Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(73)

I wrote a letter to Cook, Seth and Gus, giving them the safe's code and instructing them to destroy the letter after reading it. The final lines proved almost impossible to write. Tears streamed down my cheeks and dripped onto the paper, smearing the ink. My hand shook.

I wrote, "I love you all. You are my world but Lincoln is my universe and I must be with him, no matter what. We will meet again one day, my dearest friends. I promise."

I set the letter aside to leave on my dressing table in the morning where they would find it when they came looking for me. My heart burned with a fiery ache as I pictured it being read. An ache that I doubted would ever leave.

With my tears still flowing, I collected some essential clothes from Lincoln's bedroom. Later, after I could be sure the household was asleep, I'd take what I could from the pantry. We might need food for a few days.

God, it was so hard. My body felt heavy, as if a great weight pushed down on me from above. I sat on Lincoln's bed and stared through watery eyes at the pillow. His head should be there now, and tomorrow night, mine should be next to it.

I lay down, wanting to be as close to him as possible. His scent was on the pillow. I curled up and closed my eyes, imagining his body behind me, holding me, protecting me. I could almost feel him there.

Almost.

Tomorrow night, I would lie with him like this. But not here at Lichfield. Never at Lichfield.



* * *



Wan light edged the curtains when I awoke. But that's not what woke me.

"Charlie!" Gus's shout boomed from outside Lincoln's rooms.

I'd fallen asleep on his bed, my arms around the pillow. I got up and straightened my dress then went to grab my bag. No, not yet. I'd intended to sneak out before the household woke up but that wouldn't be possible now. I'd have to find time after breakfast. Until then, I would act normally. The last thing I needed was someone to realize my plan and stop me from rescuing Lincoln.

"Charlie! Where the bleeding hell are you?"

I opened the door and slipped out to the corridor. "I'm here. Gus, what's wrong?"

His rough features lightened. "Thank God! When I saw your bed hadn't been slept in, I thought you'd gone out there."

"Out where? Gus, what is it?"

"I need to show you." He took my hand and led me back into Lincoln's sitting room. Luckily I'd left my bag in the bedroom.

"Why are you up so early?" I asked, trotting behind him.

"Keeping watch. Seth and Cook are awake, Alice too. They're arming themselves."

"Arming themselves!" Oh God, no. Not now. Please, not now.

He stopped by the window and edged the curtain aside. I gasped. A line of about one hundred soldiers ranged across our front lawn dressed in red and white regimentals. Each carried a sword strapped to his hip. Behind them stood a line of archers, bows in hand. And still another dozen or so pushed an enormous catapult into place near the orchard. And then there was the battering ram on the drive, ready to be slammed into our front door. A man on horseback barked orders as he rode back and forth in front of the troops. When he turned to look at the house, I recognized him as the commander of the army who'd attacked the school at Inglemere Castle.

His gaze suddenly lifted to our window. I released the curtain and stepped back.

"They've surrounded the house," Gus said.

"You said Alice is awake?"

He nodded.

Then they must have used a portal device and spell to get here, as the rabbit had done. Damnation.

I peeked out again and wished I hadn't. The catapult was being loaded with a boulder as large as me. Lichfield wasn't a fortified castle like Inglemere. A weapon that size would do considerable damage. The battering ram could easily break through the front door, too.

"What do we do?" Gus sounded scared. He'd never sounded scared before, no matter what he faced.

I pitched backward against the desk. I clutched the edge with both hands and tried to think of a solution. Gus waited for instructions. Without Lincoln to guide us, he put me in the position of leader. He and the others were depending on me.

But I wasn't Lincoln. I didn't have his quick wits and intense focus. And I had no clue how to fight an entire army.

"I don't know, Gus. I honestly don't know."





Chapter 16





Footsteps pounded along the corridor. Gus pulled out a pistol where it had been tucked into the waistband of his trousers. He stood in front of me. I wasn't even armed with a knife.

"It's just me," came Seth's voice.

Gus stood aside but he didn't put away his gun. Seth held one too. His face was pale but set like a stone and his eyes gleamed like gems in the poor light. "Everyone is armed," he said. "Even my mother. We're ready."

"No," I murmured. "We are not ready. We're very far from being ready. We can't fight an army."

"We have guns, they have swords and arrows."

"And siege machines, and they greatly outnumber us."

He threw a hand in the air. "Are you giving up, Charlie? Just like that?"

I folded my arms over my chest and fought back tears. Part of me wanted to give up. With Lincoln gone, there seemed no point in fighting anyway. Without him, Lichfield was empty. My life was empty.