First World(72)

There was silence for a few minutes. I was not even going to imagine what they were doing.

“Abby worries that the kidnapping was too much for me to handle.” Lucy’s voice sounded teary. “But it was actually the best thing to happen.” She cleared her throat. “You are also my soul mate, Sammy. I know that for sure. I feel it in the ache of my heart, in the urge to be by your side for eternity.”

“It does feel strong and maybe it is even unnatural the way this has happened, Luce. But I can promise you will never regret choosing me. I will be that man for you, the one who wipes your tears, kills your spiders, chases away the fears, fights the darkness and never ever leaves you.”

Okay, now I was kind of hearting Samuel as well. And I really didn’t even like the big douchewad.

Silence descended over the room again, maybe a few murmurs but I couldn’t make out any more words. They were going to be here forever, but I really wanted my necklace.

Turning, I walked back ten steps before moving forward again. But this time I was loud and whistling as I moved closer to the door. I knocked once before strolling right in.

They were snuggled on the couch; Lucy looked a little dazed as she smiled at me.

“Hey, Abbs, that was fast. What did Lalli want?”

I shook my head. “Nah, I was almost there when I realized I forgot my necklace. You know I hate being without it now.”

Lucy jumped up immediately. “Where did you leave it? On the couch after you showed me your un-freaking-believable Walker marks?”

I nodded once, a small smile of delight turning up the corners of my lips. I loved my marks too.

Lucy scrabbled around in the corner chaise before emerging triumphant. I had been studiously ignoring Samuel, but he caught my eye as I turned. There was something buried in his light-brown depths. And for once it didn’t seem to be animosity, maybe more curiosity.

I took the necklace from Lucy, and blew her a kiss before I left the room again to find Lallielle. My thoughts were troubled, worried about everything that had happened, but mostly that which was still to come.



Lallielle was in the entrance room. The white and burnt-orange couches had been pushed aside to make room for a massive table, which groaned under paper, material samples and other crap.

I slouched into the orange single-seater. Lallielle hadn’t even noticed my arrival. She was engrossed in a book of material samples.

“Alright, Lalli, hit me with these sash choices.”

She didn’t flinch; my arrival hadn’t been as unnoticeable as I’d thought. She couldn’t have picked up my thoughts. My shield was solid. Josian had worked with me until my head ached, but I was shielded.

While Lallielle was busy, my perturbed thoughts went back to yesterday’s training session. I had eventually asked Josian about his strange expression when he’d first met Lucy. Generally, I felt as if I could read him pretty well. Highly emotional, usually his feelings were out there for all. But the moment I asked, his expression shut down. He’d said she reminded him of someone, which was totally not the whole story. But that was all the information I could get before he kicked my butt back to training.

Shaking off my worries, I waited patiently. Eventually Lallielle finished what she was doing and spun around, book clutched in her hand. As she opened her mouth to speak, we were interrupted.

Crystaline, the head housekeeper, had appeared in the doorway. “You have a visitor, Madam.”

Without preamble, a woman stepped into the room.

Lallielle gasped, the book falling to the carpeted floor. I sat upright in my chair as I recognized her: the woman from Lallielle’s memory.

Her waist-length white hair was braided off her face, a few strands framing her pale skin and white eyes. Those eyes were creepy as creep and to complete the creepiness she was covered from head to foot in a white cloak.

“Francesca?” Lallielle moved closer, disbelief in her voice. “Where have you been?”

The woman reached out a hand, sorrow in her expression. “Lalli. I am so sorry. Sister – please forgive me.”

I attempted to pick my jaw up off the floor. This was my aunt. Why had no one ever mentioned that to me?

Lallielle clutched the outstretched hand. “Why did you leave then, Frannie? I needed you. Aribella needed you. I thought you were dead.” Her voice shook. “I never even told Aribella that you were her aunt. I believed it to be easier since she was never going to meet you.”

Lallielle and I were going to have words soon about this protecting me for my own good thing. It was annoying.

Pulling her arm free, Francesca crossed the room and sank into a chair. She looked exhausted.

“I’ve traveled non-stop for two days to reach you at this moment, Lalli. Just give me a chance to explain.”