[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 6: The First Step

After an hour or so, it was time to head home. I was ready to rejoin the gang. We had a job to do. It wasn't something we'd complete in a single night, but we could take the first step. The first step changed everything.

I let myself in with my house key. I expected to find the front room empty or that only a few of the others would be there. That was far from what I found waiting for me.

Mama was in a flowing blue dress, white slippers, and she had her hair down.

Was she waiting for me?

"Come into the room with me." She rose and gazed up into my eyes. She was pleading with me to follow her.

My feet betrayed me. They disregarded my feelings. I was following her before I could really even make up my mind as to what I wanted to do.

She let me in and shut the door behind her. She seemingly hadn't been locking it as Dad wasn't here.

There were different snack foods scattered on the desk. There was a photo stuck to her board. The curtains were open a crack. Otherwise, there wasn't much light streaming in.

She sat in her office chair, so I took Dad's.

"I'm sorry." She gazed into my eyes when she said this. "I should've told you when you came out of that episode."

"It's not your fault, Mama." My voice shook. "I probably wouldn't have been able to handle it if you told me when I first came out it."

"I still should've told you sooner. Before you had the chance to figure it out on your own." She pulled the picture off her board. "I dunno if you remember what she looks like. It's been a long time since you got to see her."

"Vanny..."

It was a picture of us. I was in Mama's arms. Vanny was in another girl's arms. This girl was much older than us. She must've been in high school or college. She had dark hair and azure eyes. One could've been gazing at the sky looking at them. She reminded me of someone, but I wasn't sure who. Audrey stood between us with her arms crossed. She looked crabby.

"Who was the girl who was holding her in this picture?"

"That was her older sister Chastity. She was sixteen when this was taken, I believe."

I gazed intently at the sisters' faces. "What were they like?"

"Chastity was taken in by her parents a couple years before Savannah was born. She struggled in that first year, but she was grateful to have a home and family. She studied hard in school. It didn't matter that she and Savannah didn't share blood. Chastity adored her baby sister beyond measure."

Wow... Chastity sounded like an incredible big sis. She sounded a lot like T.

"Savannah was more confident and out-spoken. That was probably what drew you to her since you were kind of the opposite when you met. She loved fun and you were always willing to tag along with her. She wasn't afraid of ticking people off either if she thought they were being mean."

Wow. Vanny really did have guts. It felt like I'd gotten a glimpse of that somehow.

"She came back because she wanted to see me again?"

"She did. She also wanted to move in with Chastity and finish her senior year here. She didn't like the school she was at before."

So, Vanny really did want to see me again...

Mama rolled closer to me and wrapped her arms around me. "It isn't your fault that she disappeared. It was unfortunate timing. It's sad, but it didn't happen because of you."

"You don't know that." I had tears in my eyes.

The Locks called me the Key Keeper of Takiran. They wanted to separate me from my siblings. They wanted them to stay sealed away. They wanted to use them against me.

"What happened to your siblings wasn't your fault, either. Didn't you tell me they were the prince and crown princess? Things like that are a downside to being in that position. Cece was their choice. You know that wasn't your fault."

But maybe I could've done something. If nothing else, I could've gotten them out of the palace. It would've saved Kaze a lot of heartache if I had.

"You were five. It would've been hard for you to help at all. I bet it was a relief to Leon to know you had already gone home when it happened."

I was crying now. "Why am I so helpless?"

"You're not. Look at what you've done. You freed your siblings, you helped Leon raise them. Leon allowed you to act as your sister's voice when she was too young to grasp everything. I don't know any other nineteen-year-olds who could actually say that."

Monarchies didn't exist in this country.

"Sometimes I just wanna know why."

"What's Kayleigh plan? Who knows? Sometimes you just have to trust Her. That's not always an easy thing. I know."

"Heartache just seems senseless."

She stroked my hair. "It can, but it can be a powerful teacher if you let it."

"Why does it hurt so much?"

"I wish I knew, Lany. Feelings can really be confusing little buggers." Her voice was soft. "I'm here if you need to me. I'm sure Recah and your sister wanna be there for you too."

I continued to cry into her dress. I hadn't done that in a long time. Not since I had my accident in junior high probably.

She was humming into my ear.

In that moment, everything was alright. I just wanted to stay in her arms forever. Heck, if the others weren't here too, I probably would've asked if I could spend the night in her room.

I felt bad. Chastity and Vanny looked like Noelle and her friend in that picture. Vanny wanted to move back and stay with her. They must've been incredibly close.

***

Thoughts on Ain and his mama? The sisters? Theories? Predictions?

~Shino out!