Page 109 of Summer of Sacrifice

“Stop meddling in things you know nothing about. Your father is not going to recover. You are to be Earl of Bellvary, and you will do your duty to this family.” Before he could open his mouth to respond, she turned to Seleste. “You. Madame Riley has packed your belongings. They are in a carriage out front.”

“You can’t do this!” Cal launched forward and pulled Seleste up by the hand, nearly hitting Litha, invisible to his eyes.

“I can and I will,” the countess said through gritted teeth. “She has caused enough damage.” She turned to Seleste. “You have one moment to say your goodbyes. I expect to see you off in your carriage before the next bell.”

“The girls,” Seleste stammered as Lady Della turned. “Could I at least say goodbye to the young ladies?”

“No,” the countess spat over her shoulder. “You may not speak to my daughters again.”

As soon as her presence left the garden, Cal took Seleste by the shoulders. “We’ll take the carriage together, I’ll hide?—”

“No.” She barely got the word out. Still, he looked as if she’d slapped him.

“You can’t mean that.”

“Cal, I love you with everything that I am. But your mother is right. I cannot be your wife. I never could be.”

“We’ll change that,” he pleaded. “You and I. We will change this continent, this realm. We will stop the classism and discrimination.”

“How? Without a seat of power? If you’re not Earl of Bellvary?”

“I–I don’t know. Maybe I do take my father’s place, in time. It’s my right by blood. My mother can’t take that away, even if I run away with you now.”

“No one will listen to you if you’ve dishonoured your family. My darling, we will always have this Summer. Our memories.” She lifted a hand to his cheek, knowing in her bones it would be for the last time like this. Tears welled in her eyes, and she could barely speak beyond the lump in her throat. “Goodbye, Cal.”

He didn’t chase after her. They both knew it would be futile and only prolong the inevitable. Prolong the pain.

When she reached the perimeter of Whitehall, prepared to turn the corner toward the carriage that awaited her, Seleste looked back one final time.

Cal sat on the bench in the garden, his face buried in his hands.

Chapter

Nineteen

SORSCHA

“Seleste! Winnie!” Sorscha screeched over her shoulder as she clasped the necklace Asa had given her around her neck. “We have to go!

“Hold your damned horses!” Laurent shouted from the other room.

Gaius chuckled from his place in a lounge chair behind Sorscha, Arielle perched on his lap.

“If you don’t all come on, I’m going to start pinching you!” Tindle’s voice joined the fray.

Anne’s giggles joined Gaius and Arielle’s from her stool at the vanity, fluffing her already perfect brown hair. “I’ve never been to a fair,” she mused.

“It should be quite an event,” Sorscha said before raising her voice to finish, “if these arsehats ever get out the door!”

The door between the two rooms slammed shut, most likely Winnie’s doing. She, Seleste, and Laurent had been shoved in their rooms for the better part of two days, watching Chresedia’s movements in the scrying bowl and studying their damned star map.

“What are we going to do if they’re right?” Anne spun on her stool to look at Sorscha. “If Chresedia isn’t headed for Eridon, but somewhere else?”

“At this point,” Gaius said, “it’s becoming obvious that’s the case.”

“We’ll have Asa and the rebellion factions change course,” Sorscha said simply. As long as they had enough time…

The door flung open again, Seleste’s face as triumphant as it was distraught. “Helsvar. She’s headed for Helsvar.”

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