Lianna reached over and turned down the wick on the bedside table until it went out, and then she picked up her own lamp.
"Goodnight and sleep well," she told her brother. She ran her hand over Aaron's hair and leaned in to kiss his forehead. Even though he was not a baby, and he often frowned at her when she did things like this, he still never told her not to. Perhaps it was because she and their nanny had been stand-in mothers for him most of his life.
"Lia, do you truly promise to take me next time you go into town?" Aaron clutched his blankets up under his chin as he pleaded, trying to make himself look pitiful.
Lia laughed. "You make it sound like getting flour and checking in with Karlin is some grand adventure."
"Maybe not grand, but it's still an adventure compared to being cooped up in the manor all the time." In the dark it was hard to tell, but Lianna could well imagine the pout on Aaron's face at that moment. He was a young boy after all. Adventure of any kind called to him. If only the world were truly like one of those adventure stories in their library, not a place of cruel men and cruel fates.
"I will see if it's possible. You have my word on that, but it may be some time before another trip is needed." She walked to the doorway, letting the lantern in her hand shine light just ahead of her. "Now get to sleep."
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"Alright. Goodnight, Sister."
Lianna shut the door with a click and headed down the hall to her own room. The smile she'd given Aaron vanished. She was already washed and changed into her nightgown, but going to bed was not part of her immediate plans.
It was time to take out the book she'd kept hidden since she was ten years old, one she'd long since given up hope of being fiction and one she'd still hoped she would never have to take out again.
She went to her wardrobe and opened the doors wide. She lifted a few small cases out of the bottom that contained the things her mother had left her, many of which she was saving to finally wear for her debut. The bottom board of the wardrobe had a bent nail in it at the back. By pulling this nail, it lifted the board up. But it didn't come loose easily. She had to pull hard with both hands and one foot braced against the outside of the wardrobe. With a pop and a small cloud of dust, the board came free.
An empty space was revealed below the board, but this was just a deterrent to get anyone who checked to give up, thinking nothing was hidden here. The real hiding spot was in this space and on the back wall of the wardrobe. A knot in the wood pressed in just enough to allow Lianna to hook her little finger onto the wood and pull. This opened a bit easier than the large board, and once a small rectangle of wood popped out to reveal a small, shallow, hole, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
So much for not wanting to revisit this.
She reached into the hole and immediately felt the cool, soft leather cover of the book she had hidden there. She pulled it out and carried it over to her writing desk. Sitting her lamp on the desk too, she saw that the book looked exactly the same as the day she had placed it in the hiding spot. The secret compartment was originally meant for jewels, but since the only ones she still owed were paste jewels–well, besides the one necklace she never removed–there had been no reason for her to use it until she'd written in this book.
Lianna placed her hand on the cover of the book and gritted her teeth. She steeled herself with a deep breath. Mother, Goddess Reiza, if either of you can hear my thoughts, please guide me. Please don't let these evil visions sear my soul again in vain. Help me to find what I'm looking for.