Chapter 4
Grant cracked first.
Not from pain.
From fear that Lucia would leave him carrying everything.
“It wasn’t supposed to be three days,” he said.
Lucia turned toward him.
He ignored her.
“She was supposed to stay inside one night. Camilla would take her to Hawthorne in the morning.”
Camilla snapped, “You locked it again.”
“Because she kept trying to leave.”
Sophia.
Three years old.
Trying to escape adults who kept telling her nobody was coming.
I forced myself to stay still.
“Then why three days?”
Grant looked at Lucia.
There it was.
My aunt answered without shame.
“Because you kept calling.”
I stared at her.
Each time my name appeared on Sophia’s phone, Lucia extended the lesson.
Each call proved I was still trying to reach her.
That made their lie harder to sell.
So they needed more time.
“What was supposed to happen at Hawthorne?”
Lucia leaned back.
“You would be invited.”
“After my daughter disappeared.”
“After you finally understood that command has limits.”
I almost smiled.
“You were going to negotiate with Sophia in the house.”
“Don’t make it sound vulgar.”
That word nearly made Marco laugh.
Lucia continued.
No one would hurt Sophia at Hawthorne. She would have food, a room, toys, whatever she needed. She simply would not see me until I agreed to meet with the old captains and restore a permanent Inner Table.
“Hostage,” I said.
“Family leverage.”
Marco’s face changed.
I looked at him.
“You hear the difference?”
“No.”
Neither did I.
Camilla finally raised her voice.
“She was never going to be hurt.”
I turned toward her.
“She thought I stopped needing her.”
Camilla flinched.
“That wasn’t my idea.”
“But you watched.”
Silence.
“You packed her clothes.”
Silence.
“You sent the message.”
Her eyes filled.
Still not enough.
Grant rubbed blood from his lip and muttered, “Camilla wanted you to feel it too.”
I turned.
She went pale.
“Feel what?”
Grant looked directly at her.
“What it’s like when somebody you love stops answering.”
Camilla closed her eyes.
May you like
And suddenly this was not only Lucia’s coup.
My estranged wife had brought our broken marriage into our daughter’s cage.
