After supper, I drove back to the Manor with Onyx, dreading walking through the door. I parked in front instead of the garage in case I needed a quick getaway and trudged up the front steps with Onyx dutifully at my side.

"Are you ready, girl?" I asked, rubbing between her ears before crossing the threshold.

The first thing I heard was Mrs. Renaldi humming in the kitchen. For a moment, it felt like a happy way to come home. Then I remembered that the Manor wasn't home and Devland and Miss Rose were its occupants. The fleeting swell of happiness dissipated, and I started toward the stairs, hoping to make it to my room without notice.

"You're home."

I sighed and closed my eyes, slowly counting to ten before opening them and turning around to face Devland. Crossing my arms, I raised my eyebrow and remained silent. Onyx crouched at my side, baring her teeth without growling as I silently cheered her on. The one thing Devland could never do was charm his way into Onyx's good graces. If it weren't for that, I'd probably still be as sure my name was Dwyer as the color of my eyes when I looked in the mirror. Of course, if that were the case, I'd have to look in the mirror to be sure since I wouldn't remember otherwise.

Devland's gaze flickered from Onyx to me. "I don't see a bag. Is this just a stop or are you staying the night?"

"Do you care?"

"Nora—"

"It was a serious question, Devland." I shifted my weight. "I mean, you left me with my mother for seventeen years and claimed to feel bad about it. Considering that you had a daughter here in Wickenton that you knew about and hid away so nobody would know, I doubt what you said is true. How could you bind your own child against their knowledge? Against their will? Maible did nothing to deserve that except respect her heritage. She thought something was wrong with her because of what you did."

"That wasn't my intention."

"Then what was? Because you pushed me to embrace my powers, remember?"

"I... It's complicated." He sighed. "Her mother met her father and wanted a family with him. I was trying to help."

"Seriously?" I scoffed. "Then why didn't she have an abortion or let you adopt Maible or something? Not that I condone it. Everything would have been easier if it was in the open from the start."

"I don't believe in abortion, Nora," Devland said, his voice a growl. "Not only is it not okay to take a life, once a life is created, it has a piece of its parents' spirits. Even if she wanted, I wouldn't have allowed Maible's mother to abort my child."

"Oh, my God!" I uncrossed my arms and balled my fists at my sides, my fingernails forming half-moon indents on my palms. "Don't you get it? This was never about you! It should have been only about Maible and what was good for her!"

"I didn't want her to get hurt knowing the truth!" Devland exploded.

"No, you didn't want to be caught." I sucked in a breath and held his gaze. "Did you cheat on my mother? Is that why she left you?"

"I—"

I raised my hand. "Actually, I know how to do math, and you did. Just tell me if that's why she left."

"No, your mother never knew about Maible."

Slowly, I nodded, knowing that wasn't the answer that I wanted to hear. It would have been easier if that was the reason that my mother had fled to Briarville. Then I wouldn't have to search to discover the real reason, which was bound to be worse. Just as Calin suspected and Zach had warned.

"Look, Devland, I don't want to talk right now. It's all... too much."

"Nora—"

"And since I have barely begun to digest the fact that I have a sister, I've hardly had any time to figure out how I feel about your role in it," I added quickly and started to edge toward the stairs. "We really shouldn't talk until I have, or I may say something I might regret."

"But—"

"Or not." I shrugged and reached out to hold the banister, taking the first step up backward. "You never know. I need time to figure that out and if you hover around, I won't get it."

"So, what? You need time to determine if you hate me or not?"

I raised an eyebrow, already knowing the answer and hoping that Devland couldn't see it reflected in my gaze as I stared at him. "Sure."

Without saying anything else to jeopardize the small glimmer of hope that sparked in his eyes, I turned my back to Devland and kept a measured step up the stairs to my room as Onyx followed dutifully beside me. I didn't turn to see if he was watching, though I felt the weight of his stare. Keeping count of my breath—in and out—I moved as fast as I thought someone who didn't care would.

Finally, I sagged against the door once I was inside my sitting room and sighed as I cast my gaze to the ceiling. Acting a part was exhausting. I could literally feel the adrenaline that spiked when facing Devland seep from my body as it left, making me want to find a blanket to find blackness under. How could a conversation that lasted less than five minutes leave me feeling so drained?

"What do you think, Onyx?" I asked, tilting my head so I could look down at her. "Should we crash or flee back to Calin's?"

