Unbound, page 10
“She asked—”
“She doesn’t know anything about this place or its people, that much is for certain. You should’ve been discerning.” Selanna pointed at him. “This was low, even for you.”
“I fail to see the problem.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “Of course, you don’t! You’re so selfish and self-serving you don’t see anything wrong with what you do. You shove off responsibility onto someone else.” Selanna shook her head. “When are you going to learn to hold yourself accountable? Your actions, your desire to stick it to our mother, is going to get that woman killed out there.”
Odhran sighed. “You’re being dramatic.”
“Are you kid—”
“Will you two please stop?” Meralith came down the stairs. “Fighting will get us nowhere.”
Selanna slammed her mouth shut and shook her head. “Talk to him, Meralith. Maybe he’ll listen to you.” She turned on her heel and walked away, the door to kitchens slamming shut behind her.
Odhran shook his head. “She is being ridiculous.”
“She’s not.”
“Not you too,” he grumbled.
Meralith sat on the stairs. “Why did you even bring the witch here? Last time you wanted to kill both her and the human for hurting your pride. What changed?”
He shrugged. “The allure of catching mother off-guard was too strong.” Odhran clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace in front of the stairs. “A curse we didn’t even know about. Would you not be curious?”
“I would,” she admitted. “However, I would like to think I wouldn’t hurt others while trying to achieve what I wanted.”
“Who have I hurt, really?”
“Do you remember after the incident? When mother kept bringing me suitors even when I begged her not to because I couldn’t handle the constant rejections.”
He didn’t know what that had to do with anything, but he nodded. “Of course, I do.”
“You went to her and told her that perhaps it would be better to stop humiliating the entire family by pushing me to match with someone. That every time she did, word would spread about the ugly daughter in the Ruby court.”
Odhran stopped moving. How had she heard the conversation? He and Valeria had been alone. He had made sure of it. That was the last thing he wanted her to overhear even though it had been a lie. A way to stop his mother from doing the very thing that was hurting his sister. He swallowed. “You weren’t—”
“I wasn’t supposed to know? I know.” She stood up from the stairs. “But I had gone to beg her again and I overheard.”
“Meralith, I’m—”
“I know you were catering to her own thoughts. And that you were doing it for my benefit. But to hear those words come out of your mouth—the last person I would have expected them from—still hurt. Even now, it stings.” She closed the distance between them. “You say and do things that hurt people and you don’t take responsibility for it. You can change that now.”
“I don’t know what you want me to do.”
“There must be—"
Crunch.
Selanna leaned against the wall with an apple in her hand. The smug look on her face already annoyed him. But he kept his mouth shut before he started another spat that would go absolutely nowhere.
Selanna finished chewing and swallowed. “It’s simple, little brother. What are you going to do to help the witch succeed?”
He sighed. “Why are you set on me helping her?”
“Because it would be good for you to think about someone other than yourself.” She grinned. “Besides, you won’t be able to resist the allure of someone finally besting mother at something. Not for long, at least.”
“We both know there is no way for her to succeed,” he argued.
“Do you really think that everyone follows the rules all of the time? The quest is only impossible because mother believes it so, but that doesn’t mean she is right.”
“There are bound to be people who fell in love in secret,” Meralith added. “Not everyone shares the same thoughts about the boundaries between us and the witches.”
He rolled his eyes. “Of course, you think she will succeed. The two of you are hopeless romantics.”
“I’d rather be a romantic than let her—” Selanna gestured her head towards the upstairs— “make me afraid to feel for other people.”
“I’m not afraid,” he said. “I don’t find much use for those feelings.”
“Sure,” Selanna drew out the word while shaking her head. There was no use in arguing with her. “So back to the task at hand—”
Someone cleared their throat by the stairs, drawing the attention of the three siblings. One of their mother’s servants, Neria, was standing on the bottom step. They looked nervous. Neria clasped their hands behind their back. “Odhran, your mother would like to see you in her quarters.”
The words made his blood run cold. Odhran swallowed. He should’ve expected this. Bringing the witch here angered her. He knew it would. But he didn’t consider what she might do after. Mostly had had hoped she would be too preoccupied with the hunters. He miscalculated. He curled his hands into fists so his sisters wouldn’t see them shaking.
“Whatever it is can wait. I’m sending him on an errand,” Selanna said.
“She insists.”
“Then I’ll go talk to her. I don’t know why she wants to talk to him, this was my idea,” Selanna continued. “I brought the witch here.”
Neria shook their head. “My apologies, but she specifically asked for Odhran. And she asked that you keep the hunters company.”
Selanna scoffed. “And why would I do that?”
“She wanted me to tell you that it’s you or Meralith.”
“That bit—”
“I’ll go,” Odhran said. He wasn’t going to subject his sisters to whatever punishment his mother had planned for him. Especially not Meralith. She didn’t deserve the insults the hunters would hurl at her. Selanna was better equipped to handle them.
Neria bowed their head and sighed in relief. “Thank you. She is expecting you.”
