My Father's Bidding

15: I'm Surprised She Let Us Get This Far

I nervously chewed mushroom candy, watching the direction Rori disappeared in. We were supposed to find where they took Julien but she left me in the fairy village. As if I don’t have enough to worry about. Now I have to figure out if I’m supposed to find my way home or wait. Asheria replaced my empty plate with another, offering a soft smile before fluttering away quickly. Maybe I should stay here. I love candy and they love giving it to me.

“What are you doing here?” Bev appeared next to me, making me choke. She smacked a firm hand on my back repeatedly until I coughed back up a tiny piece of candy.

“I’m waiting on Rori. What are you doing here?”

“I’m picking up charms. Grandma Knight is making some jewelry for my mom.”

“Nice.” Another fairy brought her a cloth bag and flew off quickly before Bev could say anything. “What was that about?”

“This is my third time picking up a set of beads. She’s mad I changed my mind the last two times. You know, it is rather rude, I was going to compliment her work. Do you like them?”

I peeked into the bag of tiny glowing stones and nodded. “If the fairies make the beads, why not let them make the jewelry?”

“They have a deal with Grandma Knight. She refuses to be a “stay at home mate” as she calls it and wanted a job for herself. She’s always made jewelry for the pack but then the fairies came. . . the deal is they can’t make jewelry. I don’t understand what the big deal is personally. The pack has grown by the thousands, surely she could use the help. As a woman with a title, she should have plenty of work to do.” She shook her head disappointedly and shoved the bag into her purse with a sigh. “So what are you meeting Rori for? I haven’t seen her all day.”

“She is asking around to find Julien. Then we are going to see him.”

“You can’t sense him?”

“Alison must have cloaked him. So far no one knows or is telling us where he is.”

“Or he’s cloaking himself? Julien has always given me loner vibes, but like, hot loner vibes.” She squinted her eyes and tilted her head, attempting to make sense of what she just said in her head.

“No, he’s not. Ever since we were sucked into that realm everything has been thrown off. Julien was acting weird then we lied and Alison got pissed off and turned into a wolf. They told us we were going to examination and I blacked out thinking they were taking me where Carlisle and Kezgog are. Then I wake up in the hospital and Xander is being healed and Julien is missing!” I exhaled with relief, finally getting something out of my system.

She froze in confusion. Her eyes seemed to be calculating but it was like everything I said was foreign to her. “What are you talking about? What realm? Why would you be in examination?”

“We were sucked into some weird nightmare painting of Alison’s at Noah’s house. Then we were chased by these demon things and the whole day has been a disaster.”

“Talia, are you sure you didn’t dream all of this? It seems a bit farfetched.”

“What? No! Why would you think it’s a dream? I don’t think multiple people have the same dream and one comes out missing and another needs to be healed.”

“I mean my parents are Omega’s, if what you said happened, I would be aware of it.”

“The last time this pack was attacked, your parents were among the first to be turned into puppets. There is a reason mom tells them nothing,” Rori finally returned.

“They didn’t tell me that.”

“Why would they? They tied my mother up and helped a psycho kill my father. I doubt being the weakest link is their proudest achievement.”

“Is that what your demon friends told you?” Bev questioned coldly.

“No, I read one of my mom’s diaries.”

“And you believed it?”

“Why would someone lie to a diary?”

“She could have spelled it for anyone that read it!”

“Why would she want them to read how the pack started as a lost cause and your mom tried to sleep with my dad?” Rori questioned.

“SHE WHAT?”

“Okay, okay, okay!” Amara came from the middle of nowhere and jumped in between them. “It is long over. Can we please get back to the present moment?”

Bev’s defense went down and she now looked lost in thought. Rori stepped back with a proud smirk, ignoring Amara hitting her arm. “You know better than to get in mom’s stuff!” She scolded in a loud whisper.

“She can hear our thoughts whenever she wants. It’s only fair we hear hers.”

“She doesn’t tell the world our thoughts!”

“I didn’t tell the world.”

Amara looked over at Bev, then back to Rori wide-eyed. “You might as well have put it on the morning news!”

Rori shrugged and sighed boredly. “Okay, funs over, what did you find out?” It’s unsettling the amusement she gets out of this.

“He’s in the other examination. . .” Sergio replied awkwardly since Amara was too busy contemplating what to do with her reflection.

“Like the one they sent Carlisle and Kezgog to?” I stepped forward worriedly. Sergio nodded slowly with sad eyes.

