Weave Me a Tale

*Hezzlie*

“What the fuck are you doing?”
I stare at my brother, Aiden, for a long moment before I stammar, “I’m–I’m sorry. I was lost. I am lost. But I heard you playing, and… you’re quite talented.”
He sets his violin on a stand and runs a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t playing for you.” Again, his angry gaze lands on my face.
I get the impression he wanted to be playing for someone else, someone who isn’t here, though I don’t know who. “I’m sorry,” I say again.
Aiden shakes his head. “Just get out.”
“Okay.” I want to leave. It seems like I should, but I’m not walking yet. Instead, I say, “I know I’m a surprise to you. I was pretty surprised to find out about you and Father, too. I hope that, eventually, you and I can get to know one another… and maybe be friends.”
“You and I will never be friends,” he says with a snarl that reminds me a little of Rowan. I guess these tough-guy attitudes are pretty common when it comes to royalty. “You are not my mother’s daughter.”
“I know that,” I snarl back, folding my arms. “But I am your father’s daughter. That still makes me part of your family. You don’t have to be such a little bitch.”
His eyes widen, and I feel like I’ve gone too far. He stands, and I take a step backward. “I told you to get out.”
I’ve gotten a little too used to talking to pissed off guys with crowns, and I’m a little tired of it. “Fine. Jackass.” With that, I spin around and walk back into the hallway, but I have no idea where I’m going. I pick a direction and stomp off that way, turn a corner, stomp some more, and get lost again.
“Hi!”
Behind me, I hear a chipper voice and spin around. “Abby!” I’m so thankful to see her, I practically run to her. “Thank goodness. Can you help me find my room?”
She giggles. “Again? Of course. But it’s almost lunchtime. Why don’t we walk to the dining room together, and then I’ll make sure you get to your room again afterward? Sound good?”
I’ve completely lost track of time while wandering around, and now I realize I have to sit through lunch with my brother–just a few minutes after I called him a jackass. “All right,” I concede. I don’t have any choice.
She’s wearing a nice gown, and I’m wearing slacks and a sweater. Something tells me I’m going to be in trouble for not dressing more appropriately. Something tells me I should just get used to being in trouble.
“Did you hear Aiden playing?” Abby whispers. “He’s very talented.”
“I did,” I admit. “I agree, but I don’t think he and I are going to be friends.”
“No, I doubt it.” She shakes her head, and I feel my shoulders fall slightly. I was hoping she’d tell me to give him time or something. “He’s very upset about Mara leaving.” She looks around and then continues in a whisper, “They were very close.”
My forehead crinkles. “They were?”
She nods. “Some people think they were even mates. They used to play together every day–for hours. They were practically inseparable. When Aiden was told that your father was going to make the trade for you, he begged the king not to, but obvi, he did it anyway.”
I stare ahead of us, not sure what to say. This is all important information. If it’s true, it says a lot about how Mara might be feeling right now.
I wonder if Rowan knows….
We head into the dining room, and I place those thoughts aside for a bit. A lot of the people who were here the night before are absent, including the king and the prince.
The queen is here, though. She looks me up and down and shakes her head, but she doesn’t say anything.
I take my seat from the night before with Abby across from me, and we painfully make our way through lunch. The food is delicious, but the conversation around me is dull, and I’m glad I’m not included. I have no idea who the people they’re gossiping about are, but I wish I did only so I could tell them not to trust the queen.
I look at her and feel my stomach clench. I definitely don’t trust her.
For that matter, I don’t trust anyone in this castle.
After lunch, Abby walks me back to my room. “You’re going to have to memorize this path,” she tells me. “My father wants me to stay away from you. He thinks you’re cursed or bad luck or something.”
“That’s silly,” I tell her, but I do feel a little cursed. I did just come from an insane asylum, after all. “You don’t want to come in then?”
She shakes her head. “I wish I could, but I can’t. I’ll see you at dinner.”
I chuckle. “If you don’t come and get me, you won’t.”
She laughs, too. “Fair enough. See you later.”
Abby heads off, and I walk into my room and close the door. I need to call my mom.
I don’t want to. But I have to.
With a deep breath, I sit down on my bed and pick up my phone. She answers immediately. “Hezzlie? How are you? I’ve been so worried about you!”
“I’m sorry, Mom.” I know she’s texted me a few times, and I’ve responded, though I’ve been vague. “I’m fine.”
“What’s going on, baby?” She sounds a little more relieved but not completely accepting of my response. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I’m just… busy. Actually, that’s not true. Listen, Mom. Rowan found–Dad.”
She’s quiet for several seconds before she repeats my last word. “Dad?” Your dad? Your father?”
“Yes, that’s right,” I say in a rush. “So… I’m at his house now. That big castle we could see from my window. Mom, my father is King Solomon Darksky. He cheated on the queen with you. Apparently, he does that a lot. Cheats on her, I mean. Anyway, I’m at his house. He’s so nice. Everyone here is.” The lie slips easily from my lips because I don’t want to hurt her. “But they don’t want you to visit since the queen is a little miffed about the whole affair thing. Anyway, I hope I can come see you soon. I just need to get settled in here.”
The silence is so pervasive, I’m afraid one of our phones has died again, but she finally asks, “He’s a king? This whole time… we could’ve been getting child support from a king?”
“I guess so.” It’s odd how my mother’s mind works, but then, I suppose she’s always thinking about how to take care of me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, baby. Don’t worry about me. But what about your friends at the other house? Don’t you miss them?”
I picture the people she’s talking about, and tears fill my eyes. But lying is easy, once you get started. “I’m fine, Mom. Dean was funny, and Natalie and Wilma were super sweet. But Dr. Bolton was just my doctor, and Rowan was a jackass. So… nah, I’m fine. I actually have a half-brother–Aiden. He’s so cool. Today, he showed me his violin and let me listen to him play a beautiful piece. He’s really nice. And there’s this girl, Abby, who’s my age. She’s the best.” Well, at least that part doesn’t seem to be a lie.
“I’m so glad to hear it, honey. You be careful, though. I don’t know anything about these people. It makes me nervous to know you’re someplace I can’t easily reach you.”
I hear the same tension in her voice that I heard when she was at Peripheral. I don’t want her to feel like that again, though I’m just as much a prisoner here as I was there, even if the accommodations are a million times better.
“I’m being careful, Mom, but everything is great. I promise.” My phone beeps, and I growl in frustration. I literally just took it off the charger. “My phone is dying.”
“Okay, baby. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I hang up and plug my phone in. “Stupid phone!”
But I don’t think it’s the phone.
For all my lying and pretending with Alistair, I have to wonder.
Taking a deep breath, I lean back and close my eyes, holding my hands out like he told me to. I try to envision a ball of light in my palms.
I don’t expect it to work–not even a little bit.
So when I open my eyes to see two glowing balls of light in my palms, I can’t believe my eyes.
“Holy shit!”