I would have left at that point–I wasn't foolish enough to venture beneath an abandoned castle where torches flare to life all on their own. But my father was in this castle somewhere, I could feel it in my bones, and I wasn't about to abandon him. I headed down the stairs warily.
At the bottom of the stairs, I found a row of prison cells. Solid doors blocked my view of the cells, but they were each set with small windows near their tops, barred with iron.
“Father?” I called out.
“Sylvaine?” My father's shocked voice came from one of the cells. “Sylvaine is that you?”
“Father!” I snatched a ring of keys off the wall and ran toward the sound of his voice. “I'm here! Bertrand brought me.” I unlocked his door and rushed into my father's arms.
“Oh, Sylvaine,” my father sobbed. “You shouldn't have come. In fact,” he pushed me away, “you need to leave immediately.”
“The hell I will,” I growled.
“Brave,” a deep voice noted from the doorway.
“Or maybe just stupid,” another rumbly voice added.
“Leave her be!” My father cried and pushed me behind him. “She has done nothing to you. I'm the one who took your damn rose.”
“Rose?” I asked.
“Your father is a thief,” a third voice, slightly softer than the other two, said. “We caught him stealing one of our prized roses. Thieves must be punished. At least, that's what Lancelot says–” His voice was cut off by a muffled thump.
“Over a rose?” I huffed. “I'm the one who asked him for a rose; you should hold me accountable.”
“Sylvaine!” Father snapped. “I will handle this.”
“Father, you need to get home,” I said sternly. “Bianca and Anne will not be able to survive without you.”
“You can–”
“What?” I asked. “What could I do to support us?”
“More than I,” he huffed. “We lost another cargo. I know you know about the ships, Sylvie. We are ruined.”
“Our family does not give up,” I snapped. “We've been through harder times than this, and we will prevail. You're going to go home and figure this out.” I shoved him toward the door.
“Listen to her,” one of the voices said, “she thinks that she's in charge.”
“He's a merchant; he knows nothing but business,” I growled at the shadowy shapes in the doorway. “What do you want with him when you could have an able-bodied woman instead? So, unless you need someone to manage your records, I'm the better choice.”
“Come into the light,” the first voice demanded.
I eased forward and heard three sharp intakes of breath.
“Braveandbeautiful,” one of them whispered.
“Fools,” another said, “she's not the one. True beauty, remember? She's obviously a harridan.”
“Hey,” I huffed, but they went on, ignoring me.
“What's the harm?” The third said. “Let her stay. Let him leave. It matters not.”
“I am not leaving!” My father declared.
“Yes, you are,” I pushed him out into the corridor.
“You heard her,” one of the low voices said. “It's time to go.”