“Damn, I never thought Mom would send the golden boy away.” She shrugged in approval and spun on her heel to leave.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m rescuing your boyfriend, are you coming?” I ran to catch up with her. My worry was now accompanied by excitement. The two emotions swirled around in my stomach, making me feel nauseous.

“What?” Amara questioned, storming after us.

“You aren’t deaf Amara.”

“I’m coming!” Bev followed quickly, suddenly back to her normal self.

“We cannot let you do this,” Sergio argued.

“You don’t have to worry about letting me do anything,” Rori rolled her eyes at him.

“Rori this is ridiculous! The guards will stop you and you will spend the rest of the year working at the hotel every time someone calls out,” Amara reasoned.

“Oh please, the guards are only there for looks.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“You can either come with me or walk away, but do not yell in my ear the whole way there or you will not like how I go about retrieving him.” Rori’s threat made Amara briefly stop in her tracks before continuing. She and Sergio seemed to be debating their options, finally deciding to follow along.

A bolt of lightning shot down on the forest floor a few yards away, scaring a nest of birds out of their cover.

“I guess your story would make sense of this random storm we’re experiencing,” Bev reasoned, smiling over at me.

“Yeah, why does your mom have to make storms when she’s mad? She’s scary enough as is,” Sergio complained, more to himself at the end.

“Are you talking to me?” Rori glanced back.

“You are the diary invader.”

“Rain clears her mind and lightning makes her happy.”

“She can’t find inner peace with rainbows and butterflies?”

“It’s only concerning when she’s quiet.”

Another bolt shot down on his side making him jump into Amara with a scream. Rori laughed and I let out my own quick giggle before slapping my hand over my mouth. Sergio’s fear suddenly vanished and curiosity appeared on his features.

“Maybe you could ask her to make a tornado for my birthday,” Sergio beamed down at Amara making her squint in confusion. “Just a small one. I haven’t experienced one.”

He’s scared of lightning but wants to experience a tornado?

“Some consider that a blessing,” Amara reasoned.

“Like I said, a small one. Maybe just one in the palm of my hand? That would be the coolest present!”

“And if it goes out of control? Weather magic is tricky you know! Why not swim with the dolphins or something normal? Why a tornado of all things?”

“Because he needs to get to Oz to ask the wizard for a-” My eyes widened before Rori could finish. She is persistent in her hatred of him.

Sergio was used to it by now, continuing on unbothered. Amara did not look pleased, but she did seem relieved that it shut down his idea. Bev laughed her way up to Rori and hooked on to her arm as if they were best friends again. I am the fifth wheel walking awkwardly between the two couples, left to worry about Julien and make nods now and then to prove I’m listening.

“You know, I’m thinking of studying you for my psych class. You would make a fascinating patient,” Bev pitched to Rori.

“You will be scared of what you find,” Sergio mumbled.

Bev let out a scream as she and Rori dropped down suddenly. The rest of us stopped, examining the black hole they fell into. I realized Rori didn’t make a sound and jumped in after them, assuming it was planned. “Figured it would take those two the longest,” Rori smirked up at the hole when I finally hit the ground. I landed on my feet but couldn’t balance. Rori pulled me up before I could fall and dragged me out of the way as the other two finally came down.

“How did you know that was there?” Amara demanded to know.

“Mom used to take us to run errands when we were little. We used the tunnels to avoid people stopping to talk to her. I’m not surprised you don’t remember any of it.”

“Why do you?”

Rori ignored her question and shushed Bev’s complaints about the spiders. “Where does this go?” I asked, now curious.

“This one runs under the castle. Right to the basement.”

“What makes you think it’s not guarded?” Amara threw back.

“The guards are too stupid to study an emergency evacuation map.”

I followed behind curiously, noting the tunnel gradually filling with more light. Every few minutes a shadow would pass as someone walked by the entrance. “What are we going to do inside?” I asked.

“I haven’t thought of that yet.”

“WHAT?” Sergio whisper-shouted as we neared the end. Rori ignored our worries and stepped out of the tunnel, into a hall. I followed, looking back confused as Amara and Sergio stepped out of a wall.

“It’s a false wall,” Rori explained before curiosity covered her features. “I’m surprised she let us get this far.”

“Who?” Bev mumbled, pulling spiders out of her hair.

“My mom. She usually intervenes before we get in trouble.”

