Two Drops More

Chapter 11- The Reunion

Felicia's POV

Shame filled my body and tears gathered in my eyes. I felt horribly guilty about how I had reacted, and I knew I had to go find her and make things right. She didn't deserve to feel how I had made her feel; she had never done anything to me, only shown kindness and compassion. That poor, poor girl. I was cruel.

But I didn't know where she'd gone. She could be anywhere by now, hiding in some remote corner of the castle I wasn't permitted to go to. But of course I could always try to find her.

I decided that the best way to start my search was with her room- it seemed a logical place to go when you're upset. That was where I'd go.

I remembered the times when I was younger and my father had drunk himself into a fit. His slurred voice would chase me up the stairs and right up to the door of my room, but I wouldn't let him in. After that, one of three things would happen; he would pound on my door for a while, before collapsing and perhaps even sobbing a little, he would shout for a while and then retreat downstairs with a loud and drunken sigh, or the third option, the very worst.

In the case of the third option, he would stay committed, banging at the door until he could force it open; my door didn't have a lock, and my small, spindly arms were no match for his strong ones. When he had gotten inside, there was no getting him out. And since my room was a dead end, I was trapped unless I wanted to throw myself out of the window. But I was on the second floor; it would've been a death sentence. I would shudder as he came nearer and nearer, his large form intimidating and strong. And then...

I shuddered and pushed the thoughts away. Now was not the time.

I headed down to her room quickly, knowing the way off by heart from all of my cleaning endeavours. When I reached her door I knocked, but wasn't given a response.

"Chloe?" I called.

Slowly, I opened the door and stepped inside. But the room was empty, just like the others in the suite.

"Chloe?" I called again. "Are you in here?"

Clearly she wasn't.

But where was she then? I could only think of one other person to ask- Maddie.

She'd been there much longer than I had, and knew every little nook and cranny and secret area that could possibly exist in the castle. Even the forbidden parts; Maddie had been quite an adventurous and feisty young teen, with great curiosity and a wonderful optimism about her. She was much the same now, but she lacked that feistiness and curiosity, choosing to stick to the rules firmly and to the very word. I supposed that came naturally after all those years of punishments. Despite her happy personality, she was just as scarred as the rest of us on the inside, there was no denying that.

I set off to find her. It only took a few minutes and the search of a full floor, before I somehow managed to bump into her in a corridor on the second floor. She was carrying a bucket of water and a mop, and almost dropped them when I ran towards her, throwing my arms around her neck.

"Maddie!" I exclaimed.

She pulled me off of her and smiled widely, embracing me in a warm hug. "Felicia! I thought you were dead!"

Tears gathered in her eyes, and I hugged her tighter with a smile. "Well, I'm clearly not."

"Tristan has been grieving desperately and- wait. What happened to you? You look... You look great! You look so much better, and, oh, I just don't know what to say!"

"I- well, it's a long story, but Maddie I need your help!"

Maddie frowned in worry, mouth slightly open. "What do you need?"

"If I were upset and needed someplace secret to retreat, where would I go? Somewhere pleasant, somewhere calming."

Maddie's brow furrowed deeper, her brown eyes going glassy. "I think I know, but... I'm not sure."

I could tell she wasn't happy about my request; she was probably scared for me. It was understandable of course, but it wasn't the time for her motherly nurturing and worrying. At that moment I just needed the information and I needed it to come from the Maddie who was my friend, who trusted me and knew I would manage.

"Maddie please! Just tell me."

"Felicia are you sure this is a good idea? It's vampire territory. Only a few specific humans are allowed there, and only for a brief few hours when they clean it."

"It doesn't matter. This is important."

To my great relief, Maddie nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll tell you. It's the library."

"The... library?"

I didn't even know there was a library. I'd never been sent to clean it, only suites, corridors, slave chambers, and occasionally the Great Hall. And I'd thought I actually knew the castle rather well.

"Yes. Go to the eighth floor and all the way to left."

"Towards the east tower?"

"Yes. There's a large wooden door, all decorated with vines and branches. It's rather beautiful and encrusted with gems. You can't miss it."

I felt confused, and frowned at her. "But I've been up near the east tower. I've never seen it. The east end is pretty much bare."

Maddie smiled at me. "It's easier to find when you look for it. When the time is right, you always see it."

Her eyes glassed over, as if she were lost in a memory. Quickly, I hugged her.

"Thank you."

Then I ran away towards the east end.