I rushed to the children’s doors. The mystery of what I’d just witnessed would have to wait. Molly’s door opened, and she stood in the doorway, mouth open. A few seconds later, the sound came from somewhere deep inside of her, a constant shriek filled with agony and loss. I stepped toward her, but the air surrounding the girl had changed. She pounded her fists at an invisible wall, dark eyes wild with terror.
Until, suddenly, she pitched forward into my arms. I gathered her shaking body, rubbing her back, trying my best to soothe her. Was it a nightmare? No, more than that. Why hadn’t I been able to reach her? I glanced at her room.
A glossy shimmer rolled through the darkness.
I stared at that open doorway, waiting, until the burn in my eyes made me blink.
“I want to go home!” she yelled, pulling my attention back to her.
She flailed in my arms, then suddenly pushed away. Her wild eyes stared at me.
I didn’t see it coming. But I should have.
Tiny fingernails raked across my face, my arms, as Molly scratched at me with all her strength. Pure madness fueled her movements. I tried to wrestle her arms together, tried to pull her back to me, but she was too strong. Too angry. Too scared.
“Please, Molly. Stop. I won’t hurt you. Promise,” I said in a soft tone.
The stench of blood filled the air. My blood. Mixing with a noxious scent of burnt ozone and roses.
A pain, so intense, rode every bit of my body and mind. But I did not lash out. Only tried over and over to still her gently.
Her scratches and slaps became kicks. I had to stop her. Had to get away. Why had no one come?
I scrambled backward; my back hit the wall, and tears streamed down my face.
“Molly, please stop,” I said, infusing as much calm into my voice as I could. The urge to yell lodged itself in my throat as she delivered yet another painful kick to my leg.
Troy’s door opened; a chilly fog rushed out. He stepped into the hallway and walked slowly toward me. “Take us outside,” he whispered. “It hurts.”
Molly stopped, fingers still arched into claws, and turned to him. Her little chest heaved. “Will it stop?” she asked him.
He nodded, eyes still on me. “Please. We don’t belong here. They stole us.”
“Stole you from who?” I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat. Slowly, carefully, favoring my right side, I eased up the wall. Every inch of my body ached. But it was nothing compared to the pain I saw in both their eyes.
Troy didn’t answer my question. Just stared at me.
I licked my lips and nodded, my own chest heaving.
“You can tell me when you’re ready.” I opened my arms, and they both rushed into them. I gritted my teeth against the pain. I needed to clean the blood off me and bandage the cuts. But that could wait; the children needed to go outside. I didn’t give a damn what Collette had said. Or what fucked up rules she tried to impose.
I took their chilly hands in mine and led them downstairs. When we reached the door, I let go long enough to try and open it, only to be met with resistance. Even after unlocking it, the door wouldn’t move.
Troy tapped my arm and pointed up. I followed the line of wood and noted a small latch up high. I glanced around the room, trying to find something to stand on. Crap.
“Come on,” I said, taking their hands again. “We’ll try another door.”
Our search grew frantic as every exit seemed barred to the outside. Then I remembered the French doors in the dining hall.
We climbed the stairs to the second floor. “Quiet,” I whispered as we made our way to the dining hall.
Muted light filtered in through the glass, illuminating the room that, in that very moment, seemed straight out of a Greek painting. The scent of olives and grapes hung in the air, giving off an intoxicating perfume. I grabbed a chair, my gaze momentarily snagging on the deep cuts on my arm. They had stopped bleeding, the crimson smears coating my arms. I pushed the thought of Molly attacking me away and set the chair in front of the doors.
I climbed up; my fingers barely reached the gold latch. When I tried to move it, it wouldn’t budge. It was as if it had been glued in place. I grunted with each failed effort until my entire body was covered in sweat, stinging the cuts on my skin.
Finally, heaving, I gave up and pressed my face to the cool glass. The walls seemed to be closing in on me. A cold hand touched my leg, and I jumped. The chair rocked, then tumbled over, and I hit the ground. Hard. Air rushed out of my mouth.
