To Be Obscure

| CH. 31

My fingers dug into the dirt when I opened my eyes. The wood of the closet ceiling wasn't dark at all, but a shade of gray; a sky masked by storm clouds.

I groaned as I shifted up onto my elbows and looked around me. Water slapped against my shoe and dampened my breeches up to my knees. My waistcoat drifted off into the waves that beat the water's edge. I watched it in awe.

My memories, these dreams—this was where John died.

"He's awake, Madame." A man's voice made my head turn sharply left. There were rocks along the edge, sunken deep into the Earth and sand. Six men stood around like shadows, circling the woman who sat on top of the largest stone. Her red dress blew in the wind; dark hair covered her face.

Abigail.

"I see he is."

I stood quickly as she moved off her rock and met me, her face to my chin. She took in my smell as I observed her. I felt sick to my stomach, because I'd remembered what she'd done.

My mother was slaughtered and killed at her hand. All she'd asked me to do was turn Abby's eyes away from those of the Devil and up towards the Heavens, where we truly belonged. To rid her mind of this foolishness and wasteful desires; we were mere mortals, cursed by the sins of our lives. Killing hundreds of innocent people did nothing but dig our hole deeper into the inferno of Hell.

My mother had already lost my brother to Abby's lies. And I... it was I who spilled most of the blood. I'd only wished to do right by her.

"What is the meaning of this?" I heard my voice but could not feel my lips move. I felt detached from it all. Looking down at my fingers, I wondered if they were really mine.

"You've betrayed me, John, isn't that obvious?"

I looked down at the woman and met her dark gaze with one of my own. "You? It is I that is betrayed! Where is Henry?"

I turned in a circle, looking for my younger brother, but Henry was gone. He'd been the one to ask me to meet him down by the shoreline, and the second I met him, he—he hit me.

I touched the tender spot on the back of my head. My fingers were wet with blood.

"I asked you to help me with your mother. Instead, you run and tell Henry. My poor boy didn't need to know the truth, but luckily enough for me, he was more of a man than you are."

"You did this?" I stepped forward so hard my foot pressed deep into dirt. "You told him to do this?"

A laugh left Abigail as the men I once called Brothers' stood at her side. Their eyes glowed bright, in various shades, as they watched me. Three of the men held chains wrapped tightly around their knuckles.

"Actually, John, I did nothing of the sort. You see, this was all Henry's idea, and I couldn't have agreed more." She circled me, tracing her hand along my chest as I watched the men. My eyes burned with the same heat they gave me. "I spent my days favoring the wrong son because you're older, wiser—or, so I assumed—and yet, I lost so many years with the boy who loved me most. You see, John, I've learned you simply can't keep a secret. Who will you tell next? My dearest brother? I warned you already he couldn't know, and I fear if you live, he'll know too soon."

If I lived.

Those words alone sparked the rage that exploded from my arms as the men came at me from all angles. I ducked back as Abigail turned away back onto the rocks. Raising my hands, I blocked the blows from three of the men, but chains still whipped against my back. I wouldn't yell or show my pain—no. I'd fight until I couldn't.