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It was all a sham.
How far I’ve fallen from that girl who refused to be institutionalized. Who protected her sister at all costs. Who gave up her childhood in order to care for her family. Where is that girl who could at least pretend she was strong? In the weeks since my abduction, I’ve become unrecognizable.
It’s proven that even the bravest face and the toughest exterior can’t hide the years of inexperience I have with the most basic of things. What I had once considered bravery was really just cowardice. I shut myself in and built a wall around myself to keep people out. My friends. Everyone. Where Maggie owned every fear she had, I lied. Not only to everyone else, but to myself.
And in the past few weeks, I’ve been doing it again. So many opportunities I had to show my strength. To survive. Yet I built that damn wall and shut out the one person who could help me. The only person who understands my naïveté because of the trauma of my youth. The one person who accepts my faults no matter what.
If only I hadn’t been the worst kind of hypocrite, keeping my own secrets. If only I’d told him about this room. Theif onlys andwhat ifs keep mounting and I can’t help but admit—this is my fault.
* * *
“Marina.”
My body stirs at the phantom voice of Julian, calling out to me in the dark. I reach for him, but he’s not here.He’s not coming for me.
“Marina, if you can hear me, we’re going to get you out of there.”
Squinting one eye open, I find that I’m still cloaked in darkness, my imagination playing tricks on me.
“Which brick, Law?”
I sit up, listening intently for another sign to ensure I’m not going crazy. Hope blossoms that I might not be imagining things. But how? Surely if they are in the room, I wouldn’t be able to hear them behind brick and steel. Yet it’s worth trying.
“Julian!” I yell with everything I have left. My voice is frail from my earlier screaming, but I give it my all. “I’m here.”
Nothing.
“This one,” Law shouts.
“Yes. Law. I’m in here,” I cry out. Somehow, I can hear them, but they can’t hear me. I pull myself to sitting, worrying my fingers in my lap.
The door creaks, and for the first time in hours I’m able to breathe.
“Marina,” Julian bellows, falling to his knees in front of me, pulling me into his chest. “Are you all right?”
Every thought that I’d had locked behind this wall helps to calm my nerves. I get a second chance to tell Julian just how I feel. I have the ability to not only act strong, but tobestrong.
I push out of Julian’s embrace, grab his face on both sides and slam my lips to his. I don’t care that there are two other people in this room. I won’t miss this opportunity to show Julian how much he means to me.
“I love you,” I murmur, leaning my forehead against his, breathing him in. “I didn’t think I was ever going to get to tell you that again.”
“Who did this to you?” Law pulls us out of our moment.
My eyes shift back and forth between the boys and Addy. What I’m about to say won’t be easy for her to hear.
“It was Count Dupré.”
Addy gasps. “W-what? That can’t be. Surely you’re mistaken, Marina.”
My lips turn down and I shake my head regretfully. I wish it had been anyone but him. I’ve come to respect and even like Adèle. The last thing I want is to hurt her.
“I followed him here and realized he had uncovered the room, which meant he knew about the box.” I’m talking to Law, who nods in understanding.
Julian looks back and forth between us, eyes narrowed in confusion. “What box?”
I want to tell him everything, but right now, Dupré needs to be found and dealt with, before he has a chance to learn they’ve discovered me.
“I will tell you everything, Julian. But right now, you need to find Count Dupré before he escapes.”
