Page 21 of Kingdom of Locks

With the key safely in her hand, Aurelia allowed her anger to show. “Don’t talk about her like that. And I can’t lower you without her help.”

“Yes you can,” said Cyfrin impatiently, ignoring her rebuke. “You don’t need her.” He met her gaze, and she had the unsettling impression that he was trying to communicate silently with her, although she had no idea what. “Wedon’t need her.”

Before Aurelia could decide how best to respond, Cyfrin had stooped down and seized the end of her hair. He didn’t pause to admire it, thankfully, just threaded it expertly through the metal hook above his head. Tugging it much less gently than Mama Gail did, he pulled it through until he could lower himself down.

Left with little option, Aurelia braced herself against the wall as usual, holding the tension with her arms and hoping it would be enough. Again she wondered what would happen if she let him fall on purpose. Even if she’d been bold enough, she wasn’t confident the fall would kill him. And he’d be so enraged by the attempt, she didn’t want to think about how he’d react. Not to mention they wouldn’t be able to survive without the supplies he brought them each day. They didn’t know enough about magic to understand whether the enchantment keeping them in the tower would lift simply because Cyfrin died.

She was therefore feeling anxious as Cyfrin stepped out from the window, trusting his whole weight to her hair as he shuffled his feet down the outside of the tower. But somewhat to Aurelia’s surprise, she found that with the help of the metal ring, she was able to lower Cyfrin by herself.

The lightness she felt when his weight finally shifted onto the ground went beyond the fact that her hair was no longer weighed down by him. It even went beyond the usual relief she felt at his departure. For the first time in her life, she’d faced something without Mama Gail by her side, and she hadn’t been a complete failure.

The thought of her mother reminded her of the other woman’s predicament, and she yanked her hair back through the ring with painful haste. Hurrying across the room, she fitted the key into the lock with fumbling fingers. The moment she turned it, the door flew violently open, and Aurelia only just jumped out of the way in time.

“Aurelia!” Mama Gail gasped, the moment she grasped that they were alone. “Where is he?”

“He’s gone,” said Aurelia simply. “Are you all right?”

“AmIall right?” Mama Gail repeated, sounding more distressed than Aurelia had ever heard her. She stepped close to Aurelia, running her hands down either side of the younger woman’s face, searching her for signs of Aurelia hardly knew what. “What did he do to you?”

“Nothing,” Aurelia shrugged. “He just…talked to me.”

“And what did he say?” Her mother’s eyes were keen, that unnerving air of fear back around her.

“Nothing much,” Aurelia admitted. “Certainly nothing to justify all the fuss.” She peered at her mother anxiously. “Are you sure you’re all right? I’m sorry he locked you in the room like that.” Her face darkened. “I can’t believe he had a key all this time. As if we’re not locked up enough as it is.”

“Never mind me,” said Mama Gail impatiently. “Aurelia, what did he say? What did he do?”

“I told you, nothing,” Aurelia insisted. “Honestly, it was kind of nice. I mean,” she hastened to add, “not him forcing you into the room like that.”

The fear was palpable on her mother’s face now, and it sobered Aurelia more than any other of the night’s bizarre events.

“Aurelia,” said Mama Gail, taking her hands and pressing them almost painfully. “No matter how nice he tried to make himself appear, you mustn’t forget all he’s done. You mustn’t forget what he is.”

Aurelia laughed incredulously. “Hewasn’t nice, Mama Gail. He’s a snake—what could possibly make him appear nice? I meant it was…strangely satisfying. He was his usual obnoxious self, and I actually stood up to him! I wasn’t even afraid.”

Her mother drew a shaky breath, attempting and not quite managing to smile. “I’m proud of you, Aurelia,” she said. “But I still don’t want you left alone with him again.”

“Well, he won’t find it so easy next time,” smiled Aurelia, proudly holding out the key to her mother.

With a satisfying gasp, Mama Gail grabbed it, lifting it up to examine it. “How did you get it off him?”

Aurelia shrugged. “He just gave it to me. As a sign of goodwill, apparently.” She rolled her eyes.

Mama Gail’s frown was back. “I think you’d better tell me exactly what he said,” she pressed. She glanced around. “You’re sure he’s gone?”

“Of course,” Aurelia assured her. “I lowered him to the ground myself.”

“Without any help?” Mama Gail asked, startled.

Aurelia nodded. “I said I couldn’t do it without you, but he said I could. And he was right, actually.” Her voice turned dry. “Probably the first true thing he’s ever told me.” She cast her mind back over their conversation. “As for what he said, it was mostly just strange. He said the usual nonsense about having every right to do whatever he wants, and how I should trust him instead of you.” She shook her head in irritation.

“What did he say about this new project of his?” Mama Gail asked.

Aurelia frowned. “Nothing at all. He said he could see I wasn’t in the mood to talk about it, but he’d tell me tomorrow night. Or something like that.”

She’d expected the tension in Mama Gail’s shoulders to relax, but if anything, it increased.

“It was all a bit bizarre,” she mused. “He said I didn’t really know him, and he’d hope to change that.” Her expression darkened. “He also said that you’re not my mother. If he really wants me to listen to him, he’d know better than to say such outrageous things.”

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