Chapter 110 The door

Chapter 110 The door
Click.
​The hinges of the steel door let out a long, grating creak as Agatha pushed it open. Crystal chandeliers on the ceiling flickered to life automatically. Fine dust danced within the bright pales of light. The scent of sandalwood and the fading aroma of lavender filled her senses. Agatha stepped inside slowly. She felt the cold marble floor through the thin soles of her house slippers.
​The room was not particularly large. However, every corner was filled with items arranged with meticulous care. To the left stood a heavy teak desk. A quill pen remained perched in an inkwell that had long since run dry. Beside it, a maroon silk shawl was draped over the back of the chair. Agatha approached the desk. She reached out to touch the soft fabric of the shawl.
​"Mmh," Agatha murmured. Her eyes began to glaze with tears.
​"That belonged to your mother," Cardios’s voice drifted from the doorway. The old man entered with measured steps. The sound of his cane tapping against the floor was rhythmic. Tap. Tap. Tap.
​Agatha turned toward him. "And this desk?"
​"It was Leonard’s. Your father spent a great deal of time here, writing letters he never actually sent," Cardios answered. His tone was flat, yet there was a slight tremor beneath the surface.
​Agatha moved to a small shelf in the corner. Several wooden toys sat there, their colors faded with time. There was a small rocking horse and a music box that no longer spun. She noticed a silver photo frame placed prominently in the center. Agatha picked it up. It did not contain a photograph of a person. Instead, it was a detailed shot of a sharp object.
​"Grandfather, why is there a photo of a dagger here?" Agatha asked. She held the frame out to Cardios.
​Cardios stepped closer. He stared at the image of the dagger, which featured an intricate engraving of rose vines twisting along the length of the blade. "That is the Black Rose of Volskey."
​"The engraving is so unique. It looks like a plant creeping over the metal, just like mine," Agatha said. She studied the details of the vines, which appeared to have tiny, sharp thorns.
​"Leonard gave that dagger to you when you were just a baby. He tucked it into the folds of your swaddle on the very first night you were born," Cardios explained. He took a deep breath. "That dagger is more than a weapon for self defense. It is the key to the supreme power of the Volskey family. Whoever holds it possesses absolute rights over all our assets and our forces."
​Agatha froze. She looked down at her swelling stomach. "So this is why everyone is after the heir?"
​"Exactly. That dagger is the symbol that you are the only one Leonard recognized as his successor. Without it, anyone else’s claim to power in this family would be considered weak," Cardios said. "He hid it along with you before that tragic event occurred. He wanted you to discover it yourself when the time was right."
​Agatha remained silent for a long moment. She set the photo frame back in its place. Her heart felt suddenly heavy. This room, a remnant of the parents she had lost, offered her peace while simultaneously placing a massive burden upon her.
​"I want to visit them," Agatha whispered.
​"Now?" Cardios asked.
​"Yes. I want to go to their graves," Agatha insisted.
​An hour later, the luxurious black car of the Volskey family came to a halt before a tall iron gate leading to the private family cemetery. The air outside was biting. The wind blew with enough force to make the branches of the cypress trees rustle against one another. Shh. Shh.
​Xavier helped Agatha out of the car. He pulled her thick jacket tighter around her. "Are you sure you are strong enough to walk all the way there?"
​"I am strong, Xavier. Do not worry," Agatha replied.
​They walked along a path of natural stone. At the end of the path, two white marble headstones stood side by side. The names Leonard and Elena were beautifully engraved there. Agatha knelt before her mother’s grave. She touched the cold surface of the stone.
​"Hello, Mother. Hello, Father," Agatha said softly. Tears began to track down her cheeks.
​Xavier stood behind her. He placed a steady hand on his wife’s shoulder. "They must be so happy to see you here, Agatha. Especially since you brought three grandchildren at once for them."
​"Ugh," Agatha winced slightly. She felt a gentle kick from within her womb.
​"What is it? Are they kicking again?" Xavier asked with concern.
​Agatha smiled through her tears. "It seems they know they are near their grandparents."
​Agatha began to pluck the few weeds that had started to sprout around the headstones. She cleared away the intrusive growth, and once the task was done, she smiled at the sight of her parents’ clean resting place.
​She asked the others to leave her for a moment. "Are you sure, darling?" Xavier asked, his hand lingering on her shoulder.
​Agatha simply nodded. Xavier and the rest of the group moved a short distance away, giving her the privacy she needed with her parents.
​Agatha wept. She began to speak, telling them everything she had gone through. It was as if she had become a small child again, pouring out her heart and seeking comfort from her mother and father.
​Agatha finally turned to leave her parents’ graves. Her steps were slow as she walked back toward Xavier, but in the next second, she collapsed.
​"AGATHA!!" Xavier screamed.