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“The question is not why, Rose,” she told her. “We must look at what he does for us. A roof over our heads, food in our bellies—we are safe from harm. This is simply how it is. We must not question it.”
Red searched her face, still struggling to understand how her mother stood by silently as he transferred his abuse from her to her daughter. Is she simply trying to stay alive, too?
Red wondered if the other girls went through the same thing within their homes. Did Alina suffer at the hands of her father? Everyone knew the Floarea family was no different than hers. Rumor had it that it was far worse for Tatiana and Lilianna since their mother died. Then there was Sorin, but no one knew much about her—she only moved there a few months ago, near the edges of town. She was an outcast, never welcomed, and no one knew why she chose to move to such a horrible place.
Her mother took a deep breath as if she had said and done enough. “Get some rest, Rose. I love you.”
Red muttered, “I love you, too.”
Red rolled onto her side and resumed her stare out the window. Frost crept along the edges of the glass, but she was warm, just as her mother said she was. But she did not have a full belly, and she had not been spared from harm. Red could not blame her for what happened. What could she do? To fight back would be the death of her. To leave with nothing but the clothes on her back would be her demise. Her father had made certain that they had nothing to run to. They would starve to death or freeze; no one would open their doors to them.
She could do nothing but watch.
“You must not fear,” her mother said as she rose and walked toward the doorway. “Some part of me always knew I would lose you.”
She shut the door, and Red heard it lock, the loud clang of the metal making Red’s blood curdle. What does she mean? Why is she going to lose me? A chill crept up her spine as she remembered what her grandmother said.
“Don’t worry. Justice is coming for you.”
7
OCLEAU
THE YEAR OF THE CURSE
MATTHIAS
Recovering from his shock, Matthias pried his eyes away. Seeing a woman who so closely resembled his lost love made every nerve in his body vibrate. She was nearly identical, from the roundness of her button nose to the tinge of pink in her cheeks. Tendrils fell loose from her pinned hair, the rich chestnut brown the only difference between them. She even smelled the same. How was it possible? How could I even tell? Matthias’s mind reeled, his hands sweating despite the cold.
He nervously fumbled with his purchase in an unsuccessful attempt to look busy. Matthias knew he had to speak with her, even if there was no way she could be her. As he snuck another glance, their eyes caught, and a gentle smile appeared on her perfectly round face. With bravery he did not possess, the woman approached him.
“You look like you have seen a ghost,” she said, “and you dropped one of your packages.”
Matthias looked at the muddy ground around his feet and saw the wrapped meat he had bought earlier soaking in the boggy mess. “Damn it,” he said under his breath.
He snatched it up and wiped the dirt off of the butcher paper. Mud from the package transferred to his hands, then from his hands to his trousers. Humiliated by such a terrible first impression, Matthias found himself speechless.
She studied him. “I have not seen you around before. You must be new.”
Could it be? His heart caught in his throat before he reminded himself of the cold, hard truth of it all. She was dead and had been for nearly ten years.
Finally finding his voice, Matthias told her, “I have recently returned after many years away.”
“And what would bring a man back here?” she asked with an airy laugh.
A week ago, Matthias would have agreed. It was never in his plan after escaping this place to return. Everything in this town reminded him of what he lost: a life he could only live with her. Looking at the woman before him, he wondered if he could take that life back. The woman before him had no husband or child; this was a good sign.
“Nothing important,” he lied, his voice hardly a whisper as he shook away thoughts of his past. He stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Apologies for being so brash. My name is Matthias.”
Her smile grew, and her eyes lit up with amusement. She reached out to shake his hand and said, “My name is Ana. I must be on my way now, but it was a pleasure to meet you, Matthias. I do hope to see you around more often.” With effortless grace, Ana turned to walk away. She glanced over her shoulder, locking eyes with Matthias.
Did he know her, or was his mind playing tricks on him because she looked like her?
His stomach twisted into knots, a feeling he had long forgotten. It had been over ten years since he felt that twist, and he found it both uncomfortable and pleasantly addictive.
Ana turned away again, her fast-paced footsteps squelching in the mud.
Perhaps fate was giving him a second chance. His ailment brought him back here, where a chance encounter with a woman who looked like her occurred. If he played his cards just right, perhaps Ana could fill the space left behind from when she died. And fill the space of someone else… Aside from Juniper, there was one other person he left behind ten years ago—someone he could not care for on his own. The twist in his gut told him to pursue this. If he did everything right, maybe he could have a family again.
