214 A House with Eyes
Lucian
Mara handed me the letters, and I lifted one to my nose.
Nothing.
No scent. Not even a trace of Martha.
2 2 2 5 =
Just Mara’s, faint from when she found it.
I scanned the writing, then waited in silence until Darian arrived.
When he walked in, I passed the letters to him. “Mara found these in your mother’s room after we dropped her off. She was searching for evidence of the poison.”
Mara greeted him and Tiffany with a soft, polite “hello.”
Darian took the envelope, brought it to his nose, and frowned. “Other than your scents… nothing. Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d assume one of you wrote it.”
I knew it wasn’t an accusation, just an unsettling observation.
“Latex,” he added after another sniff. “There’s a faint trace of it. Someone who handled this was wearing gloves.”
I took the envelope back and checked. He was right. It was there, barely detectable, but unmistakable.
We’d missed it.
“That’s not all,” Mara said, her voice firm. “The spot where your mother collapsed, it had been scrubbed clean. But the rest of the room? Completely untouched. As if whoever went in didn’t want us to notice anything had been disturbed.”
We moved to the couch in the sitting area, letting the implications settle in. Tiffany quietly laid Emma down on the bed nearby. She wouldn’t be leaving, but Darian was still dressed to go to the hospital.
“What do you think?” he asked Mara, his voice low.
She exhaled. “I think Chase has people in this house. Maybe one, maybe more. I’d say Martha was poisoned as a diversion, except for those checks. She sold everything. Her room’s empty. That part of it… feels real. I believe she really did plan to take her life.”
She paused, her expression tightening. “And now the only person who could confirm any of this is in a coma.”
Darian nodded solemnly. “I’ll hold on to the envelopes. When she wakes up, I’ll ask her directly.”
“Good,” I said. “Keep it quiet. Don’t bring this up to anyone. If Chase has eyes and ears in this house, we can’t afford to tip
him off.”
We were surrounded. That much was clear now.
And the next move had to be ours.
“I think we should ask some staff to go on leave,” Mara said, her tone quiet but firm. “Only a handful should stay. Then we have Jason and Austin watch the ones remaining closely. No outsiders should be allowed into the mansion, period.”
I nodded slowly as she continued.
“And we need cameras,” she added. “Not the usual wireless ones, real cameras. Hardwired. Non-Wi-Fi. Footage that can’t be scrambled. Chase has hackers. We can’t take any chances.”
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(214 A House with Eyes
I understood. Every move needed to be airtight now.
“The cameras can be arranged,” I said.
Darian gave a slow nod of agreement.
Then, his voice entered my mind through the link. Have you told her about Mistwood?
My stomach tightened. The question hit harder than I expected.
+8 Points
I haven’t, I admitted. But I think I need to now. Do you mind stepping out for a while, with Tiffany and Emma? I’m not sure
how she’s going to take it.
Darian smirked. Coward, he teased silently, then gave me a quick glance with a knowing grin.
Mara narrowed her eyes, catching the exchange. “Are you two gossiping about me?”
I shook my head quickly. “Just brotherly stuff.”
She raised a brow but let it slide with a small shrug.
Darian stood and stretched. “Tiff, bring Emma along,” he said to Tiffany. “I guess Dad can manage a little longer at the
hospital.”
I chuckled, but the weight of what I was about to tell Mara crept up on me fast.
As they walked out, my thoughts flicked briefly to my father, and to Martha. I didn’t know what he planned to do when she woke up. But I hoped, truly hoped, he’d find room to forgive.
She’d made her mistakes, sure. But the pain she was drowning in… that was real.
And she’d already paid more than most.
Once they left the room, silence settled in, thick and heavy. I didn’t know where to begin. The words felt like lead in my
throat.
I had to tell her.
The trip was happening tomorrow. Unlike other assignments, this one was covert. No symbols of rank. No titles. Just four people in plain clothes, travelling by boat like any other average citizen. Rowan was arranging forged passports and
new identities to keep us hidden.
It wasn’t without risk. Travelling to Mistwood under false identities meant if something went wrong, if we disappeared, no
one could track us. We’d be ghosts.
But it was the only way Chase wouldn’t see us coming.
“Out with it, Lucian,” Mara said, breaking the silence.
I sighed. She was staring at me, eyes narrowed, heart already bracing for impact.
I leaned in and kissed her, hoping for a distraction, maybe comfort. But she pulled away.
“Don’t do that,” she said gently. “Don’t kiss me to keep from saying what you need to say. I know you, Lucian. You’ve been
holding something in since last night. And I know that’s why Darian took Tiffany and Emma out.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Mara…” I said her name softly, taking her hand. “I need you to trust me on this, okay? And please… don’t make this harder than it already is.”
Her eyes searched mine, wary.
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*Tell me.”
I took a breath.
“A few of my officers and I are going on a mission. Tomorrow. To Mistwood.”
She stepped back instantly, like the words had physically hit her.
