Chapter 14
We left the estate for a month.
Maren chose the house.
A smaller place near the Hudson.
No formal dining hall.
No council rooms.
No silver bell.
Sienna loved it.
On the first night she asked:
“Who eats first?”
Maren froze.
So did I.
“No one first,” I said.
Sienna frowned.
“We all eat.”
That seemed suspicious to her.
Maren put one plate in front of her.
Another in front of herself.
Then one in front of me.
“Together.”
Sienna watched us carefully.
Then began eating.
Halfway through dinner, she dropped her fork.
Her body went rigid.
I noticed.
Maren noticed.
No one moved quickly.
Maren picked it up.
“Accident.”
Sienna’s shoulders relaxed.
That was what fear leaves behind.
Tiny reflexes.
Expecting punishment for ordinary mistakes.
I hated Agatha for those reflexes more than I hated the broken plates.
Later, Maren stood beside the sink.
I tensed.
She looked at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She smiled faintly.
“I’m putting my cup in the dishwasher.”
“Right.”
“Not every sink is haunted.”
Fair.
She loaded the cup.
Closed the door.
May you like
Then took my hand.
Healing sometimes looked embarrassingly ordinary.