Maybe I should just break the glass, I thought. No. The noise would surely alert Collette or Minos.
Molly lay next to me, her slender arm circling my waist. “We need to get outside,” she said in a small voice.
I lay there, patting her hand. “Why won’t they let you outside?” I asked. Troy sat on the ground next to us and stared out the doors.
“Ms. Collette said we weren’t ready. That we had to get assim . . .” He shook his head, eyes still glued to the moon and stars—the world he had been denied for some time.
Assimilated.
I surged to my feet, bringing Molly along with me. “We are going outside,” I said through clenched teeth, then dragged the chair across the floors, hoping I left grooves in the polished wood.
We once again made our way to the front door. I slammed the chair down in front of it and climbed up. Just like the lock in the dining hall, this one, too, seemed to be glued in place.
“Fuck!” I yelled, letting my head rest against the wood.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Collette’s cool voice raked across my damaged skin. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she made my cuts start bleeding again.
I didn’t turn around. Just took my time climbing off the chair. “Taking the children outside.” The kids rushed over to me. I turned then, easing them behind my back. “Now. If you could please unbar the door.”
“Did I not make myself clear, Imani?”
I cocked my head. “You know, Collette, I would prefer if you called me Ms. Deschene. Now open the damn door.”
Her eyes rounded for a brief second before narrowing in anger. “I do think you have overstepped our boundaries.”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t believe so.”
“Just who the hell do you think you are? Coming in here—”
“I’m. The. Damn. Nanny. And my charges need some fresh air. Did you not hear Molly screaming? Or were you too busy in the basement?”
Her chin rose. “It is your job, nanny, to assist . . . when you hear them scream.” She looked at the kids, then back at me. “And as for what I do in the basement, it is of no concern to you. Now, return them to their rooms, and I will forget all about this . . . transgression.”
I started to reply, but she raised her hand, silencing me. “The children can go outside tomorrow.” She paused, her face twisting, each crease seeming to move in slow motion. Finally, a frown touched her mouth, and sadness filled her eyes. “I understand they are frightened.” She looked at my arms. “Do you need first aid?”
My brain stuttered, trying desperately to understand the abrupt change in both her tone and mood.
Li te defann.
Collette was an empty shell, morphing into the person she believed I needed. Someone who was empathetic and concerned. And I watched that painful transformation as if time itself had slowed and allowed me to watch.
She held her hands out. “Come along, children. You must return to your rooms.” Her voice had a hypnotic quality to it.
The children moved around me and went to her as if being pulled. She took their hands and smiled down at them; the gesture even reached her eyes. “I will leave you to your devices, Ms. Deschene.” She looked up at me. “If you need me to help you with your injuries, just let me know. I am truly sorry this unfortunate incident took place.” She gave me a sad smile and walked away.
I stood there, mind still racing. I needed to get out of this house. I turned back to the door. Foolishly, I expected it to open with a mere thought from me. The floorboards creaked, and I turned to the sound. Minos walked into the room and over to the door.
“I can give you ten minutes outside,” he said, wincing. “I understand the need to see the moon and the stars.” His gaze found mine. “It is a powerful pull.” He slid the bolt open, and the house groaned.
Cool night air rushed into the house. I pulled in a cleansing breath and stepped out of the House Eternal and into a moon-filled night. Each step felt like liberation. As if I’d spent months, even years cooped up inside. And I’d only been there a few short hours.
I turned to find Minos watching me from inside the doorway. His gaze held longing. Not for me. I knew what that gaze looked and felt like. No, this one was for something much deeper. Was he not allowed to go outside either? That couldn’t be right. He was able to open the door, a grown man.
“You don’t want to come out?” I asked, smiling at him.
He shook his head. “Ten minutes, please.” Again, he winced as if he’d been hurt.
I turned away and pulled in another lungful of air. Since she hadn’t fired me on the spot, I assumed I still had the job. The thing was, I didn’t know if I really wanted it.
Something dark and sinister was at work here, crawling along the floors and, I feared, feeding on the children.