New Wings

Chapter 21

Cress-
The plan was set into motion, but it was all a blurry haze to her. She barely recognized the hope swirling around her stomach; it was hidden in the ache of seeing him again.
What did he mean, "just let me finish this?"
Why was saving her even something he was concerned about? It made no sense. Even now, she didn't trust him as much as she needed too. How could she? And why had fate shoved him back into her life now? It seemed a cruel irony that she was relying on the source of her pain to save her from something even worse.
Another lively tune began on a nearby fiddle, snapping her out of her muddled thoughts. Cress glanced down absently at her dress, the rim now studded with sparkling tears. She frowned and brushed them off, turning away from the lights and color and joy to glance back at the hotel.
Timing was essential. Timing was everything. Time was the only thing stopping her from no longer existing. She allowed her eyes to close as her lungs filled with cool, crisp night air.
Review the plan. Just don't forget it, and maybe, just maybe, you'll have a chance at this.
Thorne was gone now, but he'd spent about five minutes in the tent with her, going over what he and Jacin had come up with. (The scene in the hotel's restaurant made much more sense now.)
Tomorrow morning they were going to come for her. Apparently Jacin and Thorne had already set up a lie, so Thorne could easily travel with them to...
Well, wherever her parents were intending on executing her. This was no time to sugar coat reality for herself. Thorne would travel with them behind the carriage as a prisoner from jail, and before he is forced to complete the murder, Jacin will step in from where he's been tailing them secretly and bring the police force with him. To "keep her safe," Thorne didn't seem to find it necessary to mention how Jacin of all people was going to find policemen willing to believe him, or how he was going to tail them and still make it in time, or how Thorne was planning stalling at all, seeing how eager Richard was to get this over with.
Cress wasn't quite in the mood for faith or trust in a situation she yet again had no control over. But at this point, she had to take what she could get. Taking another breath, she pushed through the gilded curtain of the kitchen tent and back out into the circle of celebrators.
One last act. One last character for her to perform. She paused a moment before entering the eyeline of her parents, re-adjusting her face, dropping her shoulders slightly, creating a blank canvas for an expression, then demurely walking towards them.
"I'm cold." Her voice came out hoarse and watery, and a hint of panic hit her in the chest. Tears could not be shown. That would raise alarm. Her mother turned slowly, one eyebrow lifted loftily.
"Why is that a concern of ours, girl?" She murmured, her face still a mask of propriety and motherly intuition. Cress swallowed, trying to clear her throat before answering.
"Because a normal distinguished family would not tolerate a scene where their child faints in public on a holiday. I'm cold, and I'm dizzy." She kept her face blank, trembling underneath.
Richard rolled his eyes and grabbed her by the elbow, pulling his wife in close with the other arm.
To anyone else, it appeared to be a kind father leading his daughter and wife graciously back to the hotel. A happy family on the happiest day of the year.
Only Cress could feel the bruises forming.

The hotel was warm and well lit, but somehow Cress could tell immediately that something was wrong. The hostess behind the greeting counter was staring at them somewhat slack-jawed, another main just behind her, watching closely. The rest of the lobby was empty, all guests either in bed or attending the gala.
Cress was just barely lifting her skirts to climb the grand staircase when a timid voice called out to them. Dread plummeted through her, glueing her aching feet to the floor.
"Excuse me Sir, but my lady has a question for you." Richard's hand tightened over her arm briefly before he turned towards the maid, waiting for them at the foot of the stairs with another beside her.
The note. They'd found the note!
Now Cress really did feel the ground sway beneath her. She subtly gripped the balcony handle a bit tighter as they all turned slowly around.
"Yes of course, how may I help you?" Richard's deep voice resounded through her mind as she began to see red. This wasn't right, this wasn't how it was supposed to go.
"We...well, we found this while cleaning out your room again, as per your request." The girl held out Cress's thin page from the Bible, her messy handwriting evident, even from a distance.
Her mother stiffened visibly.
Richard blinked a few times, then allowed a cool mask over his face.
"I apologize ma'am, it appears that our daughter has had another one of her spells this evening. She's not been well, you see, ever since an accident when she was a little thing. It's nothing to worry over, nothing at all. In fact, we were just taking her up to bed now." His words sounded convincing enough, but not to Cress. She knew what "taking her up to bed" really meant.
It meant the plan was ruined. Her parent's cover was being threatened, all because of her rash mistake.
They were going to kill her tonight.