Page 259 - Revelation

Svetlana de Rohan-Levashova. Revelation

I was sure; Caraffa would inform me immediately and with the greatest pleasure.
Therefore I preferred to wait.

He was himself again – confident and "prickly". His recent "delight" and
"concern" vanished without a trace. I think he was the most odd and unforeseeable
human being in the world. His mood could change to the opposite in a few seconds,
and he could sign your death sentence after giving the most pleasant compliment. He
was unique in his unpredictability and he was perfectly aware of it...
– Have you forgotten how to talk, Madonna Isidora? For Goodness’ sake!
Witches of Your "calibre" have to be much stronger! I always was sure about that. As
far as I understand, you are considered a Warrior among them? In that case how could
you swallow the bait of the simplest "human" emotions so easily? Your heart controls
your reason, Isidora, which is impermissible for so strong a Witch as you! Don’t you,
the gifted ones, have a rule: "always be single and cold, if there is a war? Don’t let
your heart onto a "battle-field", or it destroys you". Aren’t those your precepts,
Isidora?

– You are quite right, Your Holiness. But it does not mean that I fully agree with
them. Sometimes love of a person or humanity can do wonders on a "battle-field", don’t
you think so? Oh, pardon my naivety; I absolutely forgot that you are hardly familiar
with these feelings. But, how well you remember our precepts, Your Holiness! Do you
really hope to come back to Meteora some time? In fact the one, who gave you a "gift",
has not been there for a long time; Meteora drove him out, just as it did you, did it not,
Holiness?
Caraffa’s face turned mortally pale. His usual arrogance suddenly vanished and
now he looked helpless and "naked". It seemed that he was desperately looking for a
word and could not find it. Time stopped. The moment became dangerous – something
had to happen right now... Every cell of my body felt the raging storm of his "black"
anger mixed with fear, which was seemingly impossible to expect from Caraffa. What
could this powerful wicked man be afraid of?
– How do you know it, Isidora? Who could tell you that?!

– Oh, there are "friends" and FRIENDS, like you usually say, Your Holiness! – I
answered, intentionally provoking him. – Exactly FRIENDS told me everything I
wanted to know about you, with only one difference, though. You see, you and I use
different methods to get the information we need. I did not have to torture my friends.
They me told everything I wanted with pleasure... And believe me, it is always much
pleasanter! Except for cases when one is addicted to tortures, of course... As it seemed
to me, you adore the smell of blood, Holiness, don’t you?
I gradually came to myself and felt my martial spirit coming back to me. Anyway,
there was nothing to lose... It did not matter to Caraffa how pleasant I would be. He
craved only one thing – to get answers to his questions. The rest was not important for
him; except, maybe, for one thing – my complete and absolute submission. But he
perfectly knew that it would never happen. Therefore I did not have to be either polite
or even tolerable with him. And to tell the truth I sincerely and greatly enjoyed it.

– Don’t you want to know what happened to your father, Isidora? In fact you so
strongly love him!

Back to content

258