Page 48

“Call the fire brigade. Don’t want it getting out of control,” Trey tells one of the guard’s, who pulls his phone out.

Leaning against the hood of the limo, I listen to Liam singing at the top of his lungs inside the house.

I also hear glass shattering before he comes to the front window on the top floor.

He waves and I laugh before waving back.

“That man is unhinged,” I tell Trey as Kyson comes out, shaking his head. He reeked of petrol fumes. Kyson stops beside me.

“The fool is going to kill himself one day,” Kyson says, when Liam suddenly sets the curtains of the room on fire, with the lighter he stole from Kyson. He starts cat calling out the window and dancing.

“Liam, get out of there! The room is on fire, you twat!” Kyson calls out and Liam stops the weird ass fire dance he was doing. The entire room goes up and he yanks the curtain rod of the window.

“You smell smoke?” he asks, smiling, and showing all his teeth.

Kyson shakes his head again, as Liam climbs out the window, dancing on the roof and chanting about fire gods, or some crap.

The room beside him catches on fire and Liam rubs his hands together, getting ready to jump off the small porch roof, when he suddenly vanishes.

I blink before hearing a crash, as he falls through the porch roof.

He groans sitting up, while Trey erupted in laughter.

Liam holds his hand up. “I’m okay!” he announces before rolling on his side. A tile falls off and hits his shoulder before shattering on the ground.

“That hurt my fanny!” he says, rubbing his butt and skipping down the steps when the entire porch collapses.

“Wow! Talk about in the nick of time!” Liam says.

“I swear, you have nine lives!” Kyson tells him with a shake of his head.

We watch the place burn, the roof caving in and the air filled with black smoke.

Once we hear the sirens on the way we climb in the limo, knowing they will contain what was left of the burning rubble.

But as the wind carries the smoke away I feel myself relax, as if it was also carrying my past with it.

Ivy was no more. Mrs. Daley was no more.

I knew my past and what we endured would always remain, but the sense of relief that comes with watching that place burn gives me hope that maybe the memories would one day fade.

Maybe they wouldn’t hurt as much. Kyson reaches over and squeezes my hand, and I look at him.

“Ready to go home?” he asks, and I nod.

I am ready to go home, and for once the castle felt like home, as much as I am petrified of going back knowing there was someone there trying to sabotage everything, ruin me.

It still doesn’t bring the fear this place did.

And for once I feel free. Free of everything and this place.

Free to try to move on. Because one thing I know, if I can survive eight harrowing years here, I can survive anything.

Nothing breaks a soul more than being suppressed.

Nothing breaks someone more than being shackled and trapped in a repetitive loop of torture.

Kyson and I have our differences, different beliefs that come with different upbringings, different views of how we should be.

Kyson was raised with a silver spoon, while I was raised with whips and canes.

Both of us have our own struggles to contend with, and I know what Kyson struggles with most is insecurities.

While what I struggle with most, what was beaten into me, engrained making me meek and fearful of everything, something I am trying to work on, yet you can’t beat a dog every day and expect it not to flinch when you pat it.

Everything takes time, but I know Kyson can be patient.

I just have to remember I have to be patient with him, too.

I know, I know little about who I am, but I trust Kyson will eventually teach me.

As much as he angers me, I do trust him.

And after today and him letting me have control, I trust he will also one day let me find my voice.

The one that was squashed and was suppressed living here.

So with those thoughts in mind, yes, I am ready to go home.

Home is something I never thought I would have, but now I realize home is anywhere Kyson is.

We meet up with the bus at the first service station on the way out of town, which is waiting parked on the side of the road for our convoy.

The bus follows us back to the castle. I feel terrible for all the children being cooped up on the bus that long.

Although we do stop twice to let them burn off some energy, and at the last stop, the children were becoming too rowdy, so Liam climbs on the bus with them.

When we finally reach the castle, it is early morning.

We have arrived and are pulling into the castle when Kyson shakes my arm to wake me.

“We are home, Love,” Kyson whispers, and I yawn. It is still dark outside, but the castle is lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Clarice and everyone set up the ballroom as a sleeping quarter for the children,” Kyson tells me, and I am glad he thought ahead. I was too busy sleeping and forgot they would need somewhere to sleep. Kyson however, seems to think of everything.

I climb out of the limo, and Kyson grips my arm to steady me since I was still half asleep.

The bus door opens, and Liam stumbles out, nearly getting knocked over as the kids rush out behind him.

He stumbles past us. “I need a fucking drink!” he growls, looking worse for wear as he makes his way inside.