Onyx slanted her head so that she was looking at me but didn't make a noise.

I sighed. "Yeah..." I pushed off the door and saw the presents sitting on the side table, still unopened. "I guess we have to stay, though I am definitely moving those so that they are out of sight. Everything Devland has given me is tainted. Well, maybe not my car, though I wouldn't put it past him to have that low-jacked."

I continued talking with Onyx as I made three trips from the sitting room to my dressing room to store the presents that Devland had continued to leave. Once they were all out of sight behind the farthest rack of clothing, I moved a shelf filled with shoes along the bottom so I wouldn't see their glittering wrapping in various colors every time I turned on the light.

"See?" I rubbed my hands together and walked back to my bedroom. I slipped my shoes off beside the bed and crawled under the covers, fully dressed. "Out of sight, out of mind. Right, Onyx?"

Onyx jumped up beside me, immediately curling against my side, and I laughed as I patted her head. I closed my eyes and let my hand fall after a few minutes, waiting for sleep to claim me. The sooner I woke, the sooner I could leave again.

*****

With a groan, I rolled to my side and punched my pillow so that it was soft and round beneath my head. I blinked at the alarm and cursed. For four hours, I hadn't moved but sleep eluded me. At just after midnight, I knew I couldn't leave the Manor for Calin's so that I could relax. I rolled onto my back and blinked at the ceiling.

Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.

Nope.

No matter how many times I repeated it, the mantra wasn't having any effect.

I flung the covers off me and slid my legs over the side of the bed.

If I went to the kitchen, perhaps I could find some comfort snacks. Then I could have a bath. Maybe that would trick my body into believing I was relaxed enough to fall asleep since the fact that I felt on edge as though I had to stay on guard to remain safe was likely the cause of my insomnia.

Without thinking about it too much longer—it's all I'd done throughout the night—I stood up and made my way through my bedroom into the sitting room in darkness. The bare windows in the hallway provided enough light with the illumination from the full moon, and I easily navigated my way downstairs.

I paused at the bottom of the stairs, looking into the shadows of the dining room, then down the hallway of the first floor. Everything was dark. There were no sounds. What better time for me to investigate things without having to look over my shoulder? After all, that was the reason I'd decided to stay at the Manor and put up with Devland's oppressive presence.

Sucking in a breath, I let go of the banister and started to creep down the hallway.

I bypassed Devland's office and the library until I reached the last door to the wine room. Exhaling, I grabbed the doorknob and repeated to myself that the room beyond was where my answers would be found. Otherwise, why would it be concealed? Nothing in the hidden room could hurt me more than Devland could. I just had to ensure that he didn't know I'd found it.

I pulled the door open just enough to squeeze through, then let it shut behind me.

Darkness surrounded me. I pawed the wall beside the door until I found a light. Flicking the switch, the room was illuminated, and I let my eyes adjust to the brilliance. After a moment, I blinked and narrowed my gaze on the back of the room where the hidden doorway was stationed behind the last row of wine shelves. I looked over my shoulder to ensure I was in fact alone, then crossed the room.

The hinges of the arched doorway were still without dust, confirming that it was used often. I grasped the latch of the handle and pulled, holding my breath so that I could hear whether anyone was there. Silence greeted me, though the signatures I felt the last time I'd opened the door greeted me as strongly as before. This time, Devland's was the strongest, making me happy I'd gone through with trying the spell to discover it.

I stepped forward and began descending the winding stairs, the small light from below growing with each step that I took.

The smell of must grew the farther I went, and I was sure I could hear the tapping of rat claws as they traveled across the floor. How much of that was my imagination—who didn't equate rats and dust to dungeons? –and how much was real, I didn't know. It felt like I'd been thrust onto the set of a King Arthur remake. The magic that seemed trapped tickled my skin, causing every hair to stand on end.

The stairs came to an end with a large, grey landing area complete with an alcove behind the steps. I moved forward as quietly as I could, turning left around the corner at the bottom of the stairs.

A/N: I apologize for the late update. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during the restrictions jurisdictions around the world are enduring. My thoughts are with anyone affected by COVID.

On another note, please understand that my next few updates will be sporadic. Unfortunately, my mum passed away and it's been a process dealing with the emotions that have developed. I'm thankful that it wasn't due to the pandemic but it is still a difficult time for me and my family. I appreciate everyone's understanding and hope to provide the last few chapters of Concealed over the next few weeks.