breeze as I step onto the bottom stair.
“We need to talk.” I climb up the steps and onto the old wooden porch that sways unsteadily beneath my feet. I cautiously step over a broken board in my path, making sure my foot doesn’t fall through the hole, and then come to a stop in front of her.
She measures me up with her frail arms folded. “Who are you?”
“Gemma,” I answer. “Don’t you remember me?”
Her eyes squint as she examines my eyes closely. “What I remember is that the last time you were here, you hit me over the head and that I’m pretty sure you were possessed.”
“How did you know?”
“I know a lot of things. I’ve told you this.”
I sigh. “Well, I’m sorry, but I’m me now, and I’d like to chat with you about something… something important.”
She hesitates, then, I guess, decides that I’m me because she nods and steps back to let me walk in. “Come in then. We do have a lot to talk about.”
I follow her into the house and the floorboards creak below my feet as she shuts the door behind us. The living room looks the same as the last time I was here; a worn sofa is in the corner and there’s still dust covering most of the tables and shelves. Nalina walks through the living room towards the kitchen and takes a seat at the table stationed between the oven and the sink.
“Have a seat.” She motions for me to come in, then points to the empty chair across from her.
I pull out the chair and sit down, feeling uneasy. I usually don’t do things solo and I feel a little defenseless in the house, especially because there are lavender marbles scattered around the floor. Praesidium, which makes it so I can’t use my Foreseer power.
Nalina collects a yellow cup from the middle of the table and grips it in-between her hands. Steam rises over the brim as she blows on the liquid.
“I was just having some tea before you showed up. Would you like some?” A smile creeps across her lips.
The last time I had tea at her table she poisoned me so that Dyvinius could read my thoughts. He wanted to be able to get inside my mind to see if I was planning on saving my father from the Room of Forbidden, where he’s been trapped for ages. When he found out that I was, he ripped my Foreseer power from me.
“No, thank you,” I decline, frowning as I shake my head. “I remember the last tea you served me.”
She tips her head, looking into her cup. “You have to remember that I had no choice over what I did. I was ordered by Divinius to help him, and I had to obey.” Her fingers quiver along with her voice.
I want to believe her, but I still don’t trust her. I could tell her that she’s my aunt and that she should have protected me, but I stay calm and keep my lips sealed because I need to gain her trust. “I know that you had no choice,” I say, clutching onto the edge of the table. “It wasn’t your fault. Besides, I have my Foreseer power back now, so no harm no foul.” I bite my lip as soon as I say it. I probably should have kept that piece of information to myself.
Her face fades of color as she clumsily sets the cup down on the table, spilling tea all over the place. “W-what do you mean you have your Foreseer power back? The only way you’d be able to get your power back is if Dyvinius gave it to you and I know my stepbrother well enough to know that he’d never willingly do that. He’s very, very strict about his rules. So unless you forced him to give it back, the only other option would be to sacrifice someone as a prisoner to the Crystal.” She pauses, waiting for me to deny it.
I stare at the cracks in the table, silently letting it sink in.
“Gemma, please tell me you didn’t,” she says, stunned. “Please, please tell me I’m wrong.”
I glance down at my hands, which are trembling. Guilt creeps back inside of me as I’m bluntly reminded of what I’m
“We need to talk.” I climb up the steps and onto the old wooden porch that sways unsteadily beneath my feet. I cautiously step over a broken board in my path, making sure my foot doesn’t fall through the hole, and then come to a stop in front of her.
She measures me up with her frail arms folded. “Who are you?”
“Gemma,” I answer. “Don’t you remember me?”
Her eyes squint as she examines my eyes closely. “What I remember is that the last time you were here, you hit me over the head and that I’m pretty sure you were possessed.”
“How did you know?”
“I know a lot of things. I’ve told you this.”
I sigh. “Well, I’m sorry, but I’m me now, and I’d like to chat with you about something… something important.”
She hesitates, then, I guess, decides that I’m me because she nods and steps back to let me walk in. “Come in then. We do have a lot to talk about.”
I follow her into the house and the floorboards creak below my feet as she shuts the door behind us. The living room looks the same as the last time I was here; a worn sofa is in the corner and there’s still dust covering most of the tables and shelves. Nalina walks through the living room towards the kitchen and takes a seat at the table stationed between the oven and the sink.
“Have a seat.” She motions for me to come in, then points to the empty chair across from her.
I pull out the chair and sit down, feeling uneasy. I usually don’t do things solo and I feel a little defenseless in the house, especially because there are lavender marbles scattered around the floor. Praesidium, which makes it so I can’t use my Foreseer power.
Nalina collects a yellow cup from the middle of the table and grips it in-between her hands. Steam rises over the brim as she blows on the liquid.
“I was just having some tea before you showed up. Would you like some?” A smile creeps across her lips.
The last time I had tea at her table she poisoned me so that Dyvinius could read my thoughts. He wanted to be able to get inside my mind to see if I was planning on saving my father from the Room of Forbidden, where he’s been trapped for ages. When he found out that I was, he ripped my Foreseer power from me.
“No, thank you,” I decline, frowning as I shake my head. “I remember the last tea you served me.”
She tips her head, looking into her cup. “You have to remember that I had no choice over what I did. I was ordered by Divinius to help him, and I had to obey.” Her fingers quiver along with her voice.
I want to believe her, but I still don’t trust her. I could tell her that she’s my aunt and that she should have protected me, but I stay calm and keep my lips sealed because I need to gain her trust. “I know that you had no choice,” I say, clutching onto the edge of the table. “It wasn’t your fault. Besides, I have my Foreseer power back now, so no harm no foul.” I bite my lip as soon as I say it. I probably should have kept that piece of information to myself.
Her face fades of color as she clumsily sets the cup down on the table, spilling tea all over the place. “W-what do you mean you have your Foreseer power back? The only way you’d be able to get your power back is if Dyvinius gave it to you and I know my stepbrother well enough to know that he’d never willingly do that. He’s very, very strict about his rules. So unless you forced him to give it back, the only other option would be to sacrifice someone as a prisoner to the Crystal.” She pauses, waiting for me to deny it.
I stare at the cracks in the table, silently letting it sink in.
“Gemma, please tell me you didn’t,” she says, stunned. “Please, please tell me I’m wrong.”
I glance down at my hands, which are trembling. Guilt creeps back inside of me as I’m bluntly reminded of what I’m
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