Chapter 27

The elevator opened and we stepped out into the lobby of the Parker Towne House, Thomas slid his arm around my shoulder as we approached the door.  Josh was strangely missing from his usual post; I found it odd, and a bit unnerving considering the recent events. In his place stood a younger, shorter man, who had blondish hair, I didn’t recognize him.  I tensed, and Thomas must have felt it because he pulled me closer.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered into my ear as he teasingly kissed it. I knew he was trying to set me at ease, but it wasn’t working. In all the time I’d known Josh, he’d never missed work, and when he did, no one was here, and we had to use our pass keys or the intercom to get into the building.

“I’m not sure.” I whispered back returning the favor. “I forgot my keys,” I announced as I turned around and headed back for the safety of the elevator to talk to Thomas out of ear range of the stranger at the door. 

“You know we can’t go back to the apartment.” Thomas said. I nodded, I was well aware that his father was probably talking to his great-grandmother by now, and our presence would disturb that. 

“I know we can’t, but I’m not sure who that is at the door,” an edge of concern in my voice. “I’ve never seen him here before. It’s not like Josh not to be here when he’s supposed to be.”

“Maybe something happened and Josh had to take some time off?” Thomas was trying again to make me feel better, less concerned about what was going on. I shook my head. 

“Even when Josh is gone, we don’t have a replacement, we just have to use our pass keys or the intercom.” I stated, “Something is wrong Thomas, I don’t know what, but something is very wrong here. “I let out a sigh, “First James gets all creepy and attacks me out of the blue, I mean I knew he was violent, but I never suspected him of rape.  Now, a strange doorman, when in the history of the building we’ve never had anyone other than Josh.” I said, I was trying to add it all up, and it wasn’t making sense. “Could you sense anything in the Lobby?” I asked Thomas. He shook his head. “Hmm, maybe we should ask your father to come with us, I don’t like this, something just seems off about it all.”  We took the elevator back up to the apartment. Thomas knocked on the door, he didn’t want to interrupt his father and great-grandmother, but he wanted to put my mind at ease, no matter what it might take. 

“Yes?” Mr. Stuart’s voice came through the door. 

“Dad, it’s me Thomas,”   Mr. Stuart opened the door just a crack, not letting us in.  “We need to talk to you, when you’re done talking to great-grandmother. Something is going on, we’re not sure what.” 

“Very well,”   Mr. Stuart replied.  “Can you give me just a few more minutes before coming in?”  Thomas nodded and backed away from the door. 

“Will it never end?” I asked Thomas, who was unsure what I was talking about. “I mean, all the strangeness going on in my life all of a sudden.” I let out an exasperated sigh. 

“What do you mean?” Thomas asked. “I thought you liked that I showed up?” I smiled at him. 

“Yes, I have enjoyed you being here.” I said. “It’s the only thing that’s made it all worth it.”  Thomas pulled me close, and held me tightly, as we stood outside my apartment door.  I still didn’t feel good, my head hurt, and things ached where I didn’t’ even know things existed in my body,  I still wasn’t sure who was behind everything happening to me, was it my grandmother, did she hate me that much, or was it my sister, blind with jealousy, I couldn’t think, and when I tried it made my head hurt more. And why, why was all of this happening?  Did they mean to stop my being wed to Thomas, or was it something more, both attacks seemed to be aimed at my reproductive organs, did they hope to leave me unable to bear children or did they want me dead, I shook my head as if rid myself of the thought. I leaned face first into Thomas’ chest, I was the only place I felt safe, here in this moment, in his strong arms.  What had they done with Josh, I feared for his safety.  I didn’t mean for him to get caught up in my grandmother’s vendetta against me. I didn’t mean for anyone to get caught up in this. 

Mr. Stuart opened the apartment door, we assumed that he’d finished his call with his grandmother and was ready to hear what we’d encountered.  I was surprised to see her beautiful face peering out of the scrying bowl when we entered.  

“Hello Great-Grandson, Hello Princess.”   She greeted us in her sing-song voice.  I envied her beauty, her voice, everything about her. I could see why she was a Siren; her beauty was a wholesome beauty, something soft, and gentle. I had never met anyone like her.  We both bowed our heads to acknowledge her presence.  “I hear you feel that there are things afoot that are bothering you Princess?” I raised my eyes, then stepped close to the bowl, dropping to one knee and started to talk to the Siren. 

“Yes Ma’am,” I spoke succinctly. “I believe that some one is trying to harm me, perhaps kill me or at least leave me barren.” I noticed how formal my own voice became proper in her presence.  It was if I knew how to behave even without formal training, or having ever been at court before.

“Yes Dear, I have been brought up to present with what had happened with your prior suitor.”  The Siren stated.  “Has something else happened?” 

“Yes Siren,” I responded. “There is a doorman I don’t recognize at the entrance to my apartment building. The man that is usually there is gone, I don’t know why, but he is gone.” 

“Why does this disturb you dear?” She asked. Every sentence she spoke was like a new line in a song that only she could hear the music to, and she carried it always in perfect harmony. 

“Because he is never gone, and when he is, no one replaces him.” I replied.  She took some time to think about this, looking between us from one to the other as she did.  

“Thank you Princess I will take that under consideration, I need to finish my conversation with my grandson, if you don’t mind?”  She asked. I nodded my head, and walked back to where Thomas was standing.  “I’m afraid the Princess might be right, that some one is out to get her. Whom, however I’m not sure.” She continued, “The reports that we get is that her grandmother is doing nothing to stop the attacks against Princess Amethyst, we are not sure though that she is behind them. Mr. Stuart nodded as he listened, “We think it could be a rebel faction that doesn’t want her to see the throne or to have a child, and we haven’t confirmed who is behind it. It could very well be her sister, or it could be some one posing as her sister to intimidate her, what we do know is the leader of the rebels is in control of powerful magic, but we can not trace that magic back to Emerald.” She paused, as if waiting for a response; I stood mouth gaping as to how she knew so much about what was going on inside my grandmother’s grotto. I didn’t dare speak; we couldn’t afford to anger her, not when she was offering us the only protection available to us.  I looked up at Thomas, who was just as shocked as I was.

“What do you wish me to do?” asked Mr. Stuart. 

“The Princess is going to need to be protected at all times, and we need to trace this back to the source.” Thomas’ great-grandmother explained. Mr. Stuart nodded. 

“I will make it so.” He bowed his head. The Siren blanked the water and the conversation was over.