MOM WAS STANDING in front of me, but I knew that was impossible.
Tori's curls and Lysander's eyes merged into one person, a long flowing dress covering her body. She looked almost... translucent, and I could see the wall behind her, through her. She looked at me, bewildered.
Footsteps came running down the stairs. If the screech of stone didn't wake up the rest of the house, then my scream did. Atticus was pulling himself up off the ground, and when I quickly glanced over at him, he was staring at the woman in disbelief.
"What the hell is going on?" Lysander asked, his voice raised. He took one look at the mysterious person, his jaw dropping. His mouth moved as he was going to say something, but no sound came out.
Sophia followed behind her husband. She looked like she wanted to say something too, but restrained herself. The room was quickly filled with people watching the stranger in shock, without being able to utter a word.
Lysander was able to find his voice before me. "You are not our mother. Our mother is dead."
"So am I, Sir Lysander, but I can assure you that I am not your mother." It wasn't much assurance. Both Lys and I probably would have been thrilled - confused, but thrilled to see our mother again. "I guess our genes have been prominent throughout history. I'm sure many have pointed out your sister over here resembles your mother almost exactly."
The figure turns back to me, and then her eyes fall to the ground, where I dropped the amulet and the crown. "I'd rather you be more careful with that, Vera. Our family has gone through a lot of trouble protecting that for you."
For me.
I bend over and pick up the jewelry. Our family. When I look back up, I face the figure. "Amelia Covington. You were the last ruler of Noatra before this all turned to shit."
She looked almost hurt as I described her as that. It probably wasn't easy knowing that you were the entire reason why a kingdom - or five - seized to exist.
If her ghost took the shape of how old she was when she died, then the queen died young. She couldn't have been too much older than me, maybe by a year or two. If you studied her long enough, you can see the scars from the attacks on the kingdom, the faint mark where they broke her arm before her death, and maybe underneath the dress, there were even scars from where her child was cut out of her.
"Correct, Vera. The kingdom fell while I carried it on my shoulders. But you are the one to regain that power. Six days, I assume?"
I gulped. "Why are you here? How are you here? Ghosts aren't real." Are they?
"I know you have your doubts, Vera, but I can't have you cower away from your fate. Your mother asked me to-"
"Our mother?" Lysander spoke, walking towards me until he was beside me. "Our mother could have come but she sent you instead?"
"The heavens have their own set of rules, Lysander. Your mother is waiting for both of you, and your sister in the afterlife, but not anytime soon. She can't see you face to face. I'm sorry." The ghost licked her pale lips. "But your mother, she asked me to tell you that she believes in you, and you will make an incredible ruler, Vera. But, she wanted to warn you... the dangers will not end once you're crowned queen."
She paused. I took the time to gather my thoughts. "Dangers... like... Ansen? What's he going to do. Will he find the last amulet?"
Queen Amelia Covington pursed her lips. "He already has."
✶
I CAN'T BREATHE as I change out of my pajamas and into a dark part of sweats. I can't breathe as I strap a blade to the inside of my leg. I can't breathe as I load the gun I hid in my room and attach to my side. I can't breathe, knowing I wasn't able to find the last amulet before Ansen.
I don't care that my hair is a mess, I put it put anyway. I try to rub the tiredness from my eyes again, looking more awake. Feeling more awake. I want to cry but I don't have the time. I have to find Ansen, unfortunately.
"You don't have to do this."
I jump slightly, knocking something off my dressing table. I don't want to pick it up at the morning. For some reason, I've been more jumpy. I turn around slowly, seeing the ghostly figure behind me. No wonder I didn't hear the door open. Amelia could walk through the walls.
"What do you mean, I don't have to? You told me I was still in danger." I looked down, fiddling with the gun. "I have to stop this. I'll find him. I'll get the amulets."
"Vera-"
"I don't even know why you're here. I don't think you're serving a real purpose. I would've been able to find out about Ansen sooner or later. Your message wasn't that much of a warning, because I know I'm in danger. I'm always in the middle of danger."
"You don't have to do this now."
"So I should just wait for Ansen to attack, is that what you're saying?" I ask her. "I should just wait until someone I care about gets hurt, or I'm a target for something. I should just wait until I'm possibly weaker than now."
"This is the weakest you'll ever be, Vera. If you just wait, you'll be stronger. You'll know your opponent better. You'll have two hundred years worth of magic at your fingertips-"
"But so will he. So will Ansen. He'll have power that he's not supposed to have. He'll go crazy with it. I have to stop him when he's at his weakest, Amelia. That's what they did for you."
