Page 42 of The Gilded Survivor

The answer was for the tall one to wait outside. Once the door was shut, the dimple-chinned one turned toward the door. At least he couldn’t see me.

It was clear that he wasn’t going anywhere until I was finished dressing.

I walked to the wardrobe, and opened up one of the crooked doors. I reached in, pulling out a chunky knit sweater. I glanced over my shoulder, and found the man still standing there like a marble statue, staring at the door.

I let out a short breath, and carefully slipped my arms out of the top of my flimsy dress. I had to peel away the fabric from my ribs, but I quickly replaced the clothing with my sweater. Once I was covered, I reached for some thick pants.

“We really need to be going,” the deep voice rumbled.

I jumped. “I’m almost finished,” I snapped, pulling on a coat over my sweater. I reached for those beautiful, fur-lined boots and a pair of thick wool socks. With fresh clothes on, I felt like a new person even though my hair was still unruly. I glanced at my bed, and a trickle of icy sweat slid down my back.

“Don’t worry about packing anything, you just need enough clothes to get to Señor Castillas’ estate.”

I was in the middle of pulling on one of the socks when I heard a commotion in the hallway. There was a series of bangs, followed by yelling.

“Let me see her!” Magda demanded from the hallway, and my chest squeezed.

The low, boulder-firm voice of the tall man waiting outside boomed with a response. “Absolutely not.”

Magda growled in a way that was distinctly her—a high-pitched sound that lacked depth. I almost laughed.

“I’m done,” I said quickly, my boots still loose on my feet as I bounded to the door. The large mass of man blocked my way completely.

The dimple chinned man stared at me with narrowed eyes, and I clenched my jaw. “If I leave before saying goodbye, then she will fight you tooth and nail. Let’s keep this easy, all right?”

The guard studied my face, and then opened the door. If I didn’t feel so much like crying, I would’ve laughed. Magda was facing down that tall guard with a defiant expression. She was so brave, so loyal.

I loved her so much.

My heart couldn’t contain the emotion that multiplied inside of me. It spilled over the edges, coated my heart strings and crammed itself into my heart. She was my first and closest friend. My sister. My family.

Unfortunately for me, the guard was genuinely starting to look angry.

I couldn’t let this continue a second longer.

“Magda,” I said softly. My voice sounded so strained, but she looked at me immediately. And then she crashed into me. Her arms were around my shoulders, squeezing all of the air out of my lungs.

“You can’t leave,” she said. Her voice was wobbly.

I reached up, and hugged her back. “I have to.”

She shook her head, and then her chest heaved. “Take me with you.”

I glanced up at the two men, but the shorter one, the one who had been gentler and kinder, shook his head.

Where I was going, she couldn’t follow. I squeezed my friend once more.

“Magda, I love you. Please, take care of Fernando for me. Have fun, my friend. I will miss you.” I said the words as quickly as possible. She didn’t nod, or acknowledge that she had heard me. Quickly, my face buried into her silky hair and I whispered something for just the two of us.

“Señorita, it’s time to leave. You seem appropriately dressed, so we are going.”

I pried myself away from my friend, grateful that none of the others had tried to open their doors. I looked at the beautiful, tear-stained cheeks of my sister. I felt her hand slide away from my back, and a weight settled into the pocket on my coat. I nodded.

“Nos vemos pronto,” I whispered. I would see her soon.

She didn’t say anything, only watched me with large, damp eyes.

We descended the stairs, and left Maestra Cecelia’s Theater without so much as a goodbye from another soul. I didn’t even see Fernando again.

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