Chapter Three

In the evening, Adele entered her room and found Anna sitting there, tears streaming down her face.

The moment Anna saw her mother, relief washed over her. The tears kept rolling, but at least Adele was safe.

"What's wrong with you?" Adele asked, crossing to her at once.

"Mummy, I thought something bad had happened to you."

"Why would you think that?" Adele frowned.

"I came back from the market and found the whole house scattered."

"The whole house?" Adele's voice caught.

"Yes, Mummy."

Something shifted in Adele's expression.

"As if someone came here searching for something," she said, more to herself than to Anna, fear creeping into her voice.

Anna nodded.

Without another word, Adele rushed into her bedroom to see whether anything was missing. Anna followed and watched her mother tear through the room, wrenching open drawers, flinging things aside as though searching for something she couldn't bear to lose.

"Mummy! What are you looking for?"

Adele didn't answer.

A few moments later, she found it — a small wooden box, tucked beneath a loose floorboard. She snatched it up and held it tightly against her chest.

"Thank goodness," she whispered.

"Is it about that box?" Anna asked, staring at it.

"It's nothing," Adele said quickly.

"Mummy, is that box the reason you tore the room apart? You were scared and silent a moment ago, and now you're telling me it's nothing just because you found it. You're scaring me."

Adele sighed and looked at her daughter for a long moment before forcing a small smile.

"Okay, my daughter. You don't have to worry."

Anna wasn't convinced, but she said nothing more. That night, having found the box, Adele made a decision that would change everything.

"We must leave this village," she told Anna.

"Why?" Anna startled.

"This village is no longer safe for us."

"But we can't leave. There's a three-day curfew because of the new maids' selection. No stranger is allowed in, and no villager is allowed out."

Adele fell silent for a moment.

"Fine. We'll leave the moment the selection ceremony ends."

Anna studied her mother, suspicion flickering in her eyes, but she held her tongue and went to bed.

The Following Morning

The next morning, Anna set out to visit Blair. She wanted to warn her that she and her mother would soon be gone — she didn't want Blair to come looking for her one day and find an empty house.

"I'm heading out," she told her mother at the door.

"Don't go far, and don't come home late," Adele said, her face tight with worry.

"I'm just going to my friend's. Blair's house."

"Blair? Who's that?" Adele had never once heard the name.

"She's my friend," Anna said simply, and before her mother could ask anything more, she was gone.

At Blair's House

Blair's aunt was outside hanging clothes on a rope when Anna arrived.

"Good morning, ma," Anna said politely.

The woman turned on her with a stern look. "Who are you? Who are you looking for?"

"Is Blair around?"

"And who are you to be asking about Blair?"

"I'm her friend. My name is Anna. Please, is she around?"

"Blair hasn't been home since yesterday. I sent her on an errand to the market."

"What?!" Anna stared at her, disbelieving. "What if something happened to her? You didn't even go looking?"

"That's not my business," the woman said, turning back to her washing as though she'd said nothing at all.

Anna glared at her back. "You're exactly as the villagers say you are," she muttered, and turned to search for Blair herself.

She ran to the market square. Nothing. She checked the playground. Nothing. She went to the tree where the two of them always played. Still nothing.

Her heart began to pound. Could something really have happened to Blair?

"Blair!" she called, again and again, until her voice grew hoarse and she'd searched every corner of the village she could think of.

She was on the verge of giving up when an old woman caught her by the hand.

"Don't stress yourself, child," the woman said gently. "I saw Blair yesterday. She slipped into her house when her aunt wasn't around — it was already late — and a few minutes later she came out again, carrying a small bag. Then she left."

Anna's eyes widened. "She left?"

"I believe she was running from something."

"But why? Why leave without even saying goodbye to me?" Tears gathered in Anna's eyes.

"Maybe she had her reasons," the old woman said.

Anna lowered her head, tears sliding down her cheeks as she tried to convince herself that was true. But one fear kept circling back: what if something happened to Blair while she tried to slip past the curfew?

"She'll be fine," the old woman said, as if she'd heard the thought. "You just have to take heart." Then she turned and walked away, and Anna watched until she vanished from sight.

"I hope you're fine, Blair," she whispered. "And I wish you happiness, wherever you are."

She wiped her face and headed home.

Back Home

Adele was waiting outside when Anna finally arrived, her worry plain on her face.

"Why are you back so late? You left this morning."

"I'm sorry." Anna tried to slip past toward her room, but Adele caught her hand.

"Are you okay?"

Anna looked up, no longer able to hide it. "I couldn't find Blair," she said, and burst into tears. "I was told she left the village last night, for no reason. She didn't even say goodbye."

"Oh, sorry, my dear." Adele pulled her close, patting her back gently. "Maybe she had her reasons." Then she paused. "You said her name is Blair?"

Anna nodded. "Yes."

"It's all right. Don't cry." Adele wiped her daughter's tears away. "Does she live with her mother? Do you know her mother's name?"

"No, she lives with her aunt." Anna sniffed. "But she has a pink butterfly tattoo on her neck. Her aunt told her that her mother drew it on her right after she was born."

Adele went still. A thought struck her, sudden and unwelcome.

Could it be?

"Is Blair the daughter of Kieka?" she whispered, too quiet for Anna to hear.

She didn't dare say it aloud.

Adele walked Anna to her room and stayed beside her until she fell asleep. Then she stood in the doorway, looking at her daughter's sleeping face, and let out a long, soft sigh.

"I don't think I can keep protecting you in this village, Anna," she whispered.

She turned and went quietly back to her own room.