Page 24 of Firethorne
“I wasn’t scared,” I replied. “I just don’t like people creeping up on me, is all.”
Miriam’s brows hit her hairline. “Creeping?” She sneered, and then she righted herself, as she smiled and said, “I wasn’t creeping. I saw you head into Uncle Nicholas’s office first, and then you darted out of Lysander’s studio, and I assumed something awful had happened. I don’t creep around here, Maya, I just... see things. More than the others do.” She took a step closer and put her arm out, resting it on mine in a comforting, friendly gesture. “I’m your friend, Maya. You don’t have to be defensive with me. Maybe with Damien and Lysander, but never with me.”
“Lysander is always lovely to me,” I replied, choosing to stay quiet about Damien. He might’ve stopped Edward from assaulting me earlier, but the jury was out and deliberating pretty quickly on him.
“Lysander’s lovely to everyone,” Miriam said dismissively, shrugging her shoulders, and I didn’t like the way that made me feel. Like his kindness wasn’t genuine. As if it was something he bestowed on everyone. Like I wasn’t anything special.
I wanted to argue back, but that, in itself, would only prove her point, that I was being defensive. So, I smiled, trying to ignore how the heat of her hand on my arm made me feel a little uncomfortable. As if I was being coaxed into a trap like the rat I’d found on my step this morning. I tried to subtly edge away from her, but she grabbed my hands and held onto me.
“Anyway, I’m so glad I bumped into you today,” Miriam went on. “I wanted to give you something.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver chain. Then she held the locket that was attached to it and announced, “I want you to have this.”
She thrust the locket and chain towards me, but I didn’t take it, I just stared at it in disbelief.
I didn’t even know this woman.
Why was she giving me jewellery like we were lifelong friends?
“I can’t take that,” I told her, and she frowned in confusion.
“Why not? It’s just a necklace. A gift from a friend.”
“But I work here,” I stated, watching the subtle twitch of her jaw as her smile stayed frozen in place. “I’m an employee. It wouldn’t be right to take gifts.”
She popped her hip, her head tilting as she gave me a sorrowful sigh. “Don’t put yourself down, Maya. You’re worthy of a gift. And hopefully, one day soon, we’ll be more than acquaintances. We’ll be friends. Best friends. But this...” She thrust the chain forward again, almost touching my chest as she held it out expectantly. “Is more than that. Remember what I said yesterday? Us girls have to stick together. You can’t trust the boys here.” Another breath as she waited for me to take it, then, when I didn’t, she added, “It’s to keep you safe.”
The way her demeanour changed as she said the last part had me questioning everything.
“How will a locket keep me safe?” I asked, reluctantly taking the oval-shaped pendant from her and holding it up. I marvelled at the ornate patterns and swirls on the silver casing, running my fingertips over the smooth, cold metal.
“Because it has my number engraved on the other side, see?” She reached forward and turned the pendant over to show me, her fingers grazing my palm oh-so-gently as she did. Lingering a little longer than I’d have expected, and I stared at her, a million questions swirling in my brain.
“Am I in danger here?” I asked in a low voice, expecting her to tell me something.
Maybe she knew about the notes.
Maybe she was the one behind them, making sure I was forewarned and guarded. She had told me I shouldn’t trust anyone in this house except her when we first met.
She leaned forward, her face a breath away from mine as she whispered, “Youarein danger. Grave danger. And any moment you may fall victim to...” A beat, and then she pressed her lips so close to my ear I almost shivered. “Lysander’s terrible jokes or Damien’s sour moods and salty put-downs.”
She giggled to herself as I stepped back. After the morning I’d had, I wasn’t in the mood for her teasing.
“Why would I need to ring you?” I snapped, growing irritated. “I don’t even have a phone. There’s one in the cabin, but I don’t have my own.”
Miriam’s eyes widened as she scoffed. “You don’t have a phone? But everyone has a phone.”
“Not me,” I replied, and the silence that hung between us was deafening. “And this is really pretty,” I went on, peering down at the pendant in my hand. Then, thrusting it forward to give it back to her, I added, “But I don’t wear jewellery.”
“Maya,” Miriam stated firmly, ready to chastise me. “It’s a gift. Take it. Stop finding excuses not to.” I went to argue, but she interrupted me, holding her hand up and saying, “And maybe my next gift should be a phone.” Then, under her breath she muttered, “How anyone can survive in this day and age without a phone is beyond me.” She rolled her eyes then spun around and stalked away, giving me no choice but to keep a hold of the necklace. A necklace I had no intention of wearing.
I stood for a moment, watching her disappear down the hallway. I thought about leaving the necklace on the side table next to me, but I didn’t. Instead, I stuffed it into my pocket, where Lysander’s sketch was safely tucked away, and I turned to head for the kitchen.
My head was beginning to hurt from how much I was frowning. The people in this house were strange, aggravating, perplexing, walking contradictions, and yet I seemed to keep getting dragged further and further into their tangled web. Iwanted to know more. I wanted to be a fly on the wall, learning secrets. Secrets I knew were embedded in this house as dark and eerie as the mansion itself.
And I needed to know who was sending me the notes.
“Did you manage okay, love?” Cora asked as I walked through into the kitchen.
