Everything Is Eternal (Book Two)

VI

Kate appreciated the hopeful tone of her sister's letter, but still felt like crying. Still, despite the overwhelming desolation, no tears fell. She just traced Vanessa's curvy writing, wishing she could see her.

Wishing she could see her mother.

Kate knew Vanessa blamed herself, but was so grateful that her sister made it away that day. She would have just died if Vanessa was imprisoned. Vanessa went through hell to take care of her and Josiah after they lost their parents.

She almost smiled when she looked at Vanessa's attempts at discretion. Only a fool wouldn't crack her code. Still, she hid the note before Evelyn returned and wrote her next note to her family when the nurse was absent. She listened to Vanessa and wrote a firm note to her brother, warning him under no circumstances to join Umbra.

Kate couldn't lose another family member.

Vanessa's note did get her thinking. Though still enveloped in a dark haze, some of Kate's old curiosity began shining through that haze. The words from 'Mr. K' aka Jon Knight had really struck her, along with Vanessa's reminder that the Sacred State should have been able to identify Will.

What if there was another reason Will couldn't be found? What if it wasn't as simple as her fear that Will had been killed and dumped without the Sacred State ever realizing his identity?

Unfortunately, weakness and unnatural lethargy had her trapped. She would just have to await Vanessa's response.

Fortunately, Arthur returned promptly to retrieve her note. Kate had almost been looking forward to seeing him. She didn't know if she trusted him or if she even liked him, but he didn't treat her like dirt or a broken doll.

And he had a gift for her.

"You didn't!" Kate gasped as he dropped something in her hands. "Where would you even get this so quickly, Mr. Bell? I was under the impression you were the upright kind."

"I'm not the Sacred Incarnation," Arthur joked. "Anyway, it's not mine. It's Warren's. He said his 'beautiful sister-in-law was welcome to it'. I can't imagine your nurse will be that happy, so I would prefer if you didn't tell her who gave it to you."

"Funny, she's always fretting over my nerves... and this could be the one thing that could help."

It touched her that Arthur actually listened to her. No one in this house wanted to listen to her. She couldn't imagine what Arthur's uptight wife would think. The thought almost made her laugh when she smoked.

Almost.

At least she could almost let go of her tension. It almost brought her back to her youth. When she hadn't felt safe, but didn't feel so alone.

Kate knew the request she sent Vanessa could take some time, but the time went by far too slowly. Days blurred together and sometimes the only person she saw was Evelyn.

Despite Kate's suspicions, she slowly came to realize the nurse wasn't malicious and, if she was a spy, she wasn't very competent. She never tried to draw any information out of Kate and never seemed to search through her things. Her worst sin was a lack of imagination. She meticulously followed the orders of the doctor, never questioning anything. Which meant she insisted on bed rest for Kate, even when Kate started regaining her energy. She wouldn't even allow Kate to read for long, as the doctor thought that could exacerbate any damage by the Light.

That was the most ridiculous thing Kate had ever heard. Whatever damage had been inflicted by the light, she couldn't fathom how reading would make it worse. But Evelyn still had authority granted by Mr. Morris and it was almost impossible to gainsay her.