Broken (The Captive #5.5)(73)
Camille nodded and hugged Genny's blanket to her chest before slumping into the chair again.
CHAPTER 24
"I'd like to keep those."
Camille looked up from where she sat amongst the parchments of Genny's writing to focus on him. "I can't even read them," she said with an abashed smile. "Genny offered to teach me but it seemed so useless to me. I wish I hadn't been so stubborn now. I just wanted to touch them now, to see if I could feel her presence here, amongst her writings."
Atticus stared at all of the parchments surrounding her; all he wanted was to touch them too. There was still a piece of Genny there, in those words, he was certain of it. Camille gathered everything carefully and placed them back into the false bottom of the trunk.
"Have you packed?" he inquired.
"Yes."
"Do you know where you would like to go?"
She shook her head as she carefully returned the dresses to the trunk and closed the lid. "Perhaps Greece. Genny always spoke of France because Marie would never go there, but I'd prefer not to be there right now."
"You will enjoy Greece."
"And you, where will you go?"
"I will be returning to Italy with Merle and my Uncle Nyles. That is where The Council has decided to call an emergency meeting. All vampires are to be out of England by the end of the month."
"I see." She rose and settled herself on the lid of the trunk. "Will they not question you sending me away on your ship?"
"Only Merle knows what Genny looked like. My uncle will assume I am only securing safe passage for my mistress or ex-mistress so that she may start her new life. It is not so uncommon, especially with my upcoming wedding looming, that we would go our separate ways right about now." Camille folded her hands before her and bowed her head. "Are you not taking any of her clothes with you?"
"If I may?"
"Take whatever you want," he said as he ran his fingers over the ribbons in his pocket. He'd never thrown away her old ribbon and had retrieved it from the manor before burning it down. "We leave for the docks in an hour."
***
Atticus placed the trunk down in the room that was normally his, but would be Camille's for her journey. Unlike most other ships, his and Merle's had rooms for them to sleep in. After their time spent amongst the Viking vampires, Merle had set about to design his own ship and had come up with a design that no one was using yet. Not only did the ships have sleeping quarters but they were also fast and wind powered.
Atticus turned to face Camille. She'd been so stoic, so driven by anger throughout the past week that he'd forgotten how young she was. He was reminded now as she stood in the doorway, pale and immobile, and looking immeasurably frightened by the looming unknown of her future. She hugged Genny's blanket to her chest as she gazed around the sparse room.
"I've never been alone before," she whispered and looked toward him.
"You'll be fine; you're stronger than you think."
"Do you really believe that?"
"I do. Plus I've hired trustworthy men and women to watch out for you. They'll make sure you get to where you're going safely and they'll keep you protected once you get there. I've placed money and jewels in your trunk. There should be more than enough to get you established somewhere and keep you comfortable for a few hundred years. You'll never have to live like Marie did."
"You didn't have to… I'll never be able to repay you."
"I'll never ask you to," he assured her. "If something should happen, and you ever require my help, please contact me. Do not come to see me."
"I won't," she promised though her lower lip began to tremble.
For a second there was a crack in him, for a second he felt the tears well up within him again as compassion reared to life. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."
She lifted her eyes to his and smiled at him. "I know you are. I know that both of us would have traded our lives for hers, but she never would have given either of us that choice."
"No, she wouldn't have." Closing his eyes, he forced himself to mend the crack in his wall and stay strong.
"No matter what happens from here on out, no matter what you have to do, just know that she loved you so much. She was never happier than these past few months with you. Genny never knew love from anyone other than me and she never knew security in her life. You gave her both of those things, you gave her dreams she'd never imagined to have and the promise of a life that she wanted so badly. Always remember that she died having known love and peace and the reason for that is you."
He opened his eyes to stare at her as she hovered in the doorway. Without thinking he strode forward and wrapped his arms around her. Though the feel of her against him sickened him, he pulled her firmly against his chest and pressed a kiss to her head. "I will," he vowed. She had just slid her arms around his waist when he abruptly released her. "As long as you remember how much she loved you too."
"I could never forget," she promised. "Her love is the only reason I'm still standing here. You don't have to do this; you can still change your mind."
"I thought you wanted revenge too."
A single tear slid down her face. "I want my sister back but that can never be. Some of my rage has faded a little and I realize now that with time, the hatred will fade too. When that day comes I don't want you to look back and wish things had been different."