Without another word to his sisters, he followed the servant up the stairs and turned left. Odhran’s mind raced through the possible punishments he might receive. His mother was not known for her leniency. Not even her children were spared from her anger. After a few hundred years, he should be used to it, but the thought of her ire still made him tremble. Why did I provoke her again? The servant opened the door and gestured for Odhran to step inside. When he did, the door closed behind him.
Valeria sat at her vanity with her back to him and she didn’t look up as he entered the room. Oh, right. Valeria’s silver-tipped fingers tapped a silver-handled brush on her vanity. I hate her. Odhran crossed the room and stood behind her. She didn’t even have to ask for what she wanted. This wasn’t the first time they had played this game.
First, he carefully pulled the pins from her hair until it cascaded down to right underneath her shoulder blades. Then he picked up the brush and gently brushed her hair when he didn’t want to be, but if he was careless, it would anger her more. With a tight grip on the brush handle, he started at the bottom and worked his way up. His lips were pressed into a thin line, forcing him to breathe as quietly through his nose as he possibly could. The only sounds were the brush going through her hair and her fingers tapping the top of the vanity. Any other sound might set her off.
“Do you hate me, Odhran?”
Her voice made him jump and he almost dropped the brush. Honesty would cost him. “Of course, I don’t, mother,” he said, struggling to keep his voice neutral.
Her eyes met his in the mirror. “Then why did you bring that filthy thing into my court?”
“I was following the rules—”
She shot up before he could finish his sentence. The chair fell back and hit the floor with a thud. Her fingers dug into his cheeks as she gripped his chin. The silver tip sliced into the skin. Blood welled from the cut. Rivulets of blood dripped down the tips and stained Valeria’s hand. “You could’ve killed them. You know I would’ve looked the other way. But no, you wanted to play a game with me instead.”
“I—”
Her face was inches from his. “Do you feel like you’ve won, Odhran?”
“Mother, please—”
“I’ve done everything for you,” she hissed. “I dealt with your father, the havoc you wreaked on my body, and the countless years of disrespect. I bore you from my own body and you think you can treat me this way?”
He tried to swallow but his mouth was dry. The pain of his cheek was nothing. Minimal. A precursor to what would come next. Valeria never did things small.
“It’s time for me to teach you some respect again, my son. Perhaps you will remember this lesson well.”
“Mother—”
“And as for the witch, she won’t live through the night. I’ve made sure of it.”
***
Meralith waited in his room. The strong smell of mint made him nauseous. She waited until he made it to his bed. With shaky hands, he undid the buttons of his shirt. Fabric dragged against the fresh wounds that spanned his back, side, and arms. Valeria didn’t care where she hit as long as she made contact. Hiding it was not a priority. It’s not like anyone would care that she had hurt him. Odhran hissed as Meralith dabbed his back with a cloth.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
“It’s fine,” he said, grinding his teeth together. He sucked in a breath when the healing poultice touched his wounds. It was cool. Icy. A balm to his hot, raw skin, but also more pain. He hunched over to rest his forearms on his legs. His hair fell around his face, hiding the tears that gathered in his eyes.
The door to his room opened and closed. He could see Selanna’s boots as she walked over to him. A glass was shoved in front of his face. Deep blue liquid sloshed up the sides. “Here,” she said, her voice gruff.
Odhran’s hand shook as he grabbed the glass. Selanna hovered, keeping her hand underneath the glass in case he lost his grip, but he managed to choke down the contents of the glass without dropping it. A cloying sweetness hit his tongue first and then a bitter aftertaste. His lips puckered. Selanna took the glass from him and set it down on the bedside table.
“What about the hunters?” he asked.
“They’re eating so they’re pacified for now,” she answered, moving to the couch. She crossed her arms over her stomach. “I should’ve gone.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” he said.
She pursed her lips. They could go back and forth all day about who should’ve taken it. But none of them should have to. This was why Odhran wanted to leave so badly. Selanna wanted to leave as well. She had briefly, years ago, but she came back. He wondered why she would, but he realized he wouldn’t leave Meralith alone with their mother, and he understood then. They had to leave together and the only way they would get away from their mother, was to diminish her power.
She won’t make it through the night. I’ve made sure of it.
“The witch, Alannah,” –Odhran straightened up, wincing from the fresh wounds— “I’ll help her. She will succeed. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Are you sure?” Selanna asked. “You risk incurring mother’s wrath again.”
“I’ll risk it. I want to see her lose for once.”
Chapter 14
All the bravado—the courage—left Alannah the moment she stepped foot back into the forest. What was she thinking? Valeria had handed her an impossible task, one that would kill her, and it angered Alannah so much that she puffed out her chest and accepted it. An action she regretted now. With a groan she leaned against a tree and gently tapped her forehead against the bark. “I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not,” Elliot said while sitting on a log next to Mr. Pinkus.
“I am.”
“I think you’re pretty awesome actually.”
She scoffed and pushed herself off the tree. “You’re just saying that.”
“Why would I do that?”
Sticks broke underfoot and dry leaves crunched as she walked back and forth. If she kept it up, she would wear a path into the dirt. She had no idea where to go. No idea where to even start. She would waste time figuring that out and then waste time looking and by then she was going to get them all killed. “I didn’t think this through.”
