Chapter 17

17

T halia had been searching for what felt like hours. The castle was vast, its stone corridors twisting and turning, filled with shadowy corners that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

Her heart raced as she peeked into each room, her anxiety growing with every empty space she encountered.

Where could they have gone?

The thought of her sisters wandering off into the night, unprotected and vulnerable, sent a chill down her spine.

Thalia’s steps quickened as she made her way to the grand entrance hall. The heavy wooden doors loomed ahead, and with a sinking feeling, she realized that there was only one place left to search — outside.

Had they left?

She hesitated for just a moment, clutching the edge of her shawl as she pushed the door open, the cold night air biting at her skin. She took a deep breath and stepped outside, the gravel crunching beneath her boots as she made her way toward the courtyard.

And then, in the distance, she saw them — three small figures moving slowly toward the castle, their shapes outlined by the faint glow of the moon. Thalia’s heart leaped in her chest, relief flooding through her as she recognized the familiar forms of her sisters. But as they drew closer, that relief was quickly replaced by a deep, aching hurt.

They had tried to run away?

Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her. Caroline and Arabella were clinging to Diana’s sides, their small hands clutching the edges of their cloaks. Diana’s face was pale, her expression a mix of determination and guilt. And behind them, walking with long, purposeful strides, was Finn. His face was a mask of controlled emotion, his dark eyes locked on hers as they approached.

Thalia stood rooted to the spot, her hands trembling as she waited for them to reach her. She felt a thousand emotions bubbling up inside her — fear, anger, sadness, but most of all, she felt hurt. Hurt that her sisters hadn’t trusted her enough to stay. Hurt that they had felt the need to escape. And hurt that, in her attempt to protect them, she had driven them to this.

As they came to a stop in front of her, Thalia’s eyes darted from one sister to the next, searching their faces for some explanation, some clue as to why they had done this. Her youngest sisters took a tentative half-step so that Finn would be next to them, and they even clutched onto his pant leg.

But before she could say a word, Finn spoke, “Oh… Thalia, good evening!” he said jovially.

“What’s going on?” she asked sharply, her eyes landing on each of her sisters to provide the explanation, but Finn spoke first.

“Ach, we four just went out for a wee stroll,” he said calmly, his voice betraying none of the turmoil that Thalia felt inside.

Thalia’s eyes snapped to his, disbelief and anger flaring up inside her. A walk? Was that the best he could come up with? She clenched her fists at her sides, struggling to keep her voice steady.

“A stroll?” she repeated, her tone laced with incredulity. “Is that what you’re calling it?”

Finn’s gaze didn’t waver, but she could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands flexed at his sides. “Aye, a walk around,” he said firmly, as if daring her to challenge him.

Thalia took a step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. “Don’t lie to me, Finn. Not about my sisters.”

For a moment, they stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. Thalia’s eyes blazed with anger, and Finn’s expression remained stoic, unreadable. Finally, he broke the standoff, turning his gaze to the ground.

“I think it’s best if ye talk to them,” he said quietly, his voice carrying a note of resignation. “I’ll give ye some privacy.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night. Thalia watched him go. Her heart heavy with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite untangle. She wanted to scream, to demand answers, but instead, she turned back to her sisters, who stood huddled together, their faces pale and drawn.

“Where were you going?” she asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and hurt. “Why did you try to leave?”

Diana looked up at her, her eyes filled with guilt. “We didn’t know what else to do, Thalia. You wouldn’t tell us what was going on, and we were scared.”

Thalia’s heart ached at the sight of her sister’s tear-filled eyes. “So, you know now?”

“We know as much as Finn has told us, which was enough,” Diana said sharply.

Thalia flinched at her sister’s words. She had been so focused on protecting them that she hadn’t stopped to consider how her silence might have affected them. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, reaching out to pull them into a tight embrace. “I was trying to keep you safe, but I never meant for you to feel like you had to run away.”

Caroline and Arabella clung to her, their small bodies shaking with the force of their emotions. Thalia held them close, feeling the weight of her mistakes pressing down on her. She had wanted so badly to shield them from the dangers that surrounded them, but in doing so, she had only made them feel more vulnerable.

Diana pulled back slightly. Her expression conflicted. “But why, Thalia? Why do we have to leave? Why can’t we just stay here with you? Finn said he would protect us… he promised!”

Thalia sighed, running a hand through her hair as she tried to find the right words. “Because it’s not safe here,” she said quietly. “Our uncle is a dangerous man, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. I thought if you were somewhere else, somewhere he couldn’t find you, then you’d be safe. He sent the letter addressed here – he knows!”

“But what about you?” Arabella asked, her voice small and trembling. “What if he comes after you?”

Thalia’s heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She had thought of that, of course. But she had been willing to take that risk if it meant her sisters would be out of harm’s way. “I’ll be fine,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Finn will protect me.”

The words felt hollow as she said them, and she wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince herself or her sisters. But the look in Diana’s eyes told her that they weren’t enough. Her sister was still scared, still unsure, and Thalia didn’t know how to ease her fears.

“We don’t want to leave you,” Diana said, her voice breaking. “We don’t want to be apart from you again. Finn will protect us all.”

Thalia’s heart broke at the raw emotion in her sister’s voice, and she realized that her sister might be right. She pulled Diana into another tight hug, feeling tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “I don’t want to be apart from you either,” she whispered. “I just want to keep you safe. I’m trying to do what’s right.”

“Together is right. Apart is wrong.”

Thalia sighed into her sister’s hug, and the other two joined. “Don’t send us away, Thalia.”

If they stay here, what else could we do to make sure they are safe?

Her eyes searched the room, trying to find Finn, but he had truly given them privacy. She knew they would have to discuss this before any final decisions were made.

Eventually, Diana pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “What do we do now?” she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

Thalia took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “We’ll figure it out,” she said, her voice stronger than she felt. “We’ll talk to Finn, and we’ll come up with a plan together. We’ll make sure you’re safe, I promise.”

Her sisters nodded, their expressions still filled with worry, but there was a glimmer of hope in their eyes now. “Don’t keep anything from us again, Thalia,” Diana said. “We are old enough to understand. It is not your responsibility. It is all of ours.”

Thalia forced a smile, trying to reassure them even though she felt anything but reassured herself.

“Come on,” she said, taking their hands and leading them back toward the castle. “It’s late. Let’s get you back to bed.”

They followed her silently, their footsteps soft on the gravel path. As they entered the castle and made their way back to their chambers, Thalia couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

I have to talk to Finn.

After tucking her sisters into bed and making sure they were settled, Thalia slipped out of their room and made her way toward Finn’s study.