Sisters of String and Glass, Part 148

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I remember those days so clearly. One night I had been staying up, listening to my sister recount her adventures. I’d gone to sleep with promises of more tales. But, the next night, the glass lay cold on my chest, no voice issuing forth no matter how much or how long I called to her. Eventually, my husband urged me to bed, and I fell into a fitful sleep, determined to go the next morning to fetch a new piece of sea glass.

Camille stalked around Madeline’s rooms. Dawn had come and gone, and her stomach was rumbling. Her body told her it was time for the morning meal, but Muriel had yet to make an appearance.

The letter opener was still stashed in her dress, ready for quick retrieval. She was determined to not sign those papers, determined to die before passing the title to that woman.

She’d spent half the night banging on the walls and door, but Muriel must have cleared the staff from the hall. The formal receiving rooms were below Madeline’s, and there were no visitors to receive formally, so stomping would do her no good. She’d tried hitting the windows with the letter opener, but Kyanan was simply too good at what she did.

Camille growled low in her throat, exhaustion from lack of sleep and fury warring within her. She had decided: Muriel would pay when she next stepped in the room.

She’d lost count of how many times she’d tried to call for her sister through the glass, but she wasn’t ready to give up. It was morning, surely Abigail would be awake. Of course, she had no idea how Abigail would take the news of their father’s death, but she simply couldn’t stop trying.

She narrowed her eyes at the door, but, hard as she strained, she could hear no sounds, no footsteps, no rustle of skirts. Her mouth set in a grim line, Camille raised the glass to her lips and called out her sister’s name.

“C-Camille?”

Camille breathed out a sigh of relief at her sister’s answer, though worry crossed her mind as it sounded like her sister’s teeth were chattering.

“Abigail! Thank goodness! I’ve been trying since yesterday to contact you.”

“Camille, Father-”

“Is dead,” Camille finished softly. “I know. I thought you must be mourning, but, still, I had to know from you. Muriel-”

“It’s Madeline,” Abigail quickly cut in, though her voice sounded strained.

Camille’s spine straightened. “It’s both of them, Gail. They’re sisters. Muriel has been in the linked world for years, but came back when Madeline asked her to kill their parents, marry Father, and conspire to place Madeline on the throne or as near to it as they could.”

A strangled sob escaped her sister’s throat, one that made her heart jump.

“I know,” Abigail whispered. “Ephraim. You asked about him.”

“Yes,” Camille said slowly, her eyes straying back to the door.

“He was working with Madeline. Camille, I’ve been trapped in a tower!”

Camille’s hand tightened around the glass as fury pounded through her veins. So that was what they wanted with the fae tower!

“Don’t worry,” she said in a rush. “I know where you are.”

“Is this…is this the…”

“The tower? Yes. You’re close by. As soon as I escape, I’m coming for you.”

“You said it’s a fae tower.” Abigail’s voice sounded weak and faded, and panic edged along the fury running through her.

“I’ll get Adrian and Kyanan,” Camille said, resolute.

There was a pause on Abigail’s end, then she asked, “What do you mean by escape?”

Camille clenched her teeth. “Those women locked me in Madeline’s rooms.”

She heard her sister gasp, but she also heard footsteps outside the door.

“I have a plan,” Camille whispered. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Hurry,” Abigail said, her voice so faint Camille could barely hear her. “They didn’t leave me with much food and water, and it’s freezing here. I think they mean for me to die here.”

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