The Shadows Below

Prologue

A knock at the door startles me out of my sleep, uncomfortable as it was in the armchair by my granddaughter's bed. She's only just being able to get to sleep and I hope whoever it is will be quiet.

I go to the front door of my apartment and it's her. Older perhaps and wearing a suit instead of the party dresses of yesteryear, but it's her.

'Princess.' All those memories come flooding in and I push them back quickly. I don't have the energy to deal with them. Or her for that matter.

'You remember me, Kasia.'

'I remember we had an agreement. I protected you for as long as you needed me to. Do you remember what you said?'

'It's not me who needs protecting this time round. You've seen the news, I take it.'

'It's not the first time this country has been attacked by outside forces. And I doubt it will be the last. Didn't you go to Princeton?'

She preens a little, I can see it. 'I did. And so did you, I remember. My aunt would be so proud.'

'Not your mother though,' it's a cheap shot and I see it leaves a mark regardless. But she shakes it off.

'Was that so necessary?'

'You come to my house uninvited after saying we were done. It was prudent.'

'No matter. Your country needs you. What my aunt did, you can't hide behind your family and pretend you're not still useful.'

'I'm guessing it didn't make international news, but my daughter died,' my voice breaks, unintentionally, on the last word. 'Don't you fucking dare of accusing me of hiding, when it was you who had to run.'

'Grandma?' Her voice pipes up behind me. Shit. I didn't realise how loud I was.

'Go back to bed, Kasi,' I say firmly. I don't move, I don't turn around.

From the look on her face, this new facet of information is not surprising but it's welcome to her nonetheless. 'Kasi?' And the look on her face now, excited and pleased, send a shard of ice down my spine.

'My daughter's choice. You made one too, Princess. If your family had any honour at all, you will keep your word.'

'I changed my name.'

'Leopards don't change their spots. Leave. Now.'

'It's Marion Hardcastle now.'

'I don't care. Leave.'

'You should tell your granddaughter about me.'

'She's too young for horror stories. Do I need to repeat myself?'

'No.' She takes a breath and expels it slowly. 'I must say, I am disappointed.'

'You have your work, leave me and mine alone.' The words 'you promised' hang in the air between us, unspoken but known to us both all the same.

'If you insist.'

I watch her walk down the hallway and don't close the door until I see the elevator doors close. Old habits die hard.

I close my front door and I'm shaking for the first time in decades.

'Grandma,' little Kasia pokes her head out from her bedroom. She's sheepish, she knows she should be in bed by now. 'Who was that lady?'

'Someone I used to know. She's gone now.'

'Wasn't she very nice?'

'No.' I shake my head. She doesn't deserve my nightmares. 'Not very nice. But she's gone now.'