I paused. The ghost's face fell. She definitely doesn't like being reminded of that, I wouldn't be either. But if that'll get her to leave, then whatever. I need her out of my life. How do you get rid of a ghost?
"Twenty years old, a widow, thirty-three weeks pregnant and sick while ruling a country... I guess that did put me in a point of weakness." The ghost took the news lightly, not showing anger or annoyance from my remarks. "But I'm telling you, Vera, this isn't a good idea. More than that, you need rest. You're draining yourself."
"I'm fine," I state. "I know what I'm doing. I'm not stupid. If you want to be a bit useful, maybe you want to tell me how Ansen found it. I don't think you've given me that information yet, and it could be useful. Maybe you can at least, I don't know, give me a clue to who is the next ruler of Sylvaine. You're wasting my time, Your Highness."
I could hear the ghost sigh, which was ironic, because I doubted she even needed air. "I can't give you that information either, Vera." She paused. "At least, you have to do me one thing."
Whatever I dropped began to float, and I realise now that it was actually the amulet that fell off my table. I probably should have picked that up, now that I think of it. It levitates until it was clasped around my neck, secured.
"For protection, Vera. I also need you to keep it safe. Probably won't be a good idea to leave it lying around somewhere, or anywhere out of your site. Ansen will still be after the other amulets. If he can get his hands on them, he'll take the opportunity."
She had a point. I twisted the chain of the necklace with my fingers, out of habit. I end up tucking it under my shirt, the actual jewel bulging through the piece of clothing, but at least it was secure.
"I guess, thank you for the information," I mumbled to the deceased royal. But when I turn around, the figure is already gone.
ATTICUS WANTED TO join me. I told him only if he could be as silent as the dead.
We maneuver through the village and into the edge of town. I didn't see anyone following us through the darkest alleys, the thin forest and the winding roads, but in this part of the kingdom, you never know.
I know the route like the back of my hand. Constantly going from the mainland to headquarters etched every tree, path, and rock into my mind. It was quite a walk, but you hardly notice when you're being chased to death.
"So no one found the hideout before?" Atticus asked in a low voice as we made our way to the ghost town. I wanted to see if Ansen was there, and if not, I'll probably take Queen Amelia's advice and wait. She had to be warning me for a reason.
I'm just too stubborn to believe that she's right.
"Once," I say, careful to make sure no one was around. Damien or one of Ansen's other men were usually on watch at this point. Whoever steps into the town that isn't supposed to would be killed. Usually I wouldn't worry. Now, I'm on that kill list. "I was younger, maybe twelve. The king sent some guards to inspect the outskirts of town and see if anyone was there."
"What happened?"
I tried to think. "All I remember was that they were killed. I don't remember how. Their bodies were disposed on the other side of the forest. They didn't find the killers, obviously."
"Damn."
"Yeah."
The old, run down town hall was where Ansen and his crew spent most of their time. It was spacious, big enough to put shooting ranges in the halls. The windows weren't completely broken, and was able to keep heat in the winter. And as a bonus, the town hall had a prison below ground, good for whoever betrayed Ansen. That place, unfortunately, ws where I spent most of my time in recent years.
"This town, Fox Grove, borders Alynthi, which is why it's empty. It went down with the kingdom. And people didn't want to live near the border," I explained, trying to find a hidden entrance. "The palace is on the other side of the territory, though. Closer to the ocean."
I find the cellar door, which led to the prison cells. "Do you want to go in or should we find a window to spy through?" I ask Atticus. "This goes down to the basement."
"Sure, let's go in. We're just going to look around, right? Do you think he's there?"
I shrugged. "It's the dead of night, it's a bit of a toss up. Sometimes he's here, sometimes he's out. I'm not too sure what his pattern was after I left."
I pull out a bobby pin and stick it into the keyhole. I did, once upon a time, have keys to every lock in this place, but I'm sure they changed them all. Plus, I didn't have to keys with me, they were confiscated when I was captured.
"Would it change that much now that you're gone?"
Yes, I wanted to say. But I didn't. "He's unpredictable. He had a system with me around. Now he's kind of a wild card."
I twisted the pin around, unlocking the padlock. Atticus helped to open the cellar doors. They creaked in response. I bit my tongue. I really had to hope no one was near this place. There was no reason to be down here, anyway.
"You have to be quiet, okay?" I tell Atticus. He nodded, letting me go in first. "Also, no flashlights."
"If I trip and fall and die, it's not my fault, Vera," he whispered. I rolled my eyes.
"I'll just leave you here, alone." No I wouldn't. I couldn't loose him again.
I carefully make my way down the stairs, Atticus steps behind me. Like I thought, the prison was empty. The cells were vacant. They were hardly ever used. No one messed with Ansen.
