Chapter 28 Before the House Wakes

Chapter 28 Before the House Wakes
Ivy

The cold air bit at my cheeks, but it wasn't just the morning chill making me shiver. It was the heavy feeling in my stomach, like a stone had settled there. This wasn't pretend anymore. This was real.

"We're almost there," Lucian murmured, his voice barely rising above the hush of dawn. We had been walking for a while, the big mansion getting closer with every step. My heart beat a fast little drum in my chest. His grip on my hand stayed firm, his fingers warm around mine, a silent promise. It felt good and scary all at once.

"Are you thinking about it?" I asked, his face catching my attention when I spoke. It was still a bit dark out but those steady eyes gave nothing away.

He squeezed my hand. "Everything. Us. What we have to do."

"It feels different now," I said."Doesn't it?" The words slipped as a whisper. "This changes things, doesn't it?" It was laced with both feeling scared and having a little bit of hope.

He nodded, his eyes fixed on the dark windows instead of my face. "It changes everything, Ivy," He said my name, my real name. Hearing it shook something loose beneath my ribs. It was brave of him to say it out loud, even with just me listening. "Last night... it was important."

"Yeah,” I said without waiting. "That moment? It was clearer than anything had been in years." I felt like I could finally breathe with him. Not wearing some role. Not pretending. Just showing up... plain, and quiet.

Closer to the large gates, he pulled me near. "We can't let them find out," he whispered. Mrs. Albright's  servant's quarters was right next to the large gates, and I always felt like she had eyes everywhere.

"She always knows," I muttered, gaze sliding toward Mrs. Albright’s window. It was still dark, yet somehow I pictured her behind the drapes. Watching. Always watching. "She sees everything. Like a hawk."

"That's why we have to be smart," Lucian said. "We go in through the back. The kitchen entrance. It's usually unlocked before the staff wakes up fully."

"Okay," I said, trying to sound brave, but my teeth wanted to chatter. "What if someone is up early? What if Mrs. Albright is already walking around?"

"Then we hide," he said simply. "We act like we were never gone. We act like everything is normal. Like we just... went for an early walk."

"A walk lasting past several hours?" My voice came out with a shaky chuckle. "She'd know."

"She can suspect, but she can't prove," Lucian said, his voice firm. "Unless we give her something. We stick to the plan."

We moved through the edge of the mansion. The grass was wet with dew, and my shoes got soaked. We were almost like trespassers entering somewhere meant for me all along. Odd how that felt.

A thin hinge groaned as Lucian eased the kitchen’s rear service door inward. And I held my breath, my whole body going stiff.

"See? Clear," he said low, pulling me inside. The kitchen was dark, mixed with leftover steam from last night's dinner. Each step we toook came slow, one foot in front of the other. Every shadow looked like a person. Every little sound made me jump.

My gut tightened at the thought of Alistair stirring. "Could he be awake?" I murmured, my voice barely there. He was sick, but his eyes, they were too sharp.

"He won't be," Lucian said. "He sleeps late. Most days. Just follow me. No sound."

We tiptoed across the vast cold kitchen. Even time seemed to stretch longer, thin and quiet. Then past the pantry, and into the long hallway that led to the stairs. My room was on the second floor, Lucian's on the third. We couldn't go to my room together. Not now. Not like this.

Just as we reached the bottom of the grand staircase, the hallway's far end suddenly glowed. That single blink of light sent my breath rushing up into my chest.

"Oh my goodness,"I gasped, pulling Lucian back behind a big, potted plant, Its leaves coated in grime. and I tried to make myself as small as possible, willing for my body to vanish.

It was Mrs. Albright. Wrapped in a bulky robe that looked soft and warm. A feather duster hung loosely in one hand. The clock had barely turned morning when she arrived. Way before anyone expected.

"She's cleaning," I whispered, my voice barely there. "She's always cleaning."

"Stay still," Lucian whispered, his body pressed against mine, his fingers locked around my hip, holding me tight. I could feel his heart hammering against my back.

Slowly, Mrs. Albright wiped the table... then shifted to the vase. A quiet hum crept out of her, slightly wrong in pitch, just like every time before.

"If she spots us…” I began, yet Lucian softly pressed his palm over my lips.

"Shh," he mouthed.

She moved closer now, each step small, deliberate. A dull throb built in my leg from crouching for so long. I could smell the faint scent of her lavender soap. She was right there. Just a handful of feet off. Every part of my nerve lit up, shouting without sound. My whole body was screaming, run, hide, don't let her see you.

Just when I figured she’d glance right our way, a loud crash came from upstairs. A vase shattering.

Mrs. Albright's head snapped up, "Oh, for heaven's sake! What now?" The words came the words before she could stop them. Her duster hit the table, forgotten. She hurried off in the direction of the noise, her slippers slapping against the marble floor.

Seconds passed before Lucian eased his hand from my lips. "Go," His voice came soft. "Now. Up the stairs. To your room. Don't look back."

I nodded, my knees wobbling beneath me. I carefully stood up, trying not to make a sound. I took one step, then another, then hurried up the wide staircase. My room felt miles away. I didn't dare look back at Lucian. I just ran, as quietly as I could, up to Zara's room, which was now my room.

Behind me, the click of the lock echoed as I pressed my back to the wood, breathing heavily. Pain stabbed at my ribs with every breath. My hair was a mess. My clothes were damp. I looked in the mirror. My eyes stretched open, scared, yet… different. A spark glared there, sharp and unyielding.

A beat passed before the quiet tap at my door. I sprang up, my pulse jumping. "Ivy?" Lucian's voice, muffled, from beyond the door.

He stood there, weary yet firm on his feet. “You been spotted by her?” My words came out uneven.

He shook his head. "No. I waited for her to go far enough. Then I went straight to my room. She'll think that loud noise was maybe Alistair's valet or something."

"That was a close call," I said under my breath, yanking him through the doorway just before shutting it tight once more.

"It always will be," he said, his eyes meeting mine. "From now on, this is our life. Sneaking, pretending. Being careful."

I looked at him, really looked at him. His strong arms, his gentle gaze meeting mine... like nothing else mattered. That boy carried his father’s name, Alistair’s blood was running through him. I was married to his father, pretending to be... the sister who wasn’t me. 

"I can't go back to how it was," I told him, the words coming out stronger than I expected. "Just... waiting for things to happen to me. Like a doll."

His fingers closed around mine, steady. "This is not something you’ll face alone,” he told me. "We will find a way around it. Side by side

"It's not just about surviving anymore, is it?" I asked. That thought crossed my mind as I held his gaze. From somewhere deep, a new feeling began. Thus time it wasn't panic, but something sharper took its place. "It's about... fighting for something. Something real."

His lips curved, just slightly, worn thin from the day... yet warmth still touched his gaze. “Yeah, Ivy. That’s right. This one matters. Just for us.”

I nodded, looking at Lucian. This kind of love... what we’d stepped into... it felt like air beneath thin rock, one step from falling. Risky, yes. Yet deep down, a shift had taken hold. The version of me that fled at shadows? Gone. My feet stayed planted now. Next to him. No matter what came next, I meant to stay.