They Broke the Duke's Bastard, Now She Is His Only Heir novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: Sweet Sister

"She's not here, my lady," Morna said from the middle of the hall. "You woke six girls to ask me that."

I heard feet on the stairs behind the drape.

Morna boarded her apprentices in the rooms above the hall, and now they came down in their nightgowns, rubbing their eyes, and stopped in a clump on the bottom step.

Odette turned to them with her whole face lit.

"Girls! Forgive me. I only wanted to ask one thing, and then I'll go."

She crossed to Morna and took both her hands.

"A warden sent word to my father tonight that Liora walked out of his fort and is loose in the city. She's sick, Morna. The camp took her mind. I only want to bring her home before she hurts herself."

Her eyes were wet.

She was so good at it.

I had watched her cry on cue since we were nine, and I had always believed every tear.

I put my hand on the wall, and I stepped out from behind the drape.

The girls gasped.

Odette turned.

For one breath her face had nothing on it at all.

Then she cried out, "Liora!" and her hands flew to her mouth and tears ran down her cheeks.

"Oh, thank the lanterns. You're alive. You're really here."

She came toward me with her arms wide.

"Stop there," I said.

She stopped.

"You sent Moxon a letter," I said. "Do not let her speak. You sent two riders after me with swords."

The girls went very quiet on the stairs.

Odette's mouth trembled.

"Liora, what are you saying? I would never. I sent you a coat. I paid for your bread every month for three years."

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