Tiptoeing through the corridors, we made our way into the guest wing of the castle. Jean jerked my wrist harshly into an empty room. She only let go to quietly click the door shut. The dusty air tickled my nose as we stood in darkness. The only thing I could see was Jean's face brightened by the eerie moonlight. Once we were safely inside, she started to whisper.

"I didn't see anyone else, so the others must be asleep." 

The woman's voice was so soft that I wasn't even sure if she had spoken the words out loud. I was about to question her before she cut me off with a stern look, "After we part you can't tell anyone about this. It could cost you your life."

Goosebumps rose to the surface of my skin. Her words had, once again, chilled my blood. Too stunned to speak, I popped my mouth shut and silently waited for her to continue.

"We have to hurry. He'll be back soon," The woman closed her eyes to take in a deep breath, "He killed Chloe." I was taken aback by her word. 

"What? I thought..." My heart tightened at the thought of the departed seamstress, "Cameron wouldn't. He-," I racked my brain to find a solution to the absurd accusation. I had nothing to disprove her words. 

I've only just met the man.

Finally, I settled for what seemed correct, "I-I don't believe you. I thought she faded? How would you know?" I felt bile and rage rise inside me. I wasn't sure who it was directed at. Was I angry with Cameron for murdering Chloe? Was I angry at Jean for spreading lies? I took a few steps away from the suspicious woman.

Fear flooded her features. She stepped towards me and reached to grab my wrist again. I flinched away from her touch as I stared at her in horror. 

"Please. You have to trust me. I-I don't know how he does it, but I know it was him," I gave the elderly woman a measured look. Her emotions were genuine. My hands were trembling as I looked at her terrified expression. It reminded me of when I met Chloe. That same fear was clear on Jean's face. 

They are scared of something.

I straightened and faced the woman but maintained the distance between us. Repeating my earlier question I urged her to continue, "How do you know?"

"Somethings not right here. Something is not right in this world."

 The vague words only made me more agitated as I gritted my teeth. Venom dripped from my words as I retorted, "We're invisible." The deadpan sarcasm made the other woman wince. She was quick to amend her statement. 

"I mean the Fadings. They aren't consistent. Nobody knows when they will fade or why it happens."

"What does that have to do with Cameron. Quit dodging my question." My voice rose above a whisper and Jean was swift as she put a hand over my mouth. I went still with shock. 

Is she going to hurt me?

Dread and uneasy made my eyes grow wide. The woman listened for a moment and must have been satisfied with the continued silence. She released me and stepped back again.

"Ever since I arrived here three years and forty-two days ago, I've had these... vision," I watched the maid as she seemed to be reminded of unpleasant times, "The dreams have only gotten worse. I didn't know what they meant, but now I do. I see him every time I close my eyes." A shudder escaped her body as she finished.

"What dreams? How do you know he-... he murdered Chloe." I was doubtful of her words, but each time I wanted to leave I remembered Chloe's beautiful face staring at me. That beautiful and terrified girl. 

"You don't understand. I had these dreams before I became a Luma. I had these dreams days before and they haven't stopped yet. I had never met Cameron and his face was already seared into my mind." My body went rigid.

So did I.

I wanted to say those words, but no sound managed to escape my lips. I was frozen in time and left staring at this woman. 

What has she seen? Are her dreams the same as mine?

"I didn't think much of it at first when Cameron took me in," she continued, "I had dreamed about robbing the Camp before I was a Luma and then it happened. That's how I met Cameron. He offered me food and shelter in exchange for my services and I was so grateful that I turned a blind eye to his... strange habits." Jean's eyes glossed over with tears. Not a single tear fell from her wrinkled eyes. Her hands shook with the effort of keeping them in. 

"Patricia," she choked the name, and finally, her resolve crumbled, "S-she was and angel. She was nice to everyone but she caught on to his plans." Jean wiped the tears from her eyes and blinked to clear the rest. With salty streaks lining her face she whispered in a shaky voice, "She confronted him and she paid for it."

My heart went out to the woman. I was torn between fear of her earlier actions and a desire to treasure her. I suppressed my feeling and heard my stale voice speak, "How do you know he did it?"

She sighed and looked down at the ground. Her fingers were twirling nervously around each other. It was a game of cat and mouse as I witnessed thoughts running behind Jean's eyes

"Truthfully, I didn't know. I laid low and worked hard. People would fade now and again, but I had no proof. I have no proof until Chloe," lifting her head to look me in the eyes she said, "Chloe had keen senses and she must have seen something in you. She was trying to warn you." 

"Then she... faded," Things started to click in my brain, "but she never said anything about this to me." 

Jean gave me an incredulous look, "She wouldn't have been so careless to tell you out loud. The only reason I am is because I know exactly where he is and how long he typically stays there." Concluding her explanation, Jean gestured to the hole in my sleeve. I glanced down at the frayed material and back up to her. The only fathomable explanation for the hole would have been a note or something similar attached to the fabric. 

Someone got to the message before me.

I sucked air through my teeth as I took in the situation. I remembered the hole in Adriana's purple satin dress. Chloe had made that dress. 

Had she tried to warn Adriana too? She must have failed.

"Patricia was the seamstress before Chloe. She had taken a liking to poor little Adriana... "

Hearing Jean's voice made me realize that I had spoken the words out loud. My heart threatened to pound out of my chest. This was too much information to take in all at once. I felt my breathing as it quickened. 

"We have to leave then. We have to gather everyone. We can't stay here with a murderer," I was shouting in a hushed tone as I reached for the door handle, "Maybe if we can escape then h-"

"We can't leave," I viewed her horrified expression and ceased my movement towards the door, "We have no clue how he does it. Running would only anger him. You can't tell anyone!" Her voice was frantic as she pleaded with me.

"Who else knows?" I took several deep breaths in a failed attempt to calm my wired nerves.

The woman said nothing as she shook her head.

"Noone else knows?!" My voice had crept up to its normal level once again. I threw my hands over my mouth and I was instantly shushed by Jean.

 Before she could open her mouth to respond, heavy and agonizingly slow footfalls were heading down the dark corridor. They were coming straight towards us.

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a/n:

What did you guys think? Any thoughts or conspiracies you would like to share?

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