Page 9 of The Other Omega

“Are they in another room?”

“My lady, perhaps you should sit.”

She looked so worried about me that I didn’t know what to make of it.

“I’m okay, thanks. I just want to see my sisters. Make sure they’re okay, you know?” I kept my voice as calm as I could and slowly edged towards the open doors behind her.

“Perhaps I should fetch someone.”

“Who?”

“Your mother.”

My mother? I stared at her.

“Your mother, my lady,” she repeated, as though I hadn’t heard her.

My skin went cold. “My mum is dead.”

The tray dipped in her hands. “My lady…”

I kept edging towards the doors, trying to look calm. “My mum died years ago.” As soon as I was past her, I ran.

“My lady!”

I flew into a corridor so enormous that I nearly stopped again. Pale stone stretched beneath high ceilings and arched openings. Sunlight poured in from one side, lighting painted walls, carved panels, and huge pots filled with greenery.

“Elowen!”

She knows my name!

My bare foot slapped against the polished floor as I ran faster. The remaining flip-flop kept catching beneath my other foot, so I kicked it off and kept going.

“Ivy! Nora!”

A man carrying a wooden crate stepped through an archway ahead and froze when he saw me. “My lady?”

The maid behind me started shouting for help, and people appeared from everywhere. Two women came from another corridor, a man emerged through a doorway, and soon strangers stood on both sides of me.

They wore the same strange mixture of long dresses, tunics, loose trousers and aprons. Every one of them stared at me as if I were mad.

“Ivy! Nora!”

I ran again, shoving past anyone who didn’t move fast enough. At the next corner, I nearly collided with a woman carrying a broom. I grabbed it from her and backed against the wall, gripping the handle with both hands.

More people gathered around me, and I pulled the broom closer. There were too many of them, and they were all too close.

“Stay away from me!”

The woman I’d taken the broom from stared at me in horror. “I am very sorry, my lady.”

“I don’t want your apologies, ma’am. I just want to know where I am. And if you could please tell me where my sisters are, I’d…” I swallowed, the broom shaking in my hands. “I’d really appreciate it.”

Whispers broke out around me.

“Lady Ivy?”

“Lady Nora?”