“Follow love and it will flee, flee love and it will follow.” Matilda, the tutor, recited.
“It’s a proverb.” April recited, drumming her fingers on her desk. “Are we done now?”
“Just one more my lady.” She answered, flipping thru the flash cards. “How about ‘there is only one happiness in life—to love and be loved.’?”
“How about you stop with all these stupid romance quotes?” April sighed, exasperated.
“ No I’m sorry. The correct answer is George Sand, a French romance author.” She teased.“Oh come now Miss Constantine. You’re getting to that age now and soon, your father might even set up your first match making session soon.” Matilda cooed. “How about, ‘there is no remedy for love than to love more.’?”
“How about, ‘love is a serious mental disease.’ Plato, Greek philosopher, years BC 427-BC 347.” April replied. She watched the fumbling Miss Matilda, mumble to herself about smart alike kids that had no respect for true love. She was a rather tall woman, fit and tan, with brown eyes and hair to match. Oh how she envied her, how she would trade anything to be like her normal tutor. She turned her attention to the library, one of the many rooms this house had, but didn’t need, one of the many things that made it easier to keep her in this Mansion…or castle. Everything was so old and expensive. April hated it all, right down to the giant mirror no one could break that sat smugly in the corner of the sitting room. She was shocked out of her trance by a hand that covered her line of vision.
“Guess who my darling?” The man laughed from behind her. She pulled the hand from my face, turning around to wrap her arms around him.
“Welcome home Daddy.” she cheered hugging him tightly. “your back already?”
He gave her a gentle squeeze then backed away, flashing her a large grin. “That’s because I have big news for you and Matilda.”
“Let me guess. You bought another priceless artifact for her to bore me to death about again?” April teased, moving away from the table to stand in front of him.
“Even better.” He breathed, gripping her shoulders. “You can go to school.” He watched as the news registered in her mind. April brushed him off.
“That’s it?” She asked. He nodded, shocked at her blank expression. “No thank you.” April replied automatically moving to a window. “I don’t feel comfortable with anyone, but the people in the castle to see my eyes yet.”
“That’s the surprise my darling.” He said coming toward her. He held out a little black box to her. Reluctantly, she took it. “they don’t have to and this school has a lot of our kind attending. You’ll be very comfortable and of course we’ll still keep Matilda as your personal tutor.”
“Well that’s a wait off my shoulders.” Matilda sighed, cleaning up the study materials.
“Wait!” April asked, finally interested, “What do you mean ‘they don’t have to.’”
Her father grabbed her hand, leading her to a chair and then sat across from her, never releasing her hand. “Well my darling, I’ve been thinking about you for a long while and I’ve realized I’ve gone about your condition all wrong.” He sighed, his eyes filling with tears. “And I’m so sorry that I put you thru what I did. Your mother, she was the one who knew what was best when it came to you and it seems I’ve made a mess of things.”
“Its alright Daddy.” April said, rubbing his cheek. “You did what you thought was best.”
He inhaled, sobering up just a bit. “Well I’ve come to realize locking you in a castle and not allowing you out was able to keep you safe, but its not healthy. I won’t be able to protect you forever and I think the safest place for you to learn is at school.”
YOU ARE READING
Marked For Death
RomanceApril Constantine,the last of her bloodline, has spent her entire life locked in her fathers home. With eyes the color of blood, she was hidden from even her own kind. Finally she has a shot to be normal, to go to school, but... Asherson Drake is a...
