Nightfall Gardens Read Free Page A

learned how to act and perform. How many times had Silas and Lily been told that story? Was that a lie as well?
    “Children, go to your rooms and wait,” Thomas said. He stood and towered over his brother, though Jonquil was twice as wide. “I’ll explain later.”
    He shooed Lily and Silas toward the door. Moira put her hands on their shoulders. “I’m sure this seems confusing, but you must trust us. There is much we haven’t told you — for your own safety,” she said.
    “Wait,” Jonquil commanded. Moira and the children stopped in their trek s. “There’s no time for niceties. This concerns the girl. She needs to hear this.”
    “Me?” Lily said shocked.
    ‘How could any of this possibly involve her?’ Silas thought. ‘Until ten minutes ago we didn’t even know we had an uncle.’
    “Silas, Lily, go to your room. I’ll —,” Thomas began.
    “Deiva is dying,” Jonquil said. His words cut through the room. Thomas collapsed into his chair. Moira loosened her grip on the children.
    “It can’t be,” Thomas said. His voice was a croak.
    “Oh, I’m afraid so,” Jonquil said. “The reaper comes for us all in the end.”
    “Who’s Deiva?” Lily asked their mother.
    “It’s — it’s your grandmother,” their mother said.
    “We have a grandmother?” Lily said. This was growing more puzzling by the moment.
    “Aye. Her blood courses through your veins,” their uncle said. “And that’s what brings me here.”
    “What happened?” Thomas asked quietly. His face crumpled and black circles hid his eyes.
    “Gilirot,” Jonquil said. “It’s ate half her face away. She doesn’t have long.”
    “Is she still —.”
    “Waiting for father to come home from the long ride?” Jonquil sneered. “Every day she sees his ghost approaching from her upstairs window and every day she tells the servants to ready the great hall for a feast. He never makes it from the mist, you know this. She’s grown madder with each year that passes.”
    Silas watched Thomas as he paced the room in great strides. He had never seen him like this. His father was normally unflappable — ‘too gentle hearted’ was what their mother said. His face danced with emotion. He chewed his nails.
    “Why did you come here?” Thomas finally burst out.
    “You know why,” Jonquil said. His face grew hard as stone. “For the girl.”
    “No!” Moira said. She threw her arms around Lily.
    “Blackwood women have always ruled Nightfall Gardens, going back before the written word,” Jonquil said.
    “You could take charge,” Moira burst out. “It’s what you ’ve always wanted.”
    Jonquil sneered. “You think so little of me, eh? I’ve done my dut y keeping the dark at bay for 13 years, but it draws closer with each sip of Deiva’s faltering breath. Only a Blackwood daughter can keep the final night from coming. You know that as well as I.”
    “Children, go to your rooms. Now!” Thomas banged his fist so hard on his desk that his inkpot jumped. Pieces of parchment fluttered to the ground. “Your uncle and I have much to discuss.”
    Moira leaned down to talk to them. She looked ten years older in the glow of candlelight. “I’ll explain everything later,” she said. “It’s a story I never wished to tell.”
    This time Jonquil said nothing as the children were pushed out of the room and the door closed.
    “What was that all about?” Lily said in a huff. She balled her fists on her slender hips. “Do you think that horrible man’s really our uncle? What’s all that blather about us having a grandmother? What’s Nightfall Gardens?”
    “I don’t know, but I have an idea how we can f ind out,” Silas said. He led his sister to the prop room, where they climbed down into the tunnels.
    Muffled voices came from the vent in their father’s office. Silas opened it and bars of light checkered Lily’s face. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?” his sister mouthed. Silas shrugged.
    The voices were clear