maybe I'm waking up today

[Catriona Lee Frye]

There wasn’t time for this. Time to reel from the shock or time to feel the hurt and betrayal that seemed to have a hold upon her. This was not right. Catriona Lee Frye did not freeze. Her children did not lie to her like this. It was difficult to process something that she had previously thought impossible. It was only a day or two ago that Cat and Emilia had sat in this very room discussing the family dinner and Rosemary’s recent troubles. It seemed as though so much time had passed since then. So much had changed in the last ten minutes alone.

It was Emilia’s words rather than the reassuring hand upon her shoulder that brought the older woman back to her senses. Her sister was right, there was nothing to do but what must be done. Starting with finding the little girl, then they could begin fixing whatever mess was left from the fallout.

The smoke helped, sweet on her tongue. She felt it fill her lungs, felt it expelled from her with each breath. It was tangible, it was something she could control amidst all this. She had tried to stop, years ago when Robert had asked- but they all had their vices, it seemed they all had their little secrets it seemed. Some, such as Ciaran’s were just far bigger than others. ”You’re right of course. But how to spin those webs?” Catriona said, the mask once again fixed firmly in place. Her composure was restored. ”First things first, they must be found.” The little girl, her granddaughter, was Catriona’s main concern- perhaps she should have felt some connection to the mother of her only (at least she hoped) granddaughter. But now, the Lee Frye matriarch felt nothing for her… not even on account of Ciaran’s feelings for her, the concern on his features…

She made some valid points, the gift might have been in their blood- but it was by no means predictable. It manifested itself at different times, in different ways, Myra may not even have it… but Catriona knew that wouldn’t stop the king’s men should they believe her to have the gramyre. ”He may have kept her from us, but it just takes one little mistake. One person to see something. We knew what we were looking for, we knew how to keep them safe... we don’t know this woman.” Turning, Cat took in her younger sister- the blonde hair so perfectly styled despite the chaos that had fallen around them. ”I’m sure someone will know if they’ve been taken, and to what ends. If some fool has seen Ciaran visiting and thought they might get a ransom…” She let the threat trail off unfinished. Their household was not one to be trifled with. ”Will you keep trying? To see them? Night will fall eventually, they can’t stay away from a flame forever- surely?”