WALPURGIA ✔️

Chapter 23 - Heed my name

☾

With anticipation I counted every day until Margeaux would come again.

My mind slipped back to the day of Margeaux's visit, remembering Sarah's stern face as she confronted me in the library.

After Whitlock, Sarah had come to see me. Thomas had sighed in frustration as everybody seemed to interrupt us that day. "Thomas, dear, would you be so kind and leave the two of us alone for a minute?"
He had immediately jumped up, rushing by her. The door wouldn't open as he twisted it.
"And please, don't say a word to the others." Thomas promised, his voice terrified, and was released.

At my expression, she had curtly explained. "Sometimes you need methods to get respect from others." She had sat down beside me, taking my arm. "Listen. I was appointed to look after you. Madame and Whitlock will leave for a meeting. Use that chance wisely, girl, I'll cover for you."

"Why are you helping me?", I had asked perplexed. "You are the only one who has been on my side, why?"

"I haven't been the whole time on your side. At first, I was loyal to my master. After she let us in on her plans, and after she almost killed your daughter, she disgusted me."

"What plans?"

"That doesn't matter now." 'Ask me when they left', she had telepathically told me.

"Why are you on my side?", I instead asked again. "I've been with Madame from the beginning. She has always decided on the fate of our children, as long as we were under her roof. She forbade me to have children, and when I saw the pain in your eyes I was reminded of the times I had to suffer." She fell quiet, then looked me in the eyes.

"Once you start working for her, you can never leave. She sees your every move, hears your every word. We are bound to this place", she had lifted her long-sleeved robe to reveal the Chauvette crest on her arm. A gladiola forming a 'dC' with the moon phases surrounded by it.

But why was it so big?

The black ink changed into a dark purple as it caught the light.

My eyes widened.

A binding spell.

My hand had immediately flown to my wrist, reaching for the missing golden bracelet from my parents. A cold sweat ran down my back.

"Either you are loyal, or you are gone."

If she were caught ...

Nervously I fumbled with the necklace from mama's family.

In what kind of mess was I caught in?

Sarah had told me not to worry, and left me at that. Thomas kept quiet even though he suspected I was as shocked as he had been.

The letter she had given me, had given me so much hope. It had come from all of them - Margeaux, who called me incredibly brave for enduring this all on my own, Victorie, who promised to help me get out of there, and Baldwin.

His writing had been so scribbled I already feared he was half mad. It took me several reads until I managed to decipher it. He missed me. He was so relieved I was alright. He was meeting up with Margeaux and Victorie on the daily to come up with a plan to free me. He loved me.

How would he react to the news? About our daughter? I traced my daughter and she kicked back. A smile spread on my face.

Strolling down the annoyingly long dining hall to reach my seat, I remembered Genevieve would leave today, after two long weeks. Margeaux would come by this week too, but we would be controlled by Sarah during our conversation. Not that I minded.