Page 56 of The Agreement

The dream was quickly ripped away.

As she dared to raise her hand, and open her mouth to reply, she heard the monster’s voice. Loud, domineering, and entirely overwhelming.

“Roman! We weren’t expecting to see you until much later. Come on inside.”

She no longer wanted to hide for fun.

Katee had to hide for real.

She didn’t wait to see or hear anything else, let alone find out if she had been noticed by anyone else in the driveway. That voice was enough to send her running, whimpering for Maria under her breath as she stayed close to the stone wall, going back in the direction that she had come from earlier.

Her only hope was that Maria would be waiting there for her, ready to take her into her arms and keep her safe from the monster. And not at all angry that she had snuck out when her back was turned one more time.

If only she would protect her ...

Katee wouldn’t hide again.

Ever.

By the time the girl had made it back to her rooms, chest heaving with sobs, Maria was already in a state of frenzy about her disappearance. It didn’t really seem like her reappearance made it better, either.

“Where have you been?” the woman demanded, her words hard and fast even though she kept her tone hushed and soft. “I told you today is an important day. We have to be on our best behavior, don’t we?”

Katee whimpered again, the sound reminding her of a wounded kitten she had once found in the back yard—the poor thing had fallen from the stone fence, and broke a leg. Falling into her nanny’s arms, it was only then that Maria noticed she was in a state. The carefully contained anger at her game was gone when she wrapped her tight, in arms that felt oh, so safe, and whispered, “It’ll be okay. You must have got a fright, that’s all.”

Maria let her slide down to the floor in a messy heap of too-long-limbs and a trembling form, helpless while the sobs came louder. Katee hugged her legs until the woman bent over to meet her down there, soft promises and assurances at the ready.

“Come on, now, don’t you want your food—I made your favorite?” She rubbed Katee’s trembling back with soothing strokes, murmuring the same thing she had told her time and time again, “Tvoya Masha tebya lyubit.”

She didn’t know what it meant.

She also didn't need to for it to help, and before long, her nanny had coaxed her into the kitchen where buckwheat kasha cooked with mushrooms and sweetcorn waited. Her favorite.

Katee wanted to tell Maria about what happened outside. About the kind man with the blue eyes who might have wanted to talk to her ... but the monster. She never spoke about the monster.

Not to anyone.

Instead, she ate her food. Like Maria said—maybe she would have a nap and forget about everything.

About the voice.

• • •

“All you have to do, sweet girl, is lie down in your bed and close your eyes.”

Maria spoke tenderly, stroking Katee’s hair as she tried to convince her into a nap. At least, with her belly full, Katee thought the food had helped, but she wasn’t so sure about falling asleep.

That voice was still taunting her.

It always did.

“Here, I’ll even pull the curtains—a dark room will help you sleep better,” Maria insisted. Katee climbed into the bed while her nanny worked to pull the curtains closed throughout the room. Shrouded in darkness, even the blankets drawn up to her chin wasn’t enough to warm the cold fear still settled in her heart.

“Will you try and get some rest?” she heard Maria ask. Katee’s eyes adjusted to the lack of light easily enough, but the black shadows had her pressing deeper in the mattress. “You’ve had a busy morning.”

Katee nodded, if only to make Maria happy, even though it wasn’t true.

Her nanny gave her a happy smile and then stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her without a sound. That left Katee alone in the darkness that she feared the most.