“Wh…what do you mean?” Mama whispered in terror as papa smiled sadly.

“Someone must have tipped them about our whereabouts,” he muttered slowly.

And his gaze moved towards my room—where he thought I was laying asleep, as he whispered.

“Take Aveline, hurry.

Ran away through the back door.

They should be unable to find it.

And when then do, you would have already for far,” Papa urged, his eyes pleading.

Mama’s eyes widened in horror— her hands moving up to papa’s face cradling it in her hands.

“What are you saying, Derick?

I can’t leave you.

No, I can’t bear to lose you.

I've already lost our daughter, and now—...