“So what do we do?”
I gripped her. “The triplets are ou
t there trying to steal Beryl’s coins. If they do, we might just have a shot at beating him. He’ll spend his life in jail. All we have to do is wait for the moment…a sign.”
Lottie’s eyes grew. “And if they don’t?”
What you want to do is impossible. It’s only been done in myths and legends.
“I’m Grayson Crowne,” I gritted. “I was born to do the legendary.”
STORY
I pretended to be Lottie for the last and final time. We knew a simple outfit wouldn’t be enough to convince either Lottie’s mother or Beryl, but it had been enough to get me inside Crowne Hall, to get her to Grayson, and to create a diversion.
Now, as I made my way to the servants’ quarters, I just hoped Lottie had found Grayson. Nearly a month I hadn’t seen Grayson. I hoped Lottie got him my message. I hoped he was okay.
I made my way to the one room where I knew most of the servants would be, where time stood still in Crowne Hall. It was just like a year ago, when I’d first come down looking for information to free myself from Grayson. They played cards, did shots beneath the gothic chandelier, as bells rung signaling who was to be called next.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
A servant paused when they saw me, carrying a tray of white swan-shaped truffles. “Miss du Lac? Is there something we can help you with?”
“Yes, actually.”
He blinked. “Story?”
Everyone froze, beer pong balls skittering into the corners.
“We heard you died,” someone said.
What? They thought I died?
My heart skittered to a halt as I imagined what that meant for Grayson. The pain. Yet…I had to swallow it again, because we only had a small window of time to do this.
I lifted the mask off my face, so they could look me in the eyes. “Sorry to disappoint.”
“That’s not— Is it really you?”
A girl with red hair shoved their friend. “I told you that Instagram post was real.”
Murmurs started up, a soft wave of sound rolling through the small room.
“Why are you back?”
Because I still have hope that we can be a family again.
“I was told I had a following. I was also told there are quite a few of you who don’t like me.”
I could see it now, a few of their eyes shifting to the ground.
“I’m taking a really big leap here, because I don’t know who I can trust, but my back is pressed to the wall and I need you.”
So, I’d do what I did best.
I’ll bleed.
“I never really had a home until Crowne Hall,” I said softly. “I know I’m not alone. We’re treated like garbage, but we’re family. At least, I thought we were. Then when I needed you the most, you abandoned me. I’ve been in hell for months and no one asked me what was going on. Before this, I’d cried with you. I’d baked birthday cakes for you. You’d taught me how to drive. I know my uncle was like a father to some of you, and when he died you locked me away so I couldn’t be at his memorial.”