Secrets... Secrets... Secrets...

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I should have closed the bay windows.  I thought I was safe inside Bethlem's cozy house but it seems like I am mistaken.

Two silhouettes of burly men came in through the windows and headed straight to my bed. Since it was dark, I was not able to see properly but thanks to Tom, I was practiced in dark with the sound as my companion.

In dark, when we are at danger, our body supports us by sharpening our other senses. 'Hearing' being the next important senses after 'seeing' gets sharpened to a limit beyond human capacity and if we are trained properly, we can actually hear what is happening around us.

I have learned everything in a hard way. Becuase on one occasion, Tom taught me with a sword in the dark and I did a mistake by narrowing my eyes to see in the dark which decreased my concentration with the hearing. I was slashed with the sword heavily which needed four stitches on my biceps.

Recalling all his instruction; I understood that the men have circled around my bed. So, I prepared myself with my legs parted, strong pointed foot in front and the other in the back with my hands similarly positioned. But no one came to me.

If I am right, I could hear a light chuckle. Indeed, this goon could see me but I couldn't see them. Frustrated, I strained hard and concentrated on their breath. But, I couldn't hear anything. Nor they were moving an inch. So it was really difficult for me.

Suddenly the light came out. I saw the men who were standing with their hands crossed back, on either side of my bed. They didn't wear any masks. But, that didn't stop them from smiling at my stupid stunt on the bed.

I threw myself from the pose and got down into the middle of the room and looked at them. Tom has always taught me to never start a fight. You should always learn; of their body, facial expression, movements and everything about your opponent, he always said. Since these two were thousand pounds extra in strength and stamina, I was getting a little nervous.

Staring closely at both of them, I learned they were just as me, calm, poised and skillful. There was not a mistake by them which would have helped me to climb on. 

I crossed my hands on my chest and stared hard at them. The guy on the right blew out as if he was already tired of me.

"Look, missy, we not to fight and hurt you. We want the clues and map that are all."

"Who sent you?" I bravely asked. Although I wasn't that much brave inside; it looks like they can take me with a snap of their hands. That's big.

"You know, I come for clue or map. Whichever!"

"You are not from here, are you?" I asked. Their manner of talking is different.

"Why you care, missy? Tell, and we go." The man number one was the only one who was talking. The other guy was in fact, moving alarmingly closer by the minute towards me and he thought I haven't noticed.

"I don't know, you tell me. Tom doesn't have stupid men in his group. I am sure of it."

Just what I wanted; the second man threw himself at me. He was coming through, dominating the right direction, I stepped to the left and buckled my knees hard and rough into his groin. I missed and hit his stomach. He doubled in pain. Nonetheless, I took the moment to raise my knee hard into his chin by keeping my hands on his shoulders, pinning him down.

I was surprised by my own gracefulness. He fell down straight on his back clutching his now bloodied jaw. I took this chance, to bring my force full on his groin, never bothering if he could ever relieve himself properly or not, ever. That took him neat and clean. He howled in frustration and named me in colorful daggers.

Surprisingly, the first guy was not coming to attack me as I predicted. So, to not let the guy on the floor be a problem, I folded my pointed finger and hit hard but not as hard to get him killed, on the carotid vein to knock him unconscious. I didn't fail this time.

Now, the guy number one stepped forward and said, "You did right kid. Tom warned us. That doofus never listens. Tell me about clues and I go."

"Listen; tell Tom, I am not a teddy for him to toy with. I am trying to find my mom and not his damn map."

"Don't play with fire. You burn."

"Exactly, give your advice to him."

He was alarmingly near to me and trust me I was scared. This man was a freaking mountain in front of me with his toned biceps the size of decent rocks in the brook.

"I warn you, pretty girl." He stood just in front of me.

Suddenly I heard Seb yelling for me. The man looked at the door and to me and asked once again to which I replied, "Go to hell". His slap stung, hard and strong. I staggered backward, feeling something circling around my head. Before I could gain consciousness, he took his friend, threw him down the window and jumped down. Before jumping out from the window, he warned me again, "We are your shadow. Beware!" 

I looked through the window to see the second guy on his wobbly feet, hot on the trail of the first man. Suddenly there were howls and screams from the place where the men vanished into the darkness.

Seb ran to me with a worried look.

"You alright, did they hurt you?" he asked too many things at once but all I heard was this question.

"I am alright, but I can't be sure of the guy who came here. It reminds me, where is uncle?"

"He and Carrie are knocked unconscious in their room." 

"But, they came in through the windows..."

"I don't know. Look, have you got the new clue? We need to move. I don't think even uncle can help you keep safe now."

"Seb, relax, nothing is going to happen to me."

"You can't be sure of it."

"I can since..."

"I don't want to hear anything, just find the clue and pack your bag, we are leaving." Seb's voice was unnatural now. Is he going to cry? What the...

"Seb, stop..."

"I said, don't say anything. I don't want to hear it."

I saw he was strangely nervous. I held his trembling hands and made him look into my face.

"I can't afford to lose you, Lily, you have no idea. I can't... I can't afford to lose you... not after..." his voice cracked.

