Page 72 of Legacy of Roses

Rosalie frowned. The Legacy had helped them in their moment of need, but dragging a man into a pantry and locking him in seemed beyond its capabilities.

“So they’re all secured,” she said slowly, unable to think how else the man could have gotten there. “But what next? Should I go into Thebarton to report them? I can say that a group of men broke into the manor, attacked us, and attempted to rob you. I’m sure the guards will agree to come back with me and arrest them.”

“No,” Dimitri said quickly and firmly. “Jace and one of his men escaped. They could be waiting for you on the road.” Herubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll have to go. But you should lock yourself in your room while I’m gone.”

“You’ll go?” Rosalie looked at him doubtfully.

Turning into a Beast didn’t mean you’d done anything wrong, so it should evoke pity in the townsfolk, not suspicion. But they would be shocked. And they might blame him for bringing so much Legacy power to their town.

“I’m sure they’ll be surprised to see me like this,” Dimitri said, “but don’t forget the fireworks. I’m sure many of them have guessed something is going on out here.” He hesitated. “I’ll return as quickly as I can, and I’ll check all the outside doors are locked before I go. But please do consider locking yourself in your room.” He looked at her pleadingly, and she capitulated.

“Fine,” she said. “If you insist. I suppose I can wait in my room as easily as anywhere else.”

She didn’t want to admit how unnerved she was at the prospect of being left alone in a building full of captive men. But neither did she like the idea of abandoning it entirely and going with Dimitri. Who knew what might happen in their absence?

She waved him off from the front door before climbing the stairs to her room. Her ears strained for any untoward sound, but the manor remained silent. Whatever protests or struggles the captives were making, they didn’t reach her on the main stairs.

“The rose chairs are really going to surprise the guards,” she muttered to herself, her chuckle echoing down the corridor.

She slipped inside her room and tried to pull the door closed behind her. It caught, but with several more tugs, she got it closed. Once she had locked it, she collapsed onto her bed with a sigh.

Would Jace attack Dimitri as he walked into town? Would the townsfolk attack him before they realized who he was? Nowthat he was gone, she wished she’d gone with him after all. He might need her protection.

“Don’t worry so much. Dimitri is going to be fine,” Daphne’s voice said into the silence.

Rosalie started so violently she nearly fell off the bed. Peering around, she tried to see where Daphne’s voice was coming from, but she could see no one.

“Daph?” she called cautiously, hoping the day’s events hadn’t caused her to start hearing things. “Where are you?”

“Right here,” Daphne said, sounding as if she really was standing in the middle of the room. “I’m just invisible.”

“You’re what?” Rosalie leaped to her feet.

“Invisible,” Daphne repeated calmly. “You can’t possibly think the Legacy dragged a man into the pantry and locked him in, can you?”

Rosalie’s mouth fell open. “That was you? But what…why…what were you doing there?”

“I’ve been here the whole time.”

“The whole time?” Rosalie stared around the room, still half-wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her.

“Who do you think has been serving your meals and lighting your fires?” Daphne asked.

“I thought the Legacy…” Rosalie’s voice trailed off as she finally absorbed the enormity of what Daphne was saying. “Have you really been here ever since I arrived?”

“Well, a few hours after. I had to take the coins to the triplets and make sure they paid their debt.”

Rosalie swallowed hard, her cheeks warming as she thought of some of her interactions with Dimitri. How many times had they had an invisible audience?

“Don’t worry,” Daphne said. “I haven’t been trailing you everywhere. I’ve been taking a lot of naps.”

“Naps?” Rosalie said faintly. She picked up the cold cup of tea still sitting half-drunk on her breakfast tray and took a swig, trying to calm herself.

“I can’t say the same for your brothers, though,” Daphne said thoughtfully.

Rosalie choked on her mouthful and succumbed to a violent fit of coughing. “Thetriplets?! Please tell me my brothers haven’t been lurking around the castle invisible!”

“Who do you think cooked those vegetables the first day?” Rosalie could almost hear Daphne’s nose wrinkling. “Oscar assured me they knew how to cook without assistance, but…”

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