Page 104 of Antiletum
Worry pinched his face, reluctant to leave though they both knew it would eventually come to some version of this. He opened his mouth to argue.
“You said you’d do anything I asked of you. I need you to do this.” Delaney’s words were more hurried now.
If Tenna had found her, surely some of her father’s sentinels must have been nearby. Tenna may not have had the physical disposition to force Sebastian along with them, to go in front of Delaney’s father and answer for his knowledge in their shameful secret. But the sentinels certainly did. And she could imagine that the governess had left to go and collect them.
Sebastian’s time to escape was running concerningly short.
He bit his lip. Nodded. Kissed her quickly—one last time. Harder. Promised, “Iwillsee you again, Delaney. This isn’t the end,” and rapidly exited thespirlinarythrough the paneless window, his internal battle for violence and doing as Delaney asked apparent in his broad shoulders.
With Sebastian gone, Delaney lost herself to the cold, empty silence in the company of nothing but stained glass and statues, hyperventilation about to take hold. Before she could crumble, the door opened again. Tenna sighed in exasperation, seeing that Sebastian was gone.
Delaney rushed towards Tenna, letting all of her terror and desperation flow. “You don’t have to tell them,” Delaney said hurriedly, grabbing her governess’s hand. Tenna lurched away while three guards followed in behind her, searching the sanctuary for the boy who had already left. “They don’t have to know!”
“They don’t have to know?” she asked, incredulous. “They don’t have to knowthat you have jeopardized all they have worked towards for your sister?”
But of course. Everything was about her sister.
Delaney wasn’t permitted to simply be herself, lest it tarnish the image of her sister. One that Rainah didn’t even care to have.
Even as Delaney knew how things were soon to fall apart, she couldn’t make herself regret showing Sebastian the deepest, most intrinsic piece of herself. Not as she recalled the fascination, the awe, the adoration he exuded at her gift.
Tenna dragged Delaney by her arm to a carriage nearby. A barn owl hidden in a tree made an angry screech, the only witness of the scene to show a reaction. Citizens on the street continued to mill about, paying them no mind. In a short amount of time, they were at The Citadel. Delaney failed to take in the masterpiece of the domed buildings, connected by bridges and flying buttresses, too thoroughly wracked with worry and terror.
They only met a small group of people inside, making the trek to the guest wing. A man watched Delaney being led by in a wide foyer, brows pinching curiously. But he said nothing. And Delaneycouldn’t make herself care that anyone might be witnessing her walk to retribution.
Running off, spending the day with a poor boy and letting him kiss her was a crime that her parents would be furious over. But showing him her necromancy? Entirely unacceptable.
Delaney shook and sweat being led through back corridors of The Citadel. Well aware that her punishment would be far beyond something as simple as writing lines.
She’d be lucky to ever see the light of day again.
In an ornate sitting area deep within The Citadel, Tenna brought Delaney before her parents. Rainah present too, she wrung her hands as the governess drug Delaney into the room to meet her penance. Haunting shadows cast themselves across the floor and walls from a chandelier of copper and crystal, from gas lamp sconces in the shape of owls.
Her father turned to her, nothing short of loathing staining his stare as he gazed upon his daughter. Skirt torn and stained; hat gone to display her oily hair; slippers scuffed and dirty.
“Merry little jaunt, Delaney?” he asked with a sneer, taking in her appearance.
Delaney trembled under her father’s stare. Her mother stood at his side, equally displeased. The weight of her disappointment was heavy enough to negate the need for words.
Though impeccably dressed, the Thornridges held no station warranting their own colors or owl symbol. Something they hoped to change.
“Do you have any idea what we’ve had to deal with today?” Her father’s voice shook, an angry vein throbbing in his temple. “The lies we’ve had to tell when asked where our other daughter was? I knew it was a mistake to bring you here.”
It shouldn’t have stung, that their fury held no hint of worry for her safety, only for their appearances and nothing more. But it did. It always did.
“There’s something else,” Tenna said tentatively.
Delaney hiccupped a sob. “Tenna,” she begged.
But her father raised a hand, silently instructing her to hush. Tears tracked down her face, her chest convulsing with her stifled sobs.
“Tell me you didn’t,” he demanded, ominously low.
“It was a boy. A poor one from the look of it.” The governess’s information settled among them like an infection. No more elaboration was needed.
“You’re certain?” her mother asked.
The governess nodded. “I found them in aspirlinary. Kissing. After a bird flew out the window and dropped dead at my feet. The stink of her magic was still apparent when I walked in.”
