Of the Forest and Sea

Chapter 18

My boots were loud against the forest floor, and my heartbeat pounding in my ears. It was the middle of the night, but I needed to see Maria. She had to see this too. I could see the manor through the trees, and I tried to run faster. It was late, I knew I didn't have much time with her.

I should have gone through the hide out.

"Maria!" I bolted through the field to the back doors, running to her tower stairs. Benjamin and Loveday appeared out of the corner of my eye for a moment before I ran up the stairs.

"Robin? Where are you going? Come back here at once!" Benjamin's voice echoed up behind me, his footsteps followed his voice. But I was faster.

As soon as I got to her door, I almost fell in and locked the door behind me.

"Robin?" Her voice was so quiet behind me, and I tried to slow my breathing.

"It happened again tonight. I saw it. And then..." I stopped to catch my breath again.

Bang! Bang! Bang! "Robin de Noir, you will open this door at once! Leave my niece alone. It is the middle of the night." Benjamin's voice came through the door loud, but I ignored it.

"Slow down, Robin. Start from the beginning. What happened?" She slid out of her bed and quickly covered herself with her robe.

"The moon, Maria."

"The moon?"

"Yes, just like the 5,000th moon. But smaller. You wouldn't have seen it if you weren't at the shore."

"Then what happened?"

I pulled the dagger from my belt and handed it to her. The moment it left me hands, the pearls stopped glowing, and the shimmer faded.

"Moon pearls?"

"Why aren't they glowing? They were just a moment ago."

"They're not meant for me...they're meant for you, Robin."

"For me? Why me?"

"First the crown, now the dagger... Maybe there is something that's going to happen... I think we need to tell Benjamin and Loveday. They can help us."

"Are you sure?"

"We don't have another choice. Besides, I'm sure Uncle hasn't left the door." She walked over and unlocked her door, opening it to let Benjamin in.

"You two better have a very good explanation as to what Robin is running in here for, in the middle of the night."

"Uncle, there's something Robin and I need to tell you, and Loveday. We don't know what's going on, but we can't figure it out on our own."

"Gad's teeth, what have you two gotten into now?"

Maria grabbed a box from her desk, took my hand and pulled me downstairs, Benjamin following us. What could he think happened?

"My goodness, Robin? I didn't think it was really you who tore through my home, but I should have known if Benjamin went after you so quickly." Loveday looked at Benjamin, who only looked at us, disappointed.

"Uncle, is there somewhere private where the four of us won't be heard?"

"Let's go to my office." We all followed Benjamin, who bolted the door after we were all inside.

"What's going on? Is everything alright?"

"Something's happened, apparently, but neither are being very truthful. I still don't know what is so important that Robin has to come tearing through my home in the middle of the night and lock himself in my niece's bedroom."

"Robin is that true?"

"Yes, but-."

"Uncle, Robin needed to see me. This is a matter of urgency no matter when this happens. A few weeks ago, when Robin was recovering here...well, we found something. That's why we were out in the forest in the first place. I had asked him to meet me there, at sundown."

"Meet you where?"

"The amphitheater. Maria said she needed to how me something important, and who am I to deny her that?"

"Uncle, Loveday, the moon pearls have come back. This time..." Maria set the box on the desk and opened it. Loveday gasped, and Benjamin couldn't hide his shock.

"Oh, Maria, it's beautiful. But why do you have it?"

"We don't know. And then tonight, Robin found this." I laid my dagger next to the crown, both objects glowing brightly, more so than before.

"We thought Dulac was the worst that could happen to us...until we started having bad luck no matter where we went or what we did. The tonight, I went to the amphitheater. I don't know why, but I felt like I needed to. When the moon rose, I saw the flash, then this caught my eye on the shore."

Benjamin let out a breath and gave Maria a key. "In the library, there's a section of books against the back wall."

"Secret Door and Private Lockers?" Benjamin looked at her in disbelief, and Maria hung her head.

"No, but now I'm glad I moved it. Three section to the right from that. Pull the furthest book to the left, and you'll see a lock in the back. Turn the key, and you'll find the book. When you find it, bring it back here so we can, hopefully, figure this out." Maria took off, leaving me alone with Benjamin and Loveday.

"Benjamin, I'm sorry for barging in so late. I knew it couldn't wait until morning."

"It really could have." I rolled my eyes.

"While I have you here alone though...there is something I'd like to ask you. Are you going to send Maria back to London?"

"For a social season? I had thought about it. It may do her some good to be back in her London roots. But as I told her, and as I'm sure she told you, there are things I need her to learn here. Things that would be severely looked down upon in London. Especially for a lady to learn."

"I was wondering, if she could stay here, no matter what?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, sir, I..." His stare bore into me. Was I actually going to ask him this? "I want..."

"Robin, what it is?"

"I want to marry Maria."