“Perhaps not,” Mr. Pinkus said. “But lucky for you, I know where to find the witches. They will certainly be more help than the Fae.”
“See! We’re going to be fine.” Elliot scratched behind Mr. Pinkus’ ears, causing the cat to purr.
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you always so disgustingly optimistic?”
Elliot shook his head. “No, but one of us needs to be. Besides,” –he rubbed the back of his neck— “you put yourself between me and those hunters. You stood up for yourself, for me, and for my friends. You’re not an idiot.”
Alannah flushed. “It wasn’t that big of a deal,” she mumbled.
“It was.”
“Anyone would do it.”
“No, they wouldn’t.”
She huffed. Elliot was determined to pay her a compliment and while it was nice that he appreciated what she did, it wasn’t the smartest decision she could have made. Not without consulting him or Mr. Pinkus first.
“Are you going to keep beating yourself up?” Elliot asked.
“Probably.”
“You might want to save it for later. We do have a deadline for this quest,” Mr. Pinkus said.
Alannah sighed. “Right. A quest I can’t even complete because there is no way a child with Fae and witch blood even exists.” I’m going to die.
“Why not?” Elliot asked.
“It’s against the rules. Why do you think Valeria exiled my family? It wasn’t because her lover was courting someone else, it’s because her lover was a courting a witch. She was humiliated, not just angry—”
Elliot nodded along as she rambled.
“And Underhill may be home to the witches now, but the Fae aren’t necessarily accepting of us. They see witches as interlopers—"
Elliot held up his hand. “Wait…witches don’t originally come from Underhill?”
Alannah shook her head.
“And, for whatever reason, Fae and witches aren’t allowed to…mix?”
She nodded.
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “The more you tell me about this place, the more I don’t understand how anything works here.”
“It seems obscure to most, but Underhill is really very simple. The people that inhabit it, are not,” Mr. Pinkus said. “We can talk about it more on the journey, but we really must be going. We are sitting ducks here.”
“You make it sound like we’re in danger,” Elliot snorted.
“We are. Especially you.” Mr. Pinkus jumped down from the log. “Not only are the Fae not fond of humans and will have no problem stealing you, hunting you, and/or killing you, but Valeria will absolutely send assassins.”
Elliot stared at Mr. Pinkus, trying to determine if he was kidding. Large owlish eyes stared back at him without blinking. There was no break in the silence, no laugh from the cat. He was very serious. Elliot slapped his thighs with his palms before standing. “I guess we better get going then.”
“Wise idea,” Mr. Pinkus said. “The witches are north of here. We should reach them in a few days—”
“Days!” Alannah and Elliot shouted at the same time.
Mr. Pinkus’ ears laid flat against his head. “Yes, days. We are on foot, you know.”
Alannah sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. “I did not think this through.”
“No, you didn’t. But the choice is made. Now let’s go,” Mr. Pinkus didn’t wait for either of them to argue or ask any more questions. He began walking—in the general direction of North—leaves crunching under his paws.
With little other choice, Alannah began to follow him. She truly hoped he knew where he was going. She found it difficult to trust him after learning that he wasn’t even a cat. Perhaps he was working with Valeria and he was leading them into a trap. Don’t be ridiculous. Alannah shook her head. All those years of companionship…they couldn’t have been fake. Could they? He’s still Mr. Pinkus. Right?
Elliot bumped his shoulder against hers, pulling her out of her head. “You okay?” he asked.
She snorted.
“Sorry, stupid question.”
“Do you really think I made the right decision?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he answered, shrugging his shoulders. “Sometimes there are just decisions, not really good or bad, and you have to choose what you feel is best. Sometimes it isn’t the best. Sometimes your heart decides for you before your head can think about it. And maybe it’ll turn out for the worst, but at least you’ll know.”
“Yeah, we’ll be dead.”
He shook his head. “What I mean is, your decision was to either go back to being alone without any real connections to people or to take a shot in the dark and hope you don’t die. Both suck, but one could turn out for the better.”
She didn’t know if he really had boundless optimism or if he was spouting bullshit to make them both feel better. She also couldn’t say if it was really working, but at least she felt a little less like she had made the worst decision in the world. And he was right. It was better than sitting that home and living the rest of her life wondering if it was truly better to not try at all.
Alannah cleared her throat. “Maybe you’re right. I could’ve been fine alone, but I would’ve always wondered.”
“You wouldn’t have been fine alone.”
“Why not?”
“No one is fine alone. People need connections. Everyone needs people around them to love them and challenge them and help them. We’re made that way.”
“You mean humans are.”
“You are half-human, Alannah. And even if you weren’t, I don’t believe that you would be so different that you wouldn’t need community.”
Community? All she ever had was her grandmother and her mother and eventually they left her. Alannah never once had a community, only a dwindling family. Was she really missing something? It sounded like a pain having so many people around. More people meant more people to answer to. Was that really necessary? She hopped over a root. “If you say so.”
