Page 119 of Forsaken Secrets

47

Kaiya

I'd thought the whole way home, debating how to break the news to Aunt Grace and explain the lashings. She'd be devastated … and rightfully so. Perhaps she'd already heard about the Seekers and had guessed …

Had Lynk been right? Was I making things worse for myself because I felt guilty?

That was ridiculous. Wasn't it?

Questions pounded at my mind, and I wished I could just crawl into bed and go to sleep. But a carriage stood parked in front of the house.

I grimaced at the sight of the vicar's crest. Gods. Dinner with him tonight, too? My stomach lurched at the idea.

I couldn't just leave Aunt Grace to him, though.

No. Taking a steadying breath and pushing away the headache, I stepped in the door and slipped off my cloak.

Hanging it beside the vicar's, I listened to the giddy laughter pouring out of the dining room. Gods, I didn't have the energy to deal with that man's damn tricks. Couldn't I get a break?!

Swallowing my discomfort, I rushed upstairs and changed. It wouldn't do to appear at dinner in bloody and dirty leathers. Slipping on a basic walking dress, I ran downstairs, pasted on a smile, and stepped through the double wooden doors.

The vicar sat uncomfortably close to Aunt Grace, who was leaning over and pulling at his cloak coquettishly.

No. Not again! What had he done to her?

I glared at him and cleared my throat, expecting them to pop apart, but Aunt Grace just looked up, eyes hazy, and motioned for me to take a seat. "Come dear, the vicar has heard of our reduced circumstances and brought us a delicious soup." Her words were slurred even more than normal!

He'd done something to her, and I was done pretending otherwise. All the anger and frustration from the day bubbled up inside of me and I leaned forward on the table to meet his eyes. "We'd like you to leave now, Sir Litsor."

He just smirked at me and ladled some soup into the bowl opposite him. "Oh, don't worry, dear. Your aunt has just had a few too many drinks of wine. She was rather worried after your little adventure today."

I glared at him, trying to spot a way to reach Aunt Grace. He had her cornered, though, and it wasn't like I could just stab him.

If I could just pinch her or something, I was sure she'd snap out of it and surely the two of us could work together to get him out of here …

"You know, I was so very sorry to hear about your little mishap at the jail today. Lady Ellingsworth stopped by to tell me about it and suggested I come by to check on you." He smiled, but his eyes flashed, and the worry in my gut intensified.

"Thank you, vicar. I appreciate your attentiveness, but my aunt and I have much to discuss, as I'm sure you can understand." That was the understatement of the century …

He smiled placidly and turned to watch my aunt take a sip of the soup. The smug smile on his lips sent a chill down my spine, and I reached forward to grab the spoon out of her hand and lifted it to my nose.

Sour poppy root!

My heart dropped, and I stepped back, my chair clattering to the floor behind me.

"Kaiya. I — I don't feel so well. Perhaps I'd better — " Her eyes rolled back, and she fell forward, face first on the table.

Sir Litsor stood and stepped between me and her.

"What have you done?" I shouted, pointing my finger at him, wishing I hadn't left that damn blade in the cave.

He just crossed his arms across his chest. "What needed to be done."

A commotion in the kitchen made me spin in time to see several men in deep blue cloaks pouring into the dining room. More of those people from the ruins?

Had Lady Ellingsworth gotten to everyone?

Why was she doing this? What was to be gained?

I reached for a fork on the table, desperate for some kind of weapon, but before I could use it, the vicar had pulled a small bottle out from his coat and sprayed it at me.

My head swam with the familiar scent, and my thoughts felt murky as I slumped back into the chair. Aerosolized poppy root?

How had he done that?

"Rone and Lermil were lost to the two at the cliff, but at least we were able to get her …" were the last words I heard before everything went dark.

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