya's mother looked at Eve, and when their eyes met, the two shared a polite bow before the older woman turned and started to walk with her husband. Eve asked,
"Will you be okay? You can stay with us for some time."
"That is very kind of you, Eve. But I don't think it would be wise to stay back, when the probability of being hurt is higher," Anaya said sadly. When Noah was still alive, and she had returned to her home, she had hoped that the feelings would fade, and maybe it was. But this news... it shattered the walls that she had built. All she was left with were memories and the pain of the departed.
"As hard as it is, I hope time can ease this hard time that we are going through. If you ever decide to come visit the West, write me a letter. I will be happy to have you with us," the she-wolf stepped forward and hugged Eve.
"I will, Anaya," Eve replied, watching Anaya turn before something seemed to cross Anaya's mind.
"There is something I want to give you," Anaya fished something in her coat pocket and took out a square box wrapped in a shiny cover paper. She said, "This belongs to you."
Eve looked confused as she took the box, not knowing what Anaya was giving her and she asked, "What is this?"
To Eve's question, Anaya responded with a shrug, "I don't know. If I am not wrong, it was a birthday gift which was meant for you by Noah. That night I had his coat, and forgot to return his coat, and he seemed to have forgotten that the box was with me. I think he would like it for you to have it," she smiled at Eve.
Eve looked back up at Anaya and said, "Thank you for giving it to me, Anaya."
"It was no trouble. Take care, Eve. I hope we can see each other soon, but on a happy occasion," Anaya said to Eve before offering a slight bow and leaving the cemetery towards the carriage, where her parents were waiting for her.
Eve looked down at the box, curious about what was there inside it. She remembered the night of the soiree how before leaving the Moriarty mansion, Noah was with her. She had believed she would return to the back garden but she didn't, and maybe that is why he hadn't been able to give the present to her. She turned the box, ready to tear the cover, when Noah's uncle appeared and greeted her,
"Lady Moriarty."
Eve dropped her hand from tearing the cover and met the man's eyes. She offered a small bow and her condolences, "I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Sullivan."
"Thank you," James held a grim expression on his face. He said, "You were friends. Through Anaya Chambers."
Eve offered a nod, "Yes." She then asked him, "Did they find what happened?" She put the box in her coat pocket and decided to open it once she got back home.
James shook his head, "Unfortunately, nothing. Jeffry, my brother said that the Council said they are looking for the witch, but it feels like nothing much has been done. I mean, first our butler went missing. Then the coachman and now Noah. It feels like someone is targeting our family."
Eve's eyebrows furrowed, and she asked him, "Why?" She took the liberty to ask him because he didn't seem as uptight as Noah's parents, because Lady Hilda only offered her a brief look before she continued to talk to the other people.
"I wish I knew. My family and I, even Noah. We have been trying to find who was behind it. It was why he was out of town, looking for answers," James pursed his lips and then said, "If I knew this was going to happen, I would have never agreed for him to go all by himself. My brother or I would have gone instead."
James then politely said to her, "Excuse me," and he left to speak to one of the councilmen.
Vincent finished talking to one of the inner Council members and returned to Eve's side. He asked her, "Shall we leave?" And Eve gave him a nod.
As they walked past Noah's grieving parents, Eve's eyes met Lady Hilda's eyes, and there was something very strange with the way the lady looked at her. When they stepped away from the cemetery, Eve asked him,
"Did you hear what Noah's uncle said?"
"Every single word that he uttered to you," Vincent responded, and he said, "It is quite odd to hear that someone is targeting the Sullivans, and went as far as to kill Noah."
Eve asked him, "Noah was the last descendant. Do you think someone knew about the curse of Nerhys and King Gauntlet's son's abilities?"
"Someone trying to stop him?" Vincent asked in a nonchalant tone. He continued, "Sounds more like someone wanted his ability. I went through some of the books before and came across this particular one. Apparently if someone is strong enough to kill me, my abilities go to them. That is if."
"But the person needs to be the descendant of King Gauntlet," Eve whispered to him. "It should be in the bloodline, right?"
"Mhm, which is why the witch theory doesn't make any sense. My bet is on the father," Vincent stated when they reached the carriage.
Eve's eyebrows furrowed, "You think Noah's father killed him?" But Noah was his son.
Vincent remarked, "He's the direct link to Noah. Don't be moved by tears or the speech in here. You don't know how far people will go to acquire power."
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