***
Arriving back at her townhouse, she saw two letters had arrived. One was her weekly letter from Charlotte, and the other bore her family’s seal.
Elizabeth cringed at the sight of the oak tree pressed into the dark blue wax and wondered what her mother had to say.
She knew her parents would be upset with her for storming off and making it clear she had no intention of returning, so it was with great trepidation that she opened the letter.
Dear Lizzy,
We miss you. Please visit, and next time for longer. We were hurt when you left so abruptly. Are we not still your family?
I am sending this to you at your new address. Do I dare ask who you are boarding with and where you are staying?
I beg you to stop gallivanting about the countryside and come home. It is unseemly for a lady from a well-connected family, and … we worry for you. I spoke to your father, and he has agreed that you may visit, and we will speak nothing of your engagement for a while. Stay for a week or a month next time. We will sort out this mess. You can ask your father to reconsider his decision, and all will be well. If he insists on pursuing the match, we will attempt to reason with Duke Howard so that the match is more acceptable to you. Please come home.
Your father asked me not to say anything about this, but I feel you ought to know. We have seen strange men in town. There have been men dressed in dark cloaks around the city asking after you. One of our servants was accosted in the market and asked if they had ever seen a purple necklace?
What exactly have you gotten yourself into?
Come home. And hire a plain, nondescript carriage. We will pay for it.
Sincerely,
Your mother who loves you very much.
The amulet.
Elizabeth stopped cold.
Ambriel had told her the demons were hunting for it. She was possibly the only person alive who knew where it was. What if one of the demons had accidentally seen it in her mind? Though she had improved vastly at shielding her mind, her thoughts had been unguarded when she’d first arrived at the castle.
She cradled her head in her hands. What had she brought upon herself? Upon her family?
Elizabeth chewed her lip. Maybe she should advise her parents to double their guard and stay far away from anyone who mentions the amulet. She wrinkled her nose. Her mother probably thought she had gotten herself mixed up with a band of criminals, but there was no helping that now.
She picked up a quill and, after great hesitation, penned a warning that she hoped her parents would heed.
***
Elizabeth practiced magic tirelessly.
Risna commented that she appeared driven and focused, bolstered by her successes the other day. She didn’t have the heart to tell her it was because she was worried that less friendly demons than Caspian were after her.
She didn’t stop practicing until Risna stopped her. “That’s enough for today. You look exhausted.”
Elizabeth left the witch’s shop, grinning from ear to ear despite her fatigue. She had real magic now. She wasn’t sure how to use it in self-defence yet, but she had made significant strides forward.
Twilight shrouded the streets as she took her usual route home, her hood up to shield her face against the light rain that sprinkled overhead. She’d stayed later than she’d intended, but the progress had been worth it.
Unease prickled at the back of her neck.
For some reason, she felt like someone was watching her.
A glance backwards revealed nothing out of the ordinary, but she couldn’t shake the feeling there was something there, lurking in the shadows, unseen.
She chastised herself for her paranoia and quickened her pace. Only a few blocks from home now.
Turning a corner, she stopped dead.
