Neither of us moved to answer it.
And then there were three pounding raps at the door.
“Whoever it is isn’t leaving,” Ivy sniffled, hurrying to wipe her tears. “Don’t go anywhere.” And then she left the kitchen.
I clutched my mug tightly between my hands, my fingers turning white, wondering if I’d just made a terrible mistake by telling Ivy. And when the kitchen door swung open again, Ivy quickly closed it to a standstill, then turned toward me with wide eyes.
“Viola and Augustine are here,” she whispered. “They’re looking for you.”
“What?” My heart started to slam inside my chest. “Ivy?”
“They said they need to talk to you about what happened last night. They promised they just wanted to talk.” Ivy took my hand. “You cannot tell them about Stone or the marriage, okay? Just pretend it didn’t happen.”
Pretend it didn’t happen?“What if Norse Woods can protect me?”
“Dammit, listen to me,” she whisper-shouted. “You were ordered to marry Cyrus. Now keep your mouth shut and give me your ring.”
SEAWORTHY DEATH
Alec & Circe
Circe satat the edge of Hedera’s bed, combing her daughter’s silky black hair back as she sang with the music box sitting in her lap.
The three girls had made it back to the castle without anyone noticing. Though Circe didn’t want to, she had to pretend the night of her near escape hadn’t happened. The Only way to survive was to abandon her heart, she thought as she sang a song into the music box for Hedera Sotiras.
“But Mama, what about the adventure?” Hedera asked.
Circe dotted her tear so her daughter wouldn’t see. “I suppose the gods don’t believe it’s the right time. At least, Not this time.”
Noticing her mother crying, Hedera sat up and crawled closer to her mother. “Don’t cry, Mama. Daddy can take you on Every adventure. He has a boat.”
This caused Circe to look away as another tear Fell. Hedera didn’t know about the cruelty of her father. In fact, anyone who didn’t look hard enough didn’t know about the cruelty of Circe’s husband. To Hedera, this man was her knight In shining armor and would Never hurt her. To Circe, this man was the Anchor weighing her down at the bottom of the sea. Often times, she looked outside herself, hating herself.
“Circe, a word,” a man said in the doorway of her daughter’s room.
Circe’s heart thundered, and she looked at her daughter. “Hedera, it’s time to sleep. Hurry, hurry, under the covers, nice and snug,” she said, forcing a smile, wrapping Hedera up inside the quilt. She placed the music box on her nightstand, and turned the knob, hearing her own voice pour inside the room.
“But I can’t sleep. That man said there are monsters in nightmares.”
“You will not have nightmares. You will dream of adventure.” Circe kissed her daughter on the forehead. She held her kiss a little longer this time, inhaling her daughter’s scent, wishing it would soak into her skin. “I Love you, my Sotiras.”
“I love you, Mama.” Hedera stroked her mother’s arm. “Don’t be sad, all right?”
“Circe,” the man demanded.
“Get some sleep,” Circe whispered once more, then stood and pushed the Bag she’d packed deeper under the bed so that it wouldn’t be seen. “Lacie,” she said to her maid who sat in the corner of the room. “Join me.”
Circe and Lacie followed the man down the stairs and through the house until they Reached the tunnel entrance, and fear consumed her. “What are we doing here?”
“He’s waiting for you in the chamber,” the man said.
The two women Exchanged glances, and Lacie took her hand. “Everything will be all right, Circe. I will be with you every step of the way.”
A flame lit their path through the tunnel, and after so long, they reached the Forbidden Cavern. Circe watched her husband walk along the edge of the Forbidden Spring, its brilliant cerulean blue sending spotlights across the cave wall.
Fear held her hostage, and she stepped forward, holding her breath. A dark, terrifying gaze drifted over her. Each time she looked upon his face, she wondered how he could sleep soundly every night. She wondered how he would feel if she made him wish he would die.
“You embarrassed me,” he said, walking around the iridescent blue spring. “How long?”
