I part my lips to respond, but the door suddenly bursts open behind us. I scramble off Nickolas’s lap as he shoots to his feet, both of us whirling to see who has barged in so abruptly.
“Nickolas!” Eric’s voice rings out, slightly breathless, as he holds the door open. His eyes are bright with urgency and… excitement.
“What is it? Who did you find?” Nickolas demands, his entire body thrumming with tense anticipation.
“Little one…” He crosses the space between us in two long strides, his hands coming up to cup my face. His palms are rough, calloused from years of hard work, but his touch is gentle, almost reverent. “I’m so sorry. I’ll be back before you know it. I promise.”
I can see the excitement in his eyes to finally have a lead on Lord Easterlin. My heart swells with a profound warmth to witness Nickolas’ steadfast resolution to find Lord Easterlin – something I never dared dream of seeing from him.
A small, reassuring smile curves my lips. “It’s alright. Can I head over to Lily’s?” I ask, understanding his need to pursue this breakthrough.
Nickolas gives a sharp nod. “Yes, I’ll assign some guards to accompany you,” he affirms, his protective instincts kicking in to ensure my safety.
“Thank you.”
Nickolas leans in, his forehead brushing mine as his thumb strokes my cheekbone. “Stay safe, little one,” he murmurs, then presses one achingly tender kiss to my forehead before pulling away.
I watch him go, his broad shoulders disappearing through the door as Eric leads the way. I head out and make my way to Lily’s.
When I arrive, I find her upstairs as I did last time, tucked up in bed with the human “television” show she’s so fond of playing in the background. She greets me with a warm smile, scooting over to make room as she pats the mattress in invitation.
“Here, have a grape,” she offers, holding out the bowl of fresh fruit resting beside her as I settle onto the bed.
I accept one of the plump purple globes with a murmured “Thank you,” popping it into my mouth as I try to gather my swirling thoughts.
“What brings you by?” Lily asks her attention still mostly on the flickering screen.
I take a deep, steadying breath, the weight of what I’m about to ask her settling heavily in the pit of my stomach. “Where are they?”
Lily’s head whips around so fast I’m surprised she doesn’t get whiplash. Her eyes are wide, almost comically so. “I thought you felt it was safer not to know their location,” she says carefully.
“I did…” My throat works as I try to find the right words. “I still do, in a way. But something happened. Nickolas… he asked to see Dad.”
Lily’s perfectly arched brows furrow in confusion. “He asked to see your father?”
I nod, then hurry to explain when she opens her mouth again. “He knows he’s alive, Lily. I think he’s known for a while now.”
“I don’t know how, but he knows, and he even knows we are related thanks to our striking resemblance.”
Lily runs her hands through her hair. “Oh heavens above! I can’t believe he knew all along and didn’t say anything!”
“I know; you should have seen my face yesterday when he spoke about knowing we were cousins,” I say wryly. “But that’s beside the point now. What happened today is why I’ve changed my mind about knowing where they are.”
Lily regards me shrewdly. “I don’t understand, Amelia. Do you really want to tell Nickolas where your father is hiding?”
I hesitate, feeling uncharacteristically uncertain. “I… I don’t know.”
“Then why are you even asking me?” she presses.
“Because…” I release a shuddering breath, struggling to put my jumbled feelings into words. “You didn’t hear the way he asked me, Lily. He said he needed to see my father. Needed.”
I shake my head slowly, still trying to process the weight behind that simple word. “He didn’t demand I tell him, didn’t threaten to use you against me. He asked Lily. He fucking asked.”
Lily’s mouth drops open in a perfect ‘o’ of shock. “Oh heavens above…”
“I know,” I whisper, blinking rapidly against the sudden sting of tears. “I can’t think of any other reason he would have phrased it like that unless…”
“Are you sure that’s why?” Lily asks, her voice hushed.
“No,” I admit, swiping at the treacherous tear that escapes to trail down my cheek. “But I can’t imagine why else he would say it like that.”
Lily claps her hands over her mouth, eyes wide with shock and… wonder? “I’m speechless.”
A light chuckle escapes my lips. “I’m not surprised.”
Lily’s eyes return to their normal size, but now they hold a glimmer of pity. That look only brings more tears to my own eyes. The mere thought of being wrong about his reason would shatter my heart into jagged pieces, and Lily knows it.
“Oh, come here.” She opens her arms in a wordless invitation, and I practically collapse into her comforting embrace. She strokes my hair soothingly as more tears leak from my eyes, the dam of pent-up emotion finally cracking.
“I know you wish more than anything to be right about his reasons,” Lily murmurs. “But what if he said those exact words just to make you think so?”
Her words send a sharp pang through my chest. As much as I want to deny it, I can’t entirely dismiss the possibility that she’s right.
“That’s one of the reasons I want to speak with him again before taking any action,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “I need to be absolutely certain his intentions are what I hope they are before I even consider setting up a meeting.”
Lily nods in approval. “A wise precaution. And if his reasons do prove true…” She squeezes my hand tightly. “Then we can pick a location favorable to your father. Somewhere, he will feel safe and in control of the situation.”
“Yes, exactly.” I return the pressure of her grip, drawing strength from her quiet confidence. “I pray we’re right about this, cousin. I can’t help but hope…”
“Me too.” Lily leans in to press a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Me too.”
As I settle back against the pillows, I can’t shake the profound sense that everything is about to change. For good or ill, the course has been set in motion. I can only hope and pray that the light I’ve glimpsed in the darkness is the dawn of a new beginning, not a fleeting mirage fated to vanish like a dream.