"You won't Seb. You won't. You don't know Tom. He taught me everything he can... not because he wants me to learn martial arts or something. It's because he knew something like this will happen; he will make happen and he was indirectly keeping me safe. I don't think it's because he loves me, it's because he needs what he wants and he knows I can only get it for him. So, relax, nothing will happen to me as long as I delay finding the clues. He has no idea where I have reached. Or even if he has, I don't know about the next clue. There are only letters in that box, Seb. I need to read them. There aren't any hints or anything."

Seb listened to me closely and he kissed my inner hands and turned around to go out from the room.

"I... I will go wake up uncle."

"Alright," I said.

He left me in the fairy lights alone with the ghost of his lips lingering on my inner palm like electric signals.

I sighed hard and once again took the letters. Thank God, those stupid men didn't see the letters. Even if they saw it, I don't think they will take it with them. They might not know what to do with the letter.

I got attuned in my soft bed and opened the third letter when Seb came rushing inside with a very apprehensive face, "I can't seem to wake uncle. I don't..."

I closed the box and wore the chain around my neck; then ran down the stairs to uncle's chambers which were more decorative and attractive than the guest room. He was peacefully lying on his stomach on the bed and I carefully walked next to him and took his hands.

The pulse was very faint. I think they have hit on the back of the neck extra hard. I panicked. I memorized how my uncle taught me to use the pressure points; I turned him onto his back and slowly applied pressure on his solar plexus.

Nothing!

It should have worked. With panicky but strong hands, I hit them a little too strong and I saw him flinch.

"What is it?" he groggily asked me, clearly doubtful to see me in his room. He looked to his side to see his wife's place empty. We both shared a look. But then she walked out from the room looking at us, stunned.

Seb slowly said everything to uncle and uncle seemed to be more curious.

"But, she is here. She should have heard... I don't understand."

Just then she signed something to him and he looked at her, smilingly. "She is saying, she heard something upstairs and was about to call me. But I am dead while asleep. So she was taking water to wake me up when you came and woke me."

Something in the story didn't add up. Nonetheless, we said our sorry and walked to Carolina's room. It was unlocked, and astonishingly her room was plain and undecorated. It really surprised me. She was sitting on the bed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Are you alright?" Seb asked. She just nodded.

"What happened?" this was my first time talking to her in a very civilized manner.

"I am a late sleeper, I was reading my book when the lights went out and two men walked in. Before I could grasp my surrounding, I was hit with something in the back of my neck. What doesn't make sense is I hear a woman's voice. What was that? It was not Lillian."

Although she was talking to me, the last part was not addressed to me or Seb; she was talking to herself. Seb looked at her with confusion etched on her face. From that, something really didn't add up. Something is wrong somewhere.

"I don't know. I did keep men down the path for watching and I guess they might have caught them. Let me go and check. Do me a favor and stay together... both of you."

I and Carolina shared a look but she just nodded after a thoughtful minute.

Seb walked out from the room and once again, the house was silent.

Carolina was quiet most of the time and I occupied myself by flipping through her magazines. Once again, surprised to see that most of it were commerce and business based magazines rather than fashion and makeup. There were art books and novels on her bookshelf. I was impressed by her books collection.

"I love to read. That is the only time when I think, someone really understands me," she said in a very soft voice. I wondered if she was directing that statement to me or not.

"What makes you think like that?" I asked, equally lowering my voice.

She sighed with a longing look into the books. "You can see, I am beautiful... and people take me for being the blind bitch just because I am beautiful. I don't have any real friends apart from those girls who call only to get fashion advice from me. I am no lover of such things but wear fashionably which is not by choice. I just love to mix and match. Apparently, that becomes a fashion statement. But, when they call for advice, I can't tell them; I mean I don't know how. And as soon as they realized it, they declared me to be a stuck up bitch that is too good to share a fashion advice. Well, other major insults behind my back, but smiling divas to my face. It's frustrating and humiliating. Can you believe it?"

I was stunned to hear a full confession from a girl who I instantly disliked because let's face it, she was beautiful. I felt really sad for judging her before knowing her story. I just stood there saying nothing only because guilt ate me up as a whole.

"And now you walk in with your hands tightly secured on Seb making me vulnerable all over again. It makes me feel, there is no point in living." her voice was low and sad and cracked. Not angry, as I predicted.

"Why do you say that? I mean, I have not declared our relationship; I have kissed him, that's all. It was a very low point of my life. I don't regret it, but I don't think that is enough for me to fix my heart into this, especially not when I am in this mess."

"You sound confused." She said. She caught me red-handed.

"I am... I mean, I don't know... I... why did you say you are vulnerable seeing Seb with me?"

"Nothing..." it was a reflex answer.

"Be honest, who is Seb to you?" I asked, turning completely to face her from the books.

After being silent for so long, she looked up into my eyes and said with tears, "he was my husband."

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A not so interesting lanky chapter, but has some crucial points ;) I may edit this sometime later, but now, I am a bored, heartburn furious and deeply distressed girl. So, enjoy :D More on its way.

Husband??? AHHH, What??!??!