Page 9

House was quiet.

There wasn’t even a shutter open, and the back patio still had no stairs.

They both stood there analyzing the house and allowing their hearts to settle.

Harlow palmed the doorknob, feeling the smooth metal before pulling it out of her pocket.

She looked to Atlas for direction only for them to smile back at her and nudge her with their shoulder.

So, she was the one to do it.

With Atlas waiting on the path behind her, she inched forward and placed the doorknob and plate gently on the floorboards, being sure not to take a step up on it.

Harlow waited and nothing happened.

No movement or sign from House.

She looked back to Atlas with panic on her face and they waved for her to fall back with them.

When she returned to the Spellsaven’s side, the house buckled a floorboard high enough to slide the doorknob to the back door.

The bottom edge of the back door lifted as if it was fabric, swallowing the gift.

A few minutes passed in which Atlas swung their arms back and forth and rocked on their feet.

Harlow passed the time by picking at her fingertips, worrying them.

Atlas nudged her and pointed back to the house, where it was folding out three steps from the ground to the patio.

Otherwise, nothing else changed.

They began to take a few steps towards the house but Harlow laid her hand on their shoulder. “May I?”

Atlas nodded and bowed, sweeping an arm towards House.

Harlow took each step and mustered the courage to take those steps confidently. She really wanted to test them like how Atlas did with a few toe taps but acting with ill belief in House would surely taint any apology.

She stood at arm’s length and stopped to clear her throat. “Daggerroot Manor, I have acted in ill faith…”

Her voice fell to a whisper. The patio floor lifted behind her, and she slid quickly up against the house before the floor lowered again. Harlow was shocked and held her breath. When everything settled and it seemed that House just wanted to hear her better, she continued.

Harlow cast her head down, ashamed to be admitting this to a house or anyone. “I did know the body inside. But I cannot explain to you why. Not for any blip of my memory or anything like that but because they’re from a life before this one. A life that I would like to stay then and not now.”

She said it before she meant it. As it left her, her chest ached. Could it be that easy? Could she leave it and just refer to it as her past? She swallowed it down, a little lighter already. “I didn’t want you to know and even if I knew you to be… as you are, I still would not. I also do not want the Spellsaven to know. It’s complicated. But what I can promise you is that if there is an immediate danger that I notice or come across, I will do the utmost of my ability to protect all Daggerroots.”

Her shoes were filthy from the dirt path and whatever was in the garden and Harlow was tired of looking at them. So, she raised her head to gauge any reaction from house.

The curtains inside waved. Was that a good sign or a bad one?

The apprentice took a healthy step back and raised her voice. “I also just made a commitment to the garden. I told… them, that I would assist them once a week until I can find a more suitable replacement. I would like to extend the same commitment to you, House. Should you want it...”

The shutters opened all the way and began to shake excitedly in place. This seemed like a good sign. Atlas climbed the steps behind her and laughed.

Atlas beamed. “So that means you’ll have to stay.”

Harlow glared playfully back. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’d arranged this to keep me here…”

“It is my over-the-top style, but no. Can’t say I’m mad about the result, though,”

they teased with a wink.