We arrive at Lily’s, and I retrieve the spare key from under the carpet, allowing Beatrice and I access to her house. As we step inside, the strong scent of herbs overwhelms me, stirring a deep sense of concern for her well-being.
“Lily?” I call out, my voice echoing through the stillness. “It’s Amelia.”
A muffled response drifts down from the upper floor, and I turn to Beatrice with a pleading look. “Would you mind waiting here while I go up and see her?” I ask, my tone laced with a desperate sort of urgency.
Beatrice nods, her expression soft with understanding. “Of course, child,” she murmurs, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “Take all the time you need.”
With a grateful smile, I make my way up the stairs, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. When I reach Lily’s door, I pause for a moment, drawing in a shaky breath before raising my hand to knock.
“Come in,” Lily’s voice calls from within, sounding weaker than I’ve ever heard.
Steeling myself, I push open the door and step inside, only to freeze in my tracks at the sight that greets me. Lily is propped up against a mountain of pillows, her face pale and drawn, but that’s not what steals the breath from my lungs.
Instead, it’s the unmistakable sound of a third heartbeat resonating in the room. “You’re pregnant,” I whisper, tears of joy welling up in my eyes.
Lily smiles, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears as she opens her arms wide. “Surprise,” she says softly, her voice thick with emotion.
I’m moving before I even realize it, crossing the room in a few quick strides to gather her into a fierce hug. “I’m so happy for you,” I murmur, burying my face in her hair as I breathe in her familiar scent. “So, so happy.”
Lily clings to me just as tightly, her tears dampening the fabric of my shirt. “Thank you, Amelia,” she whispers, her voice trembling with a complicated tangle of emotions. “And I’m so glad to see you. I was so worried…”
I pull back just far enough to meet her gaze, my own vision blurring with tears. “Don’t worry about me,” I assure her, reaching up to gently wipe away the moisture on her cheeks. “I’m fine, I promise.”
Lily nods, sniffling softly as she composes herself. “I have so much to tell you, Amelia,” she says, her expression turning serious. “Something happened while I was away on my trip.”
I stiffen, a cold sense of dread settling in the pit of my stomach. “What is it?” I ask my voice little more than a hoarse rasp. “What happened?”
Lily takes a deep breath, her gaze holding mine steadily. “I found them,” she says simply, the words hanging heavy in the air between us.
For a moment, I can only stare at her, my mind struggling to process the enormity of what she’s just said. “You… you found them?” I repeat, hardly daring to breathe. “Our family?”
Lily nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Yes,” she confirms, her voice ringing with a quiet sort of triumph. “I did.”
I feel like the world is spinning around me, my head swimming with a dizzying array of emotions. “And they’re… they’re alive?” I manage to choke out, my heart in my throat.
“They are,” Lily says softly, her eyes shining with a joy that takes my breath away. “They’re alive and thriving, Amelia.”
A sob tears itself from my throat, my knees going weak with the sheer force of my relief. I sink down onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands as the tears come in earnest now, great, heaving sobs that shake me to my very core.
“I can’t believe it,” I gasp out, my voice muffled and thick with emotion. “I can’t believe they’re really okay.”
Lily reaches out and takes my hand in hers, her grip warm and reassuring. “I couldn’t believe it either,” she admits, her own voice wavering slightly. “But they are, Amelia. They’re safe and sound, and they’re staying-”
“No!” I cut her off, my head snapping up to meet her startled gaze. “Don’t tell me where they are. Please.”
Lily frowns, confusion etched into every line of her face. “But don’t you want to see them?” she asks, her brow furrowing. “To be reunited with your family after all this time?”
I shake my head, swallowing hard against the lump of emotion rising in my throat. “Of course I do,” I whisper, my voice cracking with the words. “More than anything. But right now… knowing their location would only put them in more danger. I can’t risk that, Lily. I won’t.”
Understanding dawns in her eyes, followed quickly by a fierce sort of pride. “Okay,” she says softly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “I understand. When the time is right, when you’re sure you can keep them safe… we’ll find a way to bring you back together. I promise.”
I nod, blinking back a fresh wave of tears as I try to compose myself. “Thank you,” I murmur, my throat tight with gratitude. “For everything.”
We lapse into silence then, both of us lost in our own thoughts as we try to absorb the magnitude of what we’ve just learned. Eventually, I force myself to change the subject, asking Lily about her pregnancy and her plans for the future with Eric.
But even as we talk, laugh, and cry together, I can feel the weight of my deception settling heavily in my gut. Because as much as I want to stay here with Lily, to bask in the glow of her joy and the miracle growing inside her… I know I can’t.
Not when Beatrice is waiting for me downstairs, not when I’ve already been gone far longer than I should have. With a heavy heart, I give Lily one last fierce hug before pulling away, promising to visit again as soon as I can.
But as I make my way back down the stairs, my steps heavy with reluctance, I freeze at the sight that greets me at the foot of the stairs. Because there, standing with his arms crossed and his face like a thundercloud, is Nickolas.
He glares at me, his eyes flashing with a fury that sends a shiver of fear down my spine. I open my mouth to say something, to try and explain, but he cuts me off with a sharp gesture.
“Save it,” he growls, his voice low and dangerous as he stalks towards me.
I take an instinctive step back, my heart pounding in my throat as he closes the distance between us. But before I can even think to run, to try and escape the wrath I know is coming, he’s scooping me up and throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
I yelp in surprise, my hands scrabbling for purchase against the broad expanse of his back as he spins on his heel and strides toward the door. Over his shoulder, I catch a glimpse of Beatrice’s stricken face, her eyes wide with shock and dismay.
“I’m sorry,” I mouth to her, knowing that whatever punishment Nickolas has in store for me, she’ll likely bear the brunt of it, too, for her part in my little scheme.
But Nickolas doesn’t even spare her a glance as he carries me out of the house, his grip on me unyielding as he makes his way back towards the castle with long, purposeful strides. I don’t dare speak, don’t dare do anything that might further ignite his temper.