“Shall we head toBellebrynnow?”Loren asked.
Edgar slowly turned his head and looked up at Loren.
He then whispered, “You will pay.”
A chill slithered down my spine.
“Choose.Bellebryn?Or Newton.”Helifted the crystal thing an inch.“Or do you need more incentive to make yourchoice?”
“Newton,” Dad-not-Dad spat.
A gasp was heard at the door.
A woman in a black dress with a white apron and a littlewhite cap with a black ribbon threaded through it was at the door holding a wetcloth on a silver tray and staring in dismay at Loren and Edgar.
“Your compress,Satrine,” Ansleysaid quietly, moving to the maid.He took the cloth, murmured, “Thank you,dear,” and she rushed away.
He brought it to me.
“Your eye, my lady,” he instructed.“And then, as charmingas that dress is, I believe you’ll need to return to your rooms and change intoa traveling costume.It seems in short order, we’re away.”
I took the cloth and put it to my eye.
Wow, that felt good.
Okay, maybe one down?
Mom and Maxine safe.
And one to go.
Getting home.
I let out a huge breath.
And for the first time in three weeks…
I hoped.
Chapter Eight
Reunion
Maxine
“Milady, awaken.We’re here.”
I started awake and looked around the carriage.
It appeared it was mid-morning.There were sunny skies, but(don’t ask me, it was a thing with this world), I felt the freshness to theday.
And outside the carriage windows, I saw across the widesidewalk, the massive, four-storygraystone(insteadof brownstone) where I started this nightmare.
We were in Newton.
Allow me to catch you up on the things I’d learned.
First, there was a reason Idina was reserved (and I shouldhave figured it out myself).
