Samantha’s Keeper

ter.

He deliberately made his way toward a chair that faced a fireplace. Smoke swirled from the tobacco that the person seated on it held in his hand. The young man, too scared to face the butler remained where he was and from behind the chair, he whispered, ”Mr. Frederick, Dalton failed. ”

The low tenor of the old butlers voice echoed around the room when he answered, ”I know. ”

”What do we do now sir? He was the last of the Dela Torres. ”

The young man watched as the hand suspended on the arm of the chair flicked the ashes of the tobacco. Then flinched when a screeching sound permeated from the foot of the chair after it was pushed back when the butler stood. Slowly, the man turned to face the teen. The butler looked foreboding as the light from the fire behind him glowed, blanketing him like a menacing aura. ”Theres one more, ” he murmured. A frown lined his forehead as he spoke.

Confused, the teen questioned, ”What do you mean sir? Wasn Dalton the last heir of the Dela Torres? ”

”Gather some men and meet me tomorrow in front of the house. We will come for Sam. ”

”Sam? ”

”Yes. Shes the last of the Dela Torre. The child of the master from a previous helper inside the estate. She may be our last hope. ”

”She? ” The young man repeated. His eyes were wide and unbelieving at what the butler said.

”Yes, Harold. Samantha Dela Torre, ” Frederick answered as he turned to face the fireplace once more.

”B-But sir, a woman? ”

The butler snickered when he heard the worried tone of the young man. Frederick understood the gravity of their situation, but Samantha had the Dela Torre blood in her veins.

”Yes, Harold. A woman. ”

”But Mr. Frederick, that thing… ”

”That thing cares, for one thing, Harold. And that is for a Dela Torre to give it an answer. This is our curse and burden. We must fulfill our end of the bargain. Or else… ” The butler swallowed the rest of his words. He solemnly gazed at the flickering fire before him then dragged a breath.

”We must hurry. It is not patient, ” he added before he sent the young man out of the room.