CAMILLA’S P.O.V


    Ever since Peggy’s incident with theke, I found myself returning to that exact spot every night to


    practice my newfound powers. I wasn’t sure if I was just a natural talent or if I had learned all this in my


    six year mind gap and it was just slowlying back to me. Whichever it was, I couldn’t help but


    imagine just how cool it must have been for me to own these powers. I felt unstoppable.


    Marie had let go of her grudge and sometimes sat down by theke with me and watched me practice.


    She said it made her feel safer being around theke knowing I was there and could pull her out if need


    be. I wasn’t sure if that made us friends but I was d that she wasn’t trying to run me out of the


    house. Speaking of the house, I had to move out soon.


    I hadn’t told either of them but I didn’t want to be a bother anymore and it seemed like everything was


    going haywire. I didn’t want another situation like the one where Mariepletely hated my guts. I


    didn’t want to make anyone ufortable and I had already started searching for a new job without


    saying anything to them. it was proving to be difficult considering we lived in a small town where


    everyone knew everyone. I knew it was only a matter of time before things got out.


    “Cami,” my


    my door mmed open and Marie walked inside with her hands crossed over her chest. For a split


    second, I thought she had found out about the job but she simply looked me over. “What are you still


    doing here? We have to be in town in a few minutes. Today is market day or have you forgotten.”


    I muttered a small curse under my breath and leaped to my feet. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I


    forgot we had something else to


    1. do. I shoved my journal under my pillow and grabbed the basket by the foot of the mat. She rolled


    her eyes when she saw me scrambling but didn’t say a word.


    The market was a considerable distance away from where we lived which was why we limited market


    errands to once a month. It was a hassle walking the entire way there and back and in that moment, I


    would have killed for a horse but only the rich were able to afford them and rich wouldn’t have been the


    right words to ssify us. We were barely above water as it was.


    “We have to be quick,” Marie whispered to me. “I want to be in and out before mid- afternoon. You


    know that is-”


    “That is when the market bes rowdy. I know, Marie, you have repeated this to me more than five


    times in the past two days alone,” I drawled and she rolled her eyes. “Why don’t we split up? I can


    handle a portion of the list and you can handle another. That way, we can get it done in half the time


    and you can return home as early as you want.”


    I saw her turning my words over in her head. It was hard for someone like her to concede control. She


    loved being able to watch over everything but unless she wanted to be in the market for far longer than


    necessary, then my way was the best way. She debated it for far too


    Th


    09:50 Mon, 22 Apr ..


    long and I sighed.


    “Delegate, Marie, you cannot do it all,” I whispered and she let out a defeated sigh.


    “Fine, but we meet at Joe’s café once we are both done, okay?”


    I nodded.


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    The market was a small but busy ce. Everyone was talking, everyone was moving, it could have


    been overbearing to the wrong people but to me, it felt like a breath of fresh air from the unusual quiet


    of the house. The smells shed against each other and sometimes, it gave me a pounding headache


    but I still loved it. It sounded like the beginning of a toxic rtionship.


    I made sure to meticulously check everything off my list. I didn’t want to give Marie a reason to hate me


    or get pissed off. I was getting the flour which so happened to be thest thing when I heard someone


    clear their throat behind me. I turned to see one of the older women in the town. I didn’t know her


    name, but I knew she owned a cleaning service and she was one of the people I had approached for a


    job.


    “Cressida, is it?” she asked and I gave her the fakest smile I could muster.


    “It’s Cami,” I corrected. “Do you need some help?”


    “No, I just wanted to know why you were leaving Peggy,” she muttered the name with some disdain in


    her tone. “She is all perfect, so why would you want to leave? Is there something that we don’t know?”


    She resembled a predator looking for fresh meat. Her eyes were alive with the potential of possible


    gossip and I knew without the shadow of a doubt that she was not the kind of woman I wanted to be


    working for under any circumstances. I gave her a small smile and slowly removed her fingers that had


    latched onto my other arm.


