Frowning, I walked towards the sound and glanced up into a nearby tree where a single crow sat on the branch.
Strange. Normally there weren’t any animals in the courtyard. I'd always assumed it was their natural instinct to stay away because of the predators lurking in the building around them. But this crow didn't seem to be bothered by that, in fact it seemed to be staring straight at me.
My eyes widened and it came to me.
I walked closer to the tree and glanced around back at my guard before back to the crow. “Antoine,” I whispered, hoping I was right. Otherwise, I was going to look like a complete idiot talking to a bird. “Is that you?”
Antoine let out a little caw, fluttering his wing slightly.
Something fell to the ground.
Making sure no one was watching me, I bent over and picked it up, tucking it into the pocket of my dress. None of my clothing fit anymore and I had to borrow some clothes that Agnes had found lying around.
I begged her to let me shop online or something but Tuma was too worried that I was going to send out some kind of distress signal to the others.
Fucking coward.
I turned back to the crow, hoping to get some kind of answer from him but before I could ask anything else he opened his wings and flew away.
I walked two steps toward it, wanting to call out to stop him but I didn’t want to draw attention to him or myself.
Well crap. What was it going to do now?
If Antoine was showing up in his crow form, then that could only mean something was wrong. Something that made it so that he couldn't come see me in my dreams.
I palmed the note in my pocket as I walked back to the guard. I wanted so badly to look at it right now but I couldn't risk it.
“I'm ready to go back now,” I told my guard.
“Already? We haven't been out here for more than ten minutes. I usually have to drag you back in.” My guard arched his brow at me.
“I'm tired,” I pretended to yawn. “I think I want to go lay down.”
The guard surveyed the courtyard once more before jerking his head towards the entrance, “Alright let's go.”
I tried my best to keep my footsteps normal and to not run ahead, dashing into my bedroom, so I could read the note in my pocket.
If the guard realized anything was amiss, he didn't say anything.
Once I got to my bedroom door at last, my hand instantly went to the doorknob. I moved to go inside, but the guard stopped me.
“Hold on now.”
“What?” I asked, my words coming out more aggravated and impatient than I meant.
“Are you going to want to go for another walk when you get up from your nap?”
I paused and thought about it for a moment. “I'll have to let you know. I don't know. If you’re busy I'll just get Agnes to take me.”
“Very well,” he nodded and turned on his heel, walking away from me. He was no doubt happy to go about his own business and not have to babysit the pregnant human servant.
I waited there a moment watching as he walked away and then turned the doorknob and walked into the room. Slowly, I closed the door and locked it.
With my eyes forward I moved what I hoped was naturally into my room, acting as if there wasn't something burning in a hole in my pocket at the very moment. I didn't trust that the cameras wouldn't see me looking at the note.
Slipping into the bathroom, I closed the door behind me, locking it for good measure. I didn't know if there were cameras in here but I had nowhere else to do this and I couldn't wait any longer.
Digging my hand into my pocket, I pulled out the little slip of paper Antoine had dropped.
It was not very big, about two by four inches. Its edges were all scraggly as if it had been ripped off a piece of paper in a hurry. On that piece of paper was Antoine’s curly handwriting.
They're coming. Be ready.
I stared down at the words for a few more moments before crumbling up the piece of paper and throwing it in the toilet, flushing it.
Who is coming? The Durands? The hunters? Someone else? And how was I supposed to get ready? I had nothing here to fight against whoever was coming. Tuma and the others had made sure that I wasn’t armed in any way. Even my silverware was plastic.
The situation must be dire if Antoine risked coming here just to give me the note. I chewed on my lower lip as I thought, my hand caressing my stomach. Either way I had to be ready.