Except for me.
I walked to the end of the hall of cells, to the staircase that headed upstairs. These stairs creaked when you walked on them. I bit my lip. "Try stepping on the center of the step, and maybe walk on your tip toes. It'll help to be quieter. Don't fall, though."
I made my way up the stairs. There was no one in the staircase. They'd probably use the main staircase, anyway. Or more exciting ways down, like jumping out the windows. There was no need for too much security, no one is usually here anyway.
"Second floor?"
I nodded. "He's most likely up there, if he's here at all."
We made our way up. I pull my dagger out, just to be on the safe side. Still no sight of anyone. I hate to say this, but I'm suspicious. If they're not here, they probably some deep shit going on somewhere else.
And then I see it: a room with the door slightly ajar. A light was flickering - probably from candle light. There was never electricity here. I hear mumbling. I glance quickly at Atticus, reminding him to be quiet. I had a feeling Ansen was there.
I leaned against the wall beside the door, careful not to be seen by Ansen. Hopefully I wasn't in his - or whoever was on the other side of the doorway's - sightline. Atticus stood beside me.
"You should be sleeping, you know."
"I don't want to. Read me another story."
"No, love. Go to bed."
I look to Atticus, who raises an eyebrow. "Ansen?" he mouths. I nod. The times Atticus saw him, we was either ordering someone to do something, or taunting me in some way. There was care in his voice now, which most people probably didn't expect.
"Mommy neber force me to go to bed. She told me stories allllllll night."
"Did she now?" Ansen asked. From the sound of the kid's voice, they were a girl. I could hear the shift in their positions in the bed. "Well, it's practically been all night now. The sun will come up in a couple hours. I think you need some sleep, princess."
"No, daddy."
I glance at Atticus again, wanting to get his reaction. "He has a daughter?" I nod in response. I guess I never had the time to mention that to the others.
"Okay, fine." He wasn't too good at the parenting thing. Who would even let their kid stay up this late, unless they woke up recently from some nightmare, or something. "Do you want to tell me a story? What did your mother tell you?"
"She told me one day, we going to live in the castle," the little girl said. "You and me and mommy and we will be princesses."
"Do I get to be a princess too?" Ansen asked his daughter. The two of them giggled.
"Of course, daddy. And you get to wear the pretty necklaces and dresses and mommy can put makeup on you and you will be pretty."
The corners of my lips turn upwards. When I was little, this was the side of Ansen I saw often. The kindness, the caring, the laughs that made me feel better about my horrid state. And then everything faded away. His heart was replaced with ice. I was nothing more than a tool.
When the laughter died down, the girl spoke again. "When will mommy come back? She will come back, right?"
Now, this was a response I wanted to hear. Ansen took some time to think of an answer, because surely he won't tell the girl what actually happened, will he?
"No, she won't," Ansen told the girl. I could almost imagine the hopelessness on her face. "She's dead, love. She's never coming back. I don't think she wants to come back. I mean, you know what your mother said?" There was a pause. I guess the girl nodded or shook her head.
"Your mother didn't want you, Lilith. Your mother never cared about you. She told me that she wanted to leave you as soon as she could. She's not coming back."
Silence fell in the room. I could hear the little girl start to cry. I couldn't breathe. I didn't expect him to say that, especially to a little girl. To a two year old. To his daughter.
I leaned in, trying to get a better view of Ansen and the girl - Lilith. What I saw, instead, was three necklaces on the vanity - blue, green and gold. The amulets. It was true, he had three of them.
And what else - they began to glow. I looked down at the jewel around my neck, which was glowing to. Brightly, might I add.
Shit.
I can hear Ansen try to calm down the girl, but not in a gentle way. It was urgent. I could hear him get off the bed, probably heading towards the amulets, wondering why they're glowing.
I should have started running then.
"VERA!" I don't think he saw me standing behind the door, but he knew I was close. They always started glowing when I was near the amulets. It was always a dead give away when I'm around Ansen.
I grab Atticus' arm and run to the end of the hall. I don't have time to look backwards but I know he a;ready has a gun and is running after us. The door swung open and slammed shut. That was a good indicator.
"Where are we going?" Atticus asked between gasps of air.
"Just continue going straight."
The first bullet is fired, and it was inches away from my face. I squeal.
We had to get out of the building quickly. We couldn't let Ansen follow us back to-
BANG! A second bullet. BANG! A third.
There's a window up ahead. I'm pretty sure Atticus is looking at me like I'm crazy. "Vera, no. I swear to god."
I'm already heading towards it. It's already open.
BANG! A fourth. BANG! BANG! BANG!
"ATTICUS, JUMP!"