the door, and wished he hadn't, the concern and outright fear on the faces of those they were leaving behind shook him horribly.
"Recite in your head," Lissianna instructed as she opened the door. "We can't make any sound."
Greg promptly snapped his mouth shut and switched to silent recitation, but found it harder not to think that way as she led him out into the hall and to a set of stairs at the opposite end from the main stairwell. He started to mouth the words, hoping that would help, but the edges of his mind were seething with thoughts. He worried about what they all feared so much, he worried about where they were going, and he worried about getting there undetected. Most of all, he worried about what would happen if they didn't get wherever she was leading him without being detected.
The stairs ended in a dark hallway. Greg had trouble seeing anything, but trusted in Lissianna and tiptoed along behind her until she paused outside a door. When she eased it open a crack, he realized they were at the kitchens. At first, he thought the room was empty and wondered why Lissianna wasn't moving forward, but then a short, stocky older man walked into view, headed for the door to the garage.
"Where are you going?" A woman's voice laced with a slight Italian accent floated from the other end of the room.
"Lucian wants me to watch the cars with Martine," the man answered, pausing to put on a pair of boots and draw on a coat that hung on a rack by the door. Greg presumed the man was Vittorio, the housekeeper's husband.
"Why?"
"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "He just said, 'Help Martine watch the cars, Vittorio. No one leaves till I say.' So I watch the cars."
"Hmm," Maria sounded worried. "I wonder what the trouble is. They wouldn't call us in early if there wasn't trouble. I hope Miss Lissi hasn't—"
Greg didn't hear what she hoped Miss Lissi hadn't done, because Lissianna chose that moment to let the kitchen door ease closed. She then led him father along the hall to another door. This time she didn't pause, but slid straight into the room, pulling him behind her. Greg had no idea what room it was they now stood in. He was surrounded by darkness. It made him hesitate and pull on Lissianna's hand when she suddenly started forward, but she merely held on firmly and tugged him along.
It wasn't until she hissed the question "Are you reciting?" that he realized he'd stopped. Gritting his teeth, Greg immediately continued reciting one hundred bottles of beer on the wall, starting at one hundred since he wasn't sure where he'd left off.
It seemed like they walked forever before she finally paused. In the next moment there was a hiss as she tugged a set of curtains open. It was still gray dawn outside, but there was enough light for him to make out the French doors she'd revealed.
Greg saw Lissianna reach for the door handle, then they both stiffened at the sudden growl that came muffled from the other side. It took a moment for him to make out the huge black dog on the lawn outside. Julius, he guessed. The animal was huge, definitely not a lapdog.
Greg heard Lissianna curse, then she went quiet. Her silent stillness lasted so long he gave a start when she suddenly turned to him.
"I want you to wait here. I'm going to the other end of the room and open a door there. When Julius comes through that door, I want you to slip out this one, okay?"
Greg nodded.
"Keep reciting." Lissianna slipped away, disappearing briefly into the shadows before she was revealed when the curtains at the other end of the room opened. Greg supposed the French doors ran the length of the room, which meant they were in the library. He'd been here yesterday. It was three walls of floor-to-ceiling books, with the outer wall being fronted with glass French doors. As he recalled, it had seemed a warm and welcoming room in the afternoon. Funny how a little darkness changed things.
"Get ready."
Greg heard the whisper and reached for the door, his gaze finding and locking on Julius's dark form outside. He heard the click and swish of the other door as it opened, saw the dog's black head jerk in that direction, then the beast was off. Greg almost opened his door and rushed from the room