Chapter 18

"Are you expecting someone?",Sebastian asked softly.

"Not today, no",Evaleen said. The only person she was expecting was the seamstress who would bring her dresses for her and she wouldn't come so late at night.

"Wait here. I'll go check",Sebastian said and dropped the tray on the bedside table. The knock didn't sound again after the first time and he began to grow suspicious. If it had been Nicklaus or aunt Beatrice, they wouldn't need to knock. They would just come in. Sebastian was totally alert as he walked towards the door and put his ear against it. Despite being told to wait in the room, Evaleen followed behind her son, wondering who would come calling at this time of the night.

"Do you hear anything?",she whispered softly.

Sebastian shook his head. There was no sound from the other side. Only the howl of the wind.

"Maybe we should just ignore it",Evaleen suggested. "It sounded only once".

"Or maybe someone actually wants us to open the door",Sebastian said.

"I don't think that's a good idea honey", Evaleen said.

Sebastian abruptly yanked the door open and Evaleen held her breathe. There was no one on the other side. It was pitch dark, save for the lantern hung at the corner of the door. The sky lit up occasionally with lightning and thunder rumbled far away, heralding a downpour.

"I guess someone knocked at the wrong house",Evaleen said and watched as Sebastian crouched and picked something from the ground.

"What is it?",she asked and moved closer to him.

"An envelope. Someone must have dropped it",Sebastian said. He looked around again before turning and closing the door behind him.

"Who could have dropped it?",Evaleen asked as she eyed the envelope with suspicion.

Sebastian didn't answer. Instead he tore it open and a smaller white paper fell out. He picked it up and unfolded it. The note within was short and without preamble.

'I need your help Sebastian

meet me at the west river

Nicklaus.

"The west river? At this time?",Evaleen said in wonder. "What could he be doing out there so late at night?".

However Sebastian continued staring at the short message. He knew instantly it didn't come from his best friend. He and Nicklaus had been together all through that day and if Nicklaus was really in trouble, he would ask for help physically. Not write it through a short note. Someone was trying to lure him out for whatever reasons and whoever it was did a poor job at it.

"This didn't come from Nicklaus mother",Sebastian said with finality.

"It didn't? Then who would send this?",Evaleen asked.

"I don't know. But someone is clearly trying to lure me out for some reasons", Sebastian said. "Nicklaus would come to me personally if he actually needed help, not write a letter. We spent the whole day together".

"Then who could it be?",Evaleen asked. "Did something happen today when you both were at old Gregory's place?".

"We were at the Kingdom square", Sebastian blurted without thinking and he suddenly wished he could take back the words. But it was too late. The damage had already been done.

"You were what?",Evaleen shrieked.

"We just took a walk mother",Sebastian tried to defend himself. The secret was out already so he didn't see any need to lie. It wasn't a big deal.

But to Evaleen, it was a big deal. She had always warned him to stay away from open places like the Kingdom square or the town market. When Sebastian asked why, she adamantly refused to give a reason. Sebastian had no choice but to agree to her wishes. He didn't know she was trying so hard to hide him so people wouldn't see the resemblance he had with the King. And he had been in the Kingdom square today, the same day the King made an appearance to the people. She felt her heart knocking wildly and she tried to question him casually so he wouldn't suspect a thing.

"Did anything happen?".

"I got a lot of looks",Sebastian said and shrugged. "Some psycho said I was a spitting image of the King. Almost everyone thought maybe I was related to him".

Evaleen gulped. The secret she had spent so many years guarding could not be revealed now. She worked so hard to keep Sebastian hidden from the eyes of the entire people of Duville. She should have known sooner rather than later, they would discover his resemblance to the King.

"That's all that happened?",she asked as she tried to read the look in his eyes. She had always known when he was telling the truth or a lie and right now, he was avoiding looking at her.

"Don't lie to me Sebastian",she said sharply. "Tell me everything that happened?".

Sebastian sighed. He crushed the fake note from Nicklaus in his hand and sat down on the couch in the living room. He might as well tell her everything that happened. So he did.

As Evaleen listened, she felt cold beads of sweat dripping down her back. Cyrus had seen her son? Was he now trying to take him away from her? No it couldn't be him, she thought. Then who?

"Did the King say anything else to you?",she asked in a strangled voice.

Sebastian frowned at his mother's pale expression.

"He didn't mother. He didn't even try to punish me for standing up to him. Don't look so worried. I was only looking out for the poor old woman. When he asked me about my mother, I told him aunt Beatrice".

Evaleen felt a mixture of emotions when she heard it. Relief. Fear. Hope. A part of her wished Sebastian had told Cyrus that she was his mother. Would he have come for her then? She pushed the thought off her mind. He didn't come for her all those past years. Why would now be any different?

"I'm going to the west river",Sebastian made up his mind.

Evaleen's head snapped up.

"You can't be serious Sebastian",she said. "This could be a trap for all we know. Maybe someone at the Kingdom square who saw you thought you're somehow related to the King and wants to strike through you".

"Exactly my point mother",Sebastian said. "Whoever did this knows us, knows how close Nicklaus and I are. That's why I must find out who it is".

"This is dangerous Sebastian",Evaleen tried to dissuade him. "This is exactly what the person wants. I can't let you go out there".

"I'll be fine mother",Sebastian said and held Evaleen's shoulders gently. "But I need to go. Someone is clearly spying on us. This person could be dangerous. He could have other hidden agenda. And until we find out, we won't know who it is".

"But..."

"I'll just take a look around the river, and I'll be back",Sebastian interrupted her. "Lock the door once I'm gone. And whatever happens, do not open the door for anyone. Unless it's me, okay?"

Evaleen strongly felt reluctant about letting him go out. But if she kept acting this way, she knew Sebastian would surely begin to suspect. She knew whoever was out there was somehow related to the secret of Sebastian's true identity. Someone must have noticed him at the Kingdom square and maybe sent words to the Queens. And maybe they now wanted him out of the way. So many horror possibilities roamed through her mind and she knew most of them were just her fear talking. Sebastian was all grown up now. And he was strong. Nothing would happen to him, she hoped.

"Alright",she said finally. "But if you're not back here in ten minutes, I'm going to get the neighbours and come look for you".

"I'll be back before then mother", Sebastian assured her.

With her heart in her mouth, Evaleen watched her son take a dagger and a lantern with him. Her heart roared wildly in her ears as she watched him move towards the door.

"Be careful",she whispered.

Sebastian nodded at her and stepped outside into the night.