When I pulled the bloody pendant out of the envelope, Dylan and I both caught our breath. Andrew was tactfully silent and stepped aside because he wasn't the only one affected by the incident.
There was a deathly silence in the living room. It was only after a few seconds that the teenager was able to speak:
— I-it's… It's my sister's!
— «Sister?» — I asked in a voice hoarse with excitent.
— linda…» he blurted out, «My older sister.
My pupils dilated in surprise. I turned back to him.
— But how? You didn't say anything about…
— We have a big family,» Dylan reported, «Many brothers and sisters. linda is the oldest… When her parents died, she went to work at Cassius Manor to feed us.
For a mont, I forgot how to breathe.
— So it's true…?
The boy nodded.
— My sister told a lot about you… That's why I was surprised to hear that you were the man who rescued us.
For the first ti I looked at Dylan more closely than usual. The sa brown hair and brown eyes… The familiar soft features. Even before that, I had a strange feeling when I looked at a guy. But I never thought he would actually be related to linda.
It was really an incredible coincidence.
— For the last six months, when my sister had been working at the Imperial Palace, we hadn't had any contact with her… so she couldn't have known that Keisha and I had been kidnapped by slave traders.
When Dylan said all this he looked very sad.
But even though I should have been there for him at that mont-I could barely find the strength to stay sane myself right now. My hands shook as I realized what had happened.
— Why is this pendant here? — The boy asked. «My sister never parted with it before! She would never give it to anyone.
— Because» My voice stuttered when I couldn't say it out loud, «because…
A letter with the imperial seal. Only two people in the country could have sent it to . However, Rachel certainly wouldn't waste her ti on such a thing. Threats and other such antics were never her style. If Rachel wanted to do away with soone, she did it silently and quietly.
Which left only one obvious option…
I ripped the blood-soaked envelope to shreds. And the next second, tears ca to my eyes.
— What's going on? — Dylan trembled, too,» When is my sister coming back…?!
— linda… She's not coming back.
***
I couldn't sleep a wink the next night.
Sitting at my desk in the dark-I clutched the pendant in my hands and couldn't even cry. Every ti a lump ca to my throat: my breath caught and I began to choke.
For the rest of the day, Maxie and Andrew didn't bother anymore. Because they both understood everything perfectly. I didn't have the energy to work or do anything else.
At this point I had only one wish left.
Every now and then I reread the letters Dylan had given . linda had been sending letters to the family for the past few years, and the guy thought I should see them. All because… Most of their contents were about .
«…Today I persuaded Mistress to go for a walk in the garden. She doesn't like to be in the palace. But it's my birthday, so she made an exception. I told her I didn't want any expensive presents. And you know what, brother? The people around were shocked when they saw the crown princess catching butterflies.
She wanted to catch a hundred royal looking butterflies for my birthday!»
«…not too long ago Madam said she wanted to let go ho so I could see my family. I would have liked that. But… Then Mistress would be all alone in the palace. Our family is large, but the Lady has only . So I can't do that. Forgive , Brother!
I will try to co to you next ti.»
«…In fact, I am so glad to be Lady Ashford's maid! I have often seen other gentlen treat their servants badly… But Lady Ashford never does that. She has never even chastised once. Mistress says we are human and must be equal. I have never heard such a thing before. It's so amazing!
Thanks to the lady's words, I realized that my life ans sothing, too.»
Reading one letter after another made involuntarily sob. Who knew it would end up like this…
The regret I felt cannot be described in words.
The commoners could not read or write well. And the content of linda's letters showed that as well. But even so…the sincerity emanating from these texts could not be faked.
As I read the last letter, my shoulders shook. It took so ti for the cramp of piling up emotions to pass.
In the middle of the night, Dylan knocked on my door.
— Your Grace… You summoned? — he said quietly.
The lad had been on pins and needles all day today, as I had been. His face was pale and his eyes were wet with tears. He hadn't had ti to tell the rest of the family what had happened yet.
I nodded slightly.
— Co in.
linda's little brother stopped in the middle of the room, and I walked over to him. I picked up a silver pendant with a gem and put it around his neck. He was surprised.
— Is that…?!
— It belongs to you now,» I said simply, «I gave it to linda. And no matter what… I won't give it back.
— But…! — The boy faltered, hesitantly looking at the pendant, «It's my sister's most precious possession. How could I…
— And you are her dear brother. Who else should I give it to? Just think of it as a continuation of linda's case.
Dylan's eyes went red and he seed about to cry again. I reassured him.
— Your Grace…! — I thank you… I thank you for being so kind to our family! I can never repay my debt…
— There's no debt,» I interrupted, «I've always thought of linda as my friend.
I helped Dylan up from the floor and took him by the shoulders. He was still shaking.
— Your family won't have to worry,» I promised, «I won't let it go to waste.
— What?» He looked up at , surprised, «What do you an?
I was as serious as I'd ever been. My anger dug into my skin more and more, though I didn't even notice it.
I could have sworn to heaven.
— The man who'd hurt linda… would pay for it with his own blood.
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