Chapter Twenty-Three

"Better lock it in your pocket, taking this one to the grave."

I looked at Mr. Madison with shaking hands. I was still sitting on the floor underneath the desk, and he was speechless. "How did you know it would be there?"

"He left a note to me, that hinted." I couldn't believe I remembered it, but here I was holding what I hoped to be a single piece that would help enter the world he left me.

"I will leave you alone with those, when you are ready to leave..."

"I will take them home with me, thank you, Mr. Madison." I smiled, holding the two things close to my body. He nodded, before leading me to the carriage.

When I arrived home, my mother was chatting with my grandfather, and I waved, mouthing I felt tired. She nodded and I retreated to the library. I pulled out the letter that was with the velvet bag and opened it, laying it on the desk.

Camille Prim Braxton,

You've finally reached this letter. That means, my sweet girl. You have figured out everything along the way. I wish I could have saved you from the heartaches, and challenges you still may be facing at this moment. But I didn't leave without an open heart for your mother, brother, and you. Inside the velvet bag, are the keys. I honestly could not remember which to which... But this will help.

Let me explain what those chest holds. One, not telling which in case this is not you reading, darling. Holds the ring of the Sea, a beautiful stone, that values more then any out there. It's a treasure, and I came accross it in a gambling game, and now those out there who know it's value, and what it holds. With this ring, I became a high person in Morocco, and that's where the house came from. It's just a small portion of what those chest holds. I have riches, I came across them in my travels. I want you and your mother to use them to keep out of High Society, because whether it's Calstons' or any one else, you will be hunted, darling.

I know this doesn't cover every piece of the puzzle. But it does help you to understand it all.

Remember darling, there will be more.

With all my love,

Your father.

I sat crying, and held the keys in my hand. I clung the bag close to me, and stood up from the chair. I walked into the hall and looked over the balcony, the chest were sitting in the middle of the entry way, and Curtis was sitting by them, as if guarding them. I walked down the stairs, and over to him, "What are you doing?"

"I was resting, your mother told me to leave them here, but I felt they cramped things up."

"No, Curtis, I have the key, but I need my mother before I do." I smiled, and he stood up, "I will figure where each one goes before you need to move them."

"Thank you, miss." He left, and disappered into the servant's room. I walked into the parlor, and saw my mother, would had a cup of tea in her hand.

"Mother?" I walked in front of her, she was dazed off.

She shook her head, and looked up at me, "Oh!" She looked shocked to see me, "Yes?"

"I found the keys." I lifted them up, and looked at her. "Father says one will open ours."

"Father says?"

"In a letter, he left for me." I raised my eyebrow at her. And watched her body langugage change.

"Why did all of these letters be left for you!" She raised her voice, her hand was shaking and the tea swished around in it. "Why not your brother? Why not me?"

I looked at my mother, wondering where this was coming from, "Because you felt I would understand the best... from where I spet time with them when I was younger."

She now was furious. "I hated that you spent so much time with your father. You never wanted that time with me, you thought it was torture. You were always running around. Your father and brother never got along, not the way you two did." She was shaking, "He never even wanted to spend that time with me." She swallowed the last bit of her tea, slamming it down, chipping it down the side.

"Mother? Where is this coming from," I moved my hand toward her, and she swatted it away.

"Everything, Camille!" She was screaming, "You are finding out things about your father, that I never knew! He had an entire other life then he had here. He always did." She was crying, and in hysterics. I reached for her, and this time she stood up, and whiskey smell poured from her lips.

"Mother..." I looked at her, "Father loved you..."

"Are you sure? Becuase he was never home. He was never around. He was always with you!"

"Father wanted to protect me!" I looked at her, feeling hurt. "He wanted to protect you and AIden."

"Protect you?" She laughed, "There is no protecting, Camille! You are sentenced for a life that you don't expect, but it's going to happen. How do you think I got her!" She was screaming, and in my face. My mother wasn't an angry person.

"I will not stay in this scenteced life, mother. I know what father wanted, and this is not it!" I was now screaming, shaking holding the key so tight, I feared it was going to cut my hand.

"You will stick to the life, I have planned for you, Camille. Do you know how long it took me to rise to where I am in this chain? I wil not throw it away because you believe there is a way out!" She was grabbing my arms now, shaking me, "You will do what I tell you. You can open anything your father left you, but realize that in the end... You will do what's best for this family."

"No." I growled. And she raised her hand slapping me, right where Henry had. I was shaking, holding every tear back.

She realized what she had down, the moment her hand touched my skin. I stood there, as tears fell down her face. "Camille..." She was shaking, as she covered her mouth backing away slowly. She kept saying I'm sorry, and moving her body away, till she ran toward the stairs. I followed but when I reached the bottom of the stairs, she was hiding in her room. And I could hear a loud crash. I had tears falling down my face, as I sat my body in the middle of the chests. I sat in front of each one, with each key till every single one was open. I put the other two keys in the bag. I looked in the first chest, and couldn't believe my eyes, it was filled with books, that were leather bond and gold pages. I touched each spine, and realized this box was for me. I moved to the next, it was filled with gowns, with extravegant desgins. It was my mothers. I moved to the next, with swords that were designed and perfect. That was for Aiden. The next was nothing but coins. And I couldn't even imagine how many. The last one, I sat in front, in the middle of the box was a small ring box. I opened it, and saw the ring of the sea. It was gorgeous, with yellow emerald, with dimonds around it. I touched it, and realized why they wanted it so bad. The next thing I pulled out was letters, the letters that were threatening my father. I knew those had to go to, Sebastian. I looked through, pulling different dimonds, emeralds and treasures he had collected along the way, but kept the ring close to my body. I wasn't letting anyone get this. Whatever this ring, brought to my father. People wanted it. He died to protect this ring. And so would I.

I looked up and saw Aiden now standing beside me, "What is all of this?"

"What father left us." I smiled at him, and pointed to the chest, "That one is yours." He walked to it, and I watched as he gently touched each sword, dagger, and gun. He lifted a note, and read it to himself silently. It was five pages, and I could only imagine what it read. I smiled when he looked at me.

"These are all mine?" He was shaking his hand, holding the letter.

"Yes. You should see mom's chest." I pointed to hers, and he looked, with wide eyes. "Hold on." I searched for the other ring box that was in the chest in front of me, it had an A scratched into it. "This is for you." I handed it to him. Inside was a diamond ring, that had symbols carved into the band.

"It says on the inside, for my future bride, so I will give this to Olivia." He smiled, and put it in his pocket. "I will have Curtis take mine to my room, and mom's there."

'Have the other two take to my room, I need to go somewhere." I stood up, running to the coat rack. The ring was still in my hand, and I slid it in the velvet bag. I drapped my cape over my hand, grabbing my gloves.

"Where are you going?" Aiden watched me, looking now at the gold coins. "Wait, how much do you think that is?"

"I don't know, Aiden. I was going to leave that to mother and you. And I need to take these," I held up the bag of keys, "To Lucas and Sebastain, to open their chests." I remembered saying his name, running to the chest grabbing the stack of letters. "I will be back before I have to sleep." I smiled at Aiden, kissing his check, "Oh and check on mother."

"Is she drinking again?" I stood at the door, looking at him, with my hand on the handle.

"You knew?" I didn't even look at him.

"She's been doing it since the day father left for his first route." I turned to face his eyes, and looked at him, "Father, as much as he loved our mom, didn't want to be here, Camille."

I looked at him, "I don't believe it was that way, Aiden." I opened the door, "Make sure she is okay." I touched my face, before shutting the door behind me. I was on my way to see Sebastian first, not wanting to deal with Lucas at this moment.