Jonny gaped as he gazed on the face of the baron. He knew that face. He had only seen it a few times, but it was unmistakable. He was the guard captain of the Meyer household. Jonny only ever saw him on special occasions, like his birthday banquet, but he made a strong impression. He wasn’t especially handsome, but he had green eyes so pale and bright they looked like they were glowing, was always smiling and carried himself with an air of cheerful confidence that made him impossible to ignore.“Ah, hello there,” said the Baron, looking directly at Jonny. “You weren’t here so I never caught your name. Would you mind telling me?”Jonny froze. The guard caption—now baron—was not among the people who knew what had really happened to him, as far as he knew. And if word got out that he was alive… He wasn’t strong enough to defend himself yet.“This is Jonny,” said Lucy behind him.No!“Ah, Jonny,” said the Baron with a smile. “Nice to meet you Jonny. My name is Harrison, this is my wife, Mary, and this here is my daughter, Clarissa!”He bent down to pick up the girl beside him, holding her up by her armpits. She squealed in surprise, and squirmed in his arms for a moment before giving up and resigning herself to her fate.She looked like she was somewhere between six and eight. Definitely older than Jonny, but he couldn’t tell by how much. She had bright blonde hair, just like her mother, and her eyes were the same vibrant green as her father’s. She was wearing a poofy, plain, muted green dress, but even Jonny could see that it was nicer than anything the other children were wearing. The fabric was not at all worn, and there were subtle, lacy decorations on the hem, collar, and sleeves, and her gloves, stockings, and earmuffs were much nicer.The baron set her down again, smiling in Jonny’s direction.“I told the other children earlier, but I used to live here, just like all of you. Abbess Helen is (...)