A gasp pushed past my lips at the memory... Suddenly, I knew where the key to the vault was.
Chapter 12. Punishable by Death.
Isprinted up the stairs; my lungs screamed from the lack of air as I barged into Francis’ room without knocking.
“I need to find my mother.” My voice turned breathless.
“Are you all right?” Francis caught me by my forearms when I stumbled into the candelabra on the floor.
Why in the Kingdom did he have a candelabra on the floor?
“We need to find my mother.” I shoved Caleb’s present into his hands.
“Cordelia... she is—” His brows furrowed when he looked at me as though I had lost my mind. The crimson still stained his neck.
“I know she is dead.” I rolled my eyes. “We need to find where they buried her. Her ring is the key to the vault.”
“The vault?” The crease between Francis’ eyebrows deepened.
“Caleb believes the archives for Royal steel are in there.” I sat on Francis’ unmade bed, still catching my breath.
“You spoke to Caleb?” The muscle on his jaw twitched when he glanced at the box.
“We are wasting time, Francis,” I groaned.
“I will find her grave, I promise.” He nodded, setting the box on the table with his other trinkets. “Do you have any idea where they could’ve buried her?”
“I am going with you.” I rushed to my feet.
“I don’t think that’s wise—”
“I am going with you.”
Francis’ lips turned into a thin line. “We will leave the moment the sun sets.”
“No, we leave now,” I protested. “If Kane finds it before us, we are doomed.”
“The sun is to rise in a few hours.” Francis shook his head. “We won’t make it on time.”
“We can’t wait—”
His hands fell on my cheeks, gentle thumbs caressing my skin. “We will find the key first, I swear.”
I sighed at his touch. “The moment the sun sets.”
