The Memory Keeper

Chapter 22

Piper appeared in the threshold of the door followed by one mind weaver. She met Natalie's wild gaze and turned away. If she had not been watching her assistant carefully as she had, she would not have noticed the flicker of a scowl on her face. It did not occur to her until that moment that it was not entirely impossible Piper did not come here of her own will, to expose Natalie's secrets and clear her own name. She hated herself for admitting that witches were known to stab you in the back if it meant rescuing their own.

The young women faced Colette, who appeared much their own age, and waited, Natalie shivering with apprehension. Words she had once said to Piper, when she had insisted she stop seeing Mr. Sheinfeld, unraveled across her mind.

Natalie had laughed bitterly. "And how will she find out? Will you march over to Cape Colette and tell on me?"

"I am sorry to call on you so suddenly," Colette said, not meeting either of their faces, and Natalie felt her hands clamp into fists. "But I am sure you can imagine why you are here." Though she did not look at Natalie, it was clear she mostly spoke to her.

When her crystal eyes wandered toward the mind weaver, she felt the breath leave her. She was surprised to find that with it, words left, too.

"I know you know about my cabinets of memoirs."

There was a flash of surprise on Colette's face, but it was quickly swept away by a placid look. It was clear she did not expect Natalie to admit it before the question was lay before her.

She continued, rocking on her heels, hands at her back, "My assistant here had nothing to do with those cabinets, or any other rule I may have broken. I wanted to keep my clients' memories simply because I could not bare to part with them. Perhaps I should have asked if it was my choice to burn or keep them, but while my clients walked out the door with no recollection of the item they had given me, I knew the memory would live on somewhere, with someone perhaps, nonetheless, but my cabinets reassured me."

Colette smiled and lowered her lashes, her immortal beauty staring back up at her in the marble. "My dearest Natalie, you should have asked if it was your choice." Her robes whispered as she moved and took Natalie's hand. "Actually, I only prefer you have your assistant charm them before they are burned. And most, if not all, mind weavers do that. Nobody wants to burden themselves with memories that do not belong to them.

"And yet, that is not why I called on you. This discussion concerns the young man called Mr. Sheinfeld."

Natalie felt her knees tremble. She recalled the distant memory of Peter's mother telling her she had called on mind weavers from Cape Colette to aid him and erase Natalie for good.

"It has come to my attention that instead of weaving the young man's memories, you have been keeping them." She smiled at the shock on Natalie's face, and nearly sang the next few sentences. "I told you not to consider it, dearest. I told you it was your choice to listen to me. Your choice still to face the consequences if not."

"What are my consequences?"

"Mr. Sheinfeld has become your responsibility. You cannot put a memory back after it has been taken, but you can adjust their memories accordingly. In Mr. Sheinfeld's case, he wishes to forget a person altogether." Colette laced her hands over her abdomen. "I do not seek to impound your license, Natalie, or Piper's apprenticeship, but the two of you, no matter whose idea, have gone against our standards."

Piper stared unblinkingly at Colette, not meeting Natalie's desperate stare. She had never felt this scolded, not even by her parents. She only ever felt this way when her boss at the chocolate shop had told her to look for a different job, believing she did not take it seriously, though costumers loved her. She had always wondered if he had caught her sneaking a truffle when she thought she was alone.

"None of this is Piper's fault," Natalie said, out of turn. "She did not even know I was doing these things until it was too late." She looked at her assistant, who would not meet her eyes.

"As I've said, you have both failed me, despite whose idea it was." She waved a hand toward Piper. "Your assistant offered one piece of information that might help clear this up. Though I should not be one to pity such a matter in these circumstances, I have a weakness for love."

Natalie's neck prickled.

"Correct me if there is some sort of misunderstanding, but upon meeting and seeing Mr. Sheinfeld outside of the sessions, did you not besot under pressure to keep his memories, in the hope he will fall in love with you?"

The words were out in the open, and she felt as though they had exploded through the columns of the castle and out into the mountains for the rest of the world to hear. Suddenly these hidden feelings became as vibrant and bold as a heartbeat. She did not remember speaking, but must have, because Colette nodded and continued.

"In all of these revelations, I learned that you have made other bold moves in the past. One in particular no mind weaver should be able to withstand. Piper offered more information that helps your case, Natalie. With it, I was able to come to a decision quite easily, given the complicated story she relayed to me."

Piper continued to stare at Colette, but Natalie knew she was not seeing her. She was lost in her own world. The sky outside had bruised to purple, and stars hung like lanterns.

"You have three days to complete your sessions with Peter. Whatever happens after that, fate shall have it, so long as you keep Mr. Sheinfeld's memories from destroying the both of you. Of course, you will need your assistant, who is guilty of keeping your secrets, but also the truth." A shadow passed over her face. "Should you not succeed, Natalie, I shall have no choice but to revoke you of your license. Hope Mr. Sheinfeld does not become our responsibility, for if he does, be assured he will not remember you."

The blossoms whispered from their perch on the vines around the columns, the breeze lifting Colette's hair as though with invisible fingers. She smiled between the both of them as though the three had just finished a tea party, and gestured toward the door. One last look at the queen mind weaver, Natalie felt she was both as fierce and gentle as a storm cloud. Outside of the open-walled throne room, Natalie tried to speak with Piper, but they were separated by mind weavers. Still, over their shoulders, she called out to her friend.

"Piper, I'm sorry! I'm sorry I got us into all of this."

The mind weaver tried to put her arm out to keep Natalie at bay, but she peered around, trying to catch Piper's eye while being bustled down the corridor. The train would come not back to Cape Colette unless it was called on, and even then, it would only travel into the mountains during the day. They would have to stay the night in the castle.

Natalie was not entirely displeased with this. The chambers were as elaborate as they were comfortable, and if she was as lucky as her time here while being qualified, she would find complimentary peach wine in a basket of ice.

The window shutters of opalescent glass were held open, the hall flushed with outside air. In her own chambers, Natalie was left with her suitcase, her mother's letter still snug in her coat's pocket.

At least she was able to keep her license, should she finish with Peter's sessions in three day's time. Colette must have equal amount of faith as she does disappointment in Natalie. She only hoped she was worthy of such leniency.

Peter would not remember Natalie if he became Colette's responsibility. Did that mean he was free to keep his memories of her if she succeeded? How much she wanted days with Peter after all of this was over. How much...

She ran her hand over the coverlet of the bed, a cheek-reddening thought surfacing, when there was a knock on her door. She turned, hands at her back. Peter's face swiveled away as the door opened, and there stood Piper.