She made her way to her father’s library, finding nothing different. The room was still in decent shape, with only a few holes in the ranks of books to show that something had been taken. She made her way to the desk, her hand trailing over the volumes.
Celia supposed that this would be her room now, her library. And while she didn’t have the same love of books and reading that he did, she could feel her father’s presence here. It was comforting, yet sad, all at the same time.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” she whispered. “I’ll try to make you proud of me.”
There was the sound of more laughter from outside, suddenly cut off. Then a voice rang out in the entry hall.
“Celia? Celia, are you here?”
It was a male voice and didn’t have the same undertone of suspicion, greed, or menace that she’d become used to in Dunfield. At first, she thought it was Solomon, and her relief that he was here was quickly subsumed by anger that he dared to come.
Did he think she couldn’t take care of herself? That she needed him to rescue her?
She was halfway to the door before she realized that she didn’t actually know that voice. Whoever was calling her, it wasn’t Solomon.
It turned out to be a man that she didn’t know, with a large bruise along the right side of his jaw.
“Who are you?” she asked, exiting the library and shutting the door behind her. She wished she had the key to lock it securely.
“Celia? Thank the gods, I found you. Come on, we need to get out of here.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she replied. “Especially with someone I don’t know.”
“My name is Darius. I’ve been sent to get you by Solomon, and Willow, and … well, a bunch of others.”
“Tell Solomon that I’m busy here, putting my House back in order. If I need his assistance, I’ll let him know.”
“My lady, please.” The man glanced over his shoulder at the door leading to the outside. “I’m not sure how long I can hold that many.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Those men on the steps. They attacked me, so I stopped them, but there are others around. If I have to do more, they may get free. Please, can we go?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Celia said. “Stopped them? How?”
“Magic. Look, I’m from Subtle Hemlock. You probably don’t know us, but that’s what we do, magic. Only, now things have gone bad. Solomon and the others are discussing what to do right now. We need to get back, and more importantly, we can’t stay here. It’s not safe.”
“Then leave,” she said. “I don’t recall asking for you to come here.”
Darius took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He seemed to be counting under his breath, until he reopened them.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you. The dangerous people here are only one problem. If you’re here when it starts getting dark, there are other … things. I don’t know what they are. Solomon called them hunters.”
“Hunters are here? In this House?”
The rage that lately felt like it was always simmering just below the surface of her thoughts threatened to boil over. Hunters in Whispering Pines? That could not be allowed to stand!
“Yes, my lady.” Darius sounded relieved that she knew what they were. “They are horrible. Can we go now—”
“I know what they are. I’ve killed them. Return to Towering Oaks and Solomon if you want. Or wherever you wish. I don’t care. As long as you’re gone from here.”
“Please, we really need to—”
“I said, go!”
Darius glared at her. Then, he lifted his hands, palms toward her.
“If that’s what you want,” he began, his fingers bending in a weird pattern. “Then, I’m afraid I have no choice. I’m sorry.”
A heavy feeling came over Celia. It wasn’t so much that she was going to sleep as it was that she felt drained. Her willpower was gone and with it the rage.
“This way, please.” Darius was at her side, his hand gently on her arm, steering her toward the door.
How dare he? For a second her anger rose, and she started to shake off his hand. He made a gesture and the anger faded. She walked docilely next to him.
They walked down the steps, past the two men, frozen in the act of rising to their feet, hands moving toward weapons. Celia thought she could see their eyes move toward them, but it didn’t seem important.
“A little faster, now,” Darius said.
Somewhere inside, Celia was fuming. There was a part of her that knew she was no longer in control of herself.
And there was more. There was something else. A voice that felt like it was coming from somewhere else. From inside her anger.
“Let it go for now,” the voice seemed to be saying. “Go along. Find out the plans. Then, you’ll be free and you can have your revenge on this man.”
She liked the sound of that. She wasn’t sure if her smile actually appeared on her face.
“Doing great,” Darius said, sounding relieved.
Chapter 76
Thaddeus’s blood ran cold when he heard Solomon say that they needed to go get Celia. Yes, he knew she was back, but when she wasn’t at the meeting, he thought that maybe he had an opportunity to get in and out before she’d know he was there.
His days as a member of House Whispering Pines were behind him, that much was now obvious. Even if over the last several days he did discover that he still cared about it. And even if Jocasta were to leave, Celia was back, and her claim to the House was stronger than his.
Besides, Florian would have wanted
