Chapter Twenty-Eight

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

Pulling the door closed behind us, I faced my mother, who was shaking while she hummed a song to the maids. They were shaking, since Annie and Lucy were only in their middle teens, I could tell they had no idea what to do. I sat beside the door, holding the sword close to my side. I could only imagine what was going on out there, but worse of all to Mr. Madison. I looked up and into the eyes of my mother, "I pray to every God that it will be fine."

"I do to." I mouthed, looking at the sword beside me.

The hours passed slowly, and I waited patiently, hoping every creak in the house was Sebastian. And soon enoguh it was. He knocked on the door, and I scrambled to my knees to open it up. He leaned against the wall, blood gushing from his side, and as he opened his mouth to speak, he fell straight into my lap, and I let out a scream.

We rushed him into the spare room, as Curtis fetched a doctor. I laid him down, pulling the torn shirt off of his chest, and dabbing with cold rags. His chest was covered in cuts, and blood was everywehre. My mother stood with a washcloth over his head, "Annie, fetch me water!" She turned and Annie nodded, running off. I watched as my mother, turned into someone else. "I need you to pull off his pants, make sure there is no other cuts." She looked at me, and I nodded pulling them down. There wasn't cuts... but burns, that were blistering already. My mother groaned, and looked at Lucy asking for something. I just held back a choke, wondering what had happened.

The next few hours, passed slowly. I sat at the end of the hall as my mother and the doctor worked on Sebastain. Mr. Moore, had arrived and was talking to my mother before speaking to me. I waited, watching the hustle and bustle of the small room. I heard a few shouts, and a few mummbles. I listened to make sure I heard no tears, hoping he was okay. When Mr. Moore, finally joined me on the small bench, I saw the cuts of his that had been wrapped up. "Is he okay?"

"He will recover fully, he is still not awake though, they are finishing up his burns..." He looked at his hands, they were banadged as well. "It wasn't pretty when we got there... the trading company has burned down. Mr. Madison is alive, and is safely home. But we couldn't get all the pirates, the ones we did are either dead, or in a jail cell." He was rubbing his thumbs together, then looked at me. "They each were wearing the Calston family seal, and a few with Serena's seal she has on her one necklace.... I think they were hoping that everything you needed was in there, and no that you had it already.."

"I will be taking care of Calston, very soon. Whether he realizes it or not, I am in charge of him now, I have an advantage." I mummbled.

"They said something, one of them before I killed him... He looked and told me, find the book of the Ring of the Sea, learn why it's so important, then maybe you will reason the deaths that will be coming." He looked back into my eyes, "He was happy about death, no fearful. He was excited that I was taking his pain away, almost..." He shook his head, "But one mentioned there is no secrets when you play in the web."

"Something that Sebastian says..." I mummbled.

"He was the one who got Mr. Madison out, that's why he is so injurged, because the men were beating him with whips trying to keep him from Mr. Madison..." He was fearful as he spoke, as if it was happening again.

"That's terrible..." I mummbled, remembering the attack on the ship.

"Yes, it is." He went to speak again, and my mother came out. She was sweating, covered in blood, her dress ruined. Annie and Lucy behind her, with the doctor following.

"He's asking for you, Camille." She looked at me, "I am going to clean myself up."

"Alright, mother." I nodded, and walked into the room, shutting the door behind me. Sebastian's face was still pale, with signs of pain. He scooted his body up into a sitting positon. He was wrapped in bandages, with blood still coming through in some spots. He grabbed his ribs, holding them, in what looked to be place.

I looked into his eyes, walking closer to him, "I am glad to see you are okay." I grabbed his good hand, rubbing my fingers against it.

"I am to, it felt touch and go for a bit... Did Mr. Moore speak with you?"

"He explained everything, thank you for saving Mr. Madison's life..." I stood moving my fingers, looking at him, kissing his head.

"I had no choice, we need him..." He laughed, then groaned in pain. "I don't know how well I will be moving by the ball, Camille."

"As long as you keep the plan on track, I can do the rest, Bash. I just need you to trust me on that one."

"I do, I just don't want to put you in a place, where you aren't prepared and get hurt... I will not forgive myself."

"I know, but you have trained me, and no one is a better trainer. You just need to promise you won't try to get better to fast, because you will just hurt yourself further, and I will never forgive myself." I lifted his hand to my heart, and laughed at him. He was smiling from ear to ear, with a glow about him. "but where do I find a book about the Ring of the Sea?"

"Check your father's library... Will you please get me Mr. Moore?"

I nodded, feeling a saddness knowing we would no longer be alone. I stepped out the door, and watched Mr. Moore, speaking closely to Annie. She blushed, giggling. I coughed, and they jumped back from one another, "Mr. Moore, Mr. Lowry would like to speak with you." He nodded, bowing to Annie. Annie ran toward her corridors. I laughed to myself, as I entered the room, and looked at Bash.

"Yes, Mr. Lowry?" He spoke formally, till I shut the door behind him.

"Cameron, I need you to do a favor."

"What is that?" He relaxed, looking at me.

"Go speak with black market traders, and the market, see what you can gather about the Ring of the Sea. Any informaiton, any books, anything to help."

'I can do that." He looked between us, nodding. "Is that all?"

"Yes. And how are you feeling?"

"I am well, I was going to go to the jail, see what I can gather from them. We had about four that were put in cells today, but we have about 6 that got away, with only 4 dead." He shook his head, not happy with the numbers. "I was also going to check on the Madisons'." He looked at me, "IF you didn't me here, Miss. Braxton,"

"Not at all, I believe between my mother, the maids, Curtis, and me, we have everything covered here." I smiled at him, and looked over, "And you know, Mr. Lowry has had enough downtime, he needs to be put to work." I winked, and kept speaking, "Go, and please find out what you can. I need this information before the party."

"I will do my best." He bowed, leaving the room. I turned to Sebastian, who looked quite amused.

"I must get to work?" He laughed, and crippled in pain again.

"Do not laugh, please. You need to rest."

"I would rather, look at you and hear your voice, then to sleep." He smiled, and I shook my head.

"Do not lay it on, so thick, I will be smothered before you're finsihed." I rolled my eyes at him, and touched his hand, stroking gently.

"I am not lying. But returning to buisness. Was your mother a nurse or something?" I shook my head.

"I have no idea..."

"I was," I let go of his hand quickly, watching as my mother, who was now cleaned and dressed in something more plain, "Before I met Camille's father." She smiled, "How are you feeling, Sebastian?"

"In pain, but much better."

"I am glad, I want to thank you for your efforts to safe the company, we will just rebuild. And most of all saying, Mr. Madison's life. We would be lost with him gone too." She crossed her arms.

"It was my pleasure, and my duty to do both, Mrs. Braxton."

"I also want to say, you probably need to try and eat something, and probably sleep."

"Food, does sound good."

As he said that, Annie appeared with a tray that had soup and bread on. "I can help." I took the tray, and sat beside Sebastian, helping him eat, as him and my mother exchanged stories.

"Camille, come on let's leave, so Mr. Lowry can sleep." She left the room, and I looked down at him.

"Have a goodnight sleep, Mr. Lowry." I smiled, leaning down kissing his forehead.

"And you too, Miss. Braxton." I shut the door, to come face to face with Mr. Moore.

"I have some interesting information." He held a small bag, that was in the shape of a book.