    “I just wanted a second job,” I lied. “I had no ns of leaving Peggy. She truly is as amazing as you


    think she is. There is nothing to be told and if that is all–?


    “I came to tell you that you got the job,” she cut me off. “But on the condition that you stop working for


    Peggy and work for me only. What do you say about that?”


    “I don’t think so. Thank you for the offer though.”


    She looked taken aback. She was what you would call wealthy and although she still underpaid her


    workers, she paid more than Peggy would ever be able to pay me but I couldn’t betray her like that,


    especially not to someone who looked at us like we were dirt at the bottom of her shoe. Her mouth was


    agape with shock so I gave her a warm smile and turned on my heels only to bump into Marie.


    Her expression was carefully nk and I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the conversation she


    had heard. I opened my mouth to exin but she beat me to it. “I was


    looking for you. You spent way too much time on your part of the list even though I gave you the


    shorter one.”


    “I got roped into a conversation.”


    She nced over my shoulder at the woman. “Clearly; are you done now? I want to grab something to


    eat before we return home.”


    She was acting weird but I couldn’t say anything. I wasn’t sure what she knew and I didn’t want to risk


    telling her more than necessary. We made our way over to Joe’s café and she ordered scones for us


    and some warm chocte. We sat on a chair outside which I noticed was a bit secluded from the


    others and she waited until our order arrived before she finally spoke.


    “When are you leaving?” she asked and my brows furrowed. “That is what you were talking to her


    about, wasn’t it? Don’t y dumb with me, I just want to know.”


    “I’m not leaving.”


    “Then why were you talking with her? Why was she offering you a job?”


    I let out a sigh and exined everything. I started from the beginning and by the time I was done, she


    had a frown on her face. “I didn’t want to be in your hair too much so I thought a job would-”


    “No,” she cut me off and I was taken aback by the sheer determination in her voice. “I am not letting


    you leave. If you want to be paid then we can pay you. It won’t be much because we cannot afford


    what she can but you aren’t leaving.”


    “Marie-”


    “Mum brought you in! I let you in. You cannot just pack up and leave when you see fit. This is not a


    matter of payment or not, this is family, you do not leave family. I know you have only been with us for a


    little over two months but you are still family and I am not letting you leave. If you want to, then you are


    going to have to fight me.”


    I stared at her for a second. She had her hands crossed over her chest and she tried to feign


    indifference but I could see through her disguise. “I am not leaving. When she offered me the job, I


    knew I couldn’t. There is nowhere better.”


    She seemed surprised but she quickly wiped it away. “Good.” She wanted to say more but was cut off


    by a gasp followed by the sound of hooves. I was taken aback because it sounded like an entire army.


    “What the hell is going on?”


    I managed to get to my feet but so did everyone else as the horses finally made their way into the


    market. There were at least five and the men on them had some sort of sigil on their upper arms. I


    couldn’t make it out but Marie let out a gasp and she grabbed my arm tight enough for it to hurt.


    09:50 Mon, 22 Apr.


    “That is the sigil of the royal family,” she whispered in my ears. “I have never seen any of them before.


    They nevere this way. What could they want?”


    “I don’t know, now please stop squeezing my arm, you are cutting off my air supply.”


    She released her hold as one of the horses came closer and I realized that the rider was a woman. Her


    hair was a simr shade to mine and she looked somewhat tired. She looked around and her eyes


    landed on me. There was something akin to recognition in them and her hand flew over her mouth. I


    felt awkward from the way she was staring at me so I took a step back.


    “I think we should go,” I whispered but Marie wouldn’t move.


    “Is she staring at us? Why is she staring at us?”


    “I don’t know but I want to-”


    The woman dismounted and everyone parted for her as she made her way over to us. I watched with


    apprehension and baited breath. She was gorgeous and she looked a tad bit intimidating but I kept my


    shoulders squared.


    Once she reached me, she threw her arms around my shoulders. “I’ve been looking everywhere for


    you.”