“So she knows we’re doing this? Oh gods we’re screwed,” Sergio started his complaints again.

“Or maybe she doesn’t yet. . .” Rori suddenly took off at full speed. I followed after her, hearing Julien’s voice in the distance. The faces of confused guards flew past me as I charged straight ahead. Rori was right, they really are useless.

She came to a sudden stop in front of me. I tried to slow down, but couldn’t soon enough. I ran straight into her and fell on my back. “I knew it was too good to be true,” Rori complained, still standing as if nothing happened while I rubbed my head in pain. It feels like I ran into a wall.

Amara and Sergio helped me to my feet as my head throbbed. I leaned on Sergio for support until the dizziness wore off. Lucious and Asmodeus stood in front of Rori, looking less than pleased. Behind them, Carlisle and Kezgog were being released.

I froze in place watching them step out of their cells. Chills swam through me as they walked past us with smiles. My warmth finally returned as I spotted Julien walking out behind them. I pushed past the two annoyed guards, ignoring the giant demons, and ran to Julien. I clung to him immediately, gripping his shirt as hard as I could.

“What’s happening?” Amara questioned.

“Everyone is going home,” Lucious sighed.

“Everyone?” I repeated, carefully watching the giant demons walking away.

“The queen said the examination has run its course,” Asmodeus replied.

“That’s disappointing.”

“Rori!” Amara scolded again.

“What? It took the fun out of it.”

This time I ignored their bickering, smiling to myself as Julien’s warmth consumed me. It was quickly dimmed when I looked up at his face. He looked the same as he did when we returned. He was still in his own thoughts. Though he was physically here hugging me, his mind was elsewhere.

“You should all be going,” Lucious warned as my ears picked up Jaylon talking to the castle's headmaster.

Julien met my eyes and faked a quick smile, but I could see the emptiness in his eyes. My dim smile finally fell to a frown. He dropped his arms from around me and grabbed my hand, pulling me up the stairs quickly. I was the last one out. The others had gone up before Lucious could finish his warning. Before I reached the top step, I saw Jaylon. He now stood next to Lucious and Asmodeous, watching us run up the stairs with equally concerned faces. I had a bad feeling that soon I would know what they were thinking. I would be feeling it for myself.

“Why didn’t they take you to the hospital with the rest of us?” Amara started right as we caught up in the main hall. Luckily, most of the students seemed to be out for the day.

“They didn’t tell me,” Julien replied quietly.

“Probably because Golden Boy came back all mopey and secretive,” Rori offered sarcastically.

“You try having your reality altered in a day. Let’s shove you into a painting and see which world you fall into. Ours was cold and unforgiving.”

“Unlike you, I would have taken advantage of the learning opportunity.”

“If I could have traded places, you would have been my first pick,” Sergio replied.

“We should tell the truth,” Amara interrupted. I nodded quickly. I feel sick not telling the truth.

“Then why didn’t you?” Julien threw back.

“Sergio said no. You didn’t look like you’d say yes. Xander and I agreed just to go along with it.”

“Okay, so what’s wrong now?”

“Something feels terribly wrong. Xander had to be healed awake! I know we all encountered something at that place. It could have attached to us. We have to be honest.”

“Don’t you think if Mom was really worried about it she would have scanned your thoughts? She probably already has. So there is nothing to tell.”

“What if-” Sergio started.

“There is nothing to tell,” Julien repeated coldly.

“Maybe she wants us to tell. Maybe she doesn’t want to hear it from our thoughts,” I spoke up shyly, hoping he wouldn't get cold with me too.

“If our experience was that serious, she wouldn’t care where she got the information from.” He reassured with a small nod before looking over the group. “We will not speak of this again. The experience is best forgotten. I don’t want to hear any more of it.”

“It’s kinda hard when we have the gossip princess listening to every-” Sergio started only to be interrupted by Bev.

“How did I get to the castle?”

“Remember you came with me to find Amara?” Rori asked, speaking as though she already had to remind her a hundred times.

“Oh, I’m spacing again. . .” I see why Rori didn’t mind telling Bev about what she read, or even bringing her along, she had no intention of letting her remember it. I wonder how often she does that.

I wanted to get out of this conversation. I wanted to get out of this day. “Can we talk?” I turned to Julien, hoping we could leave and find something to distract ourselves with along the way.

“Can we tonight? I need time to collect my thoughts and I can’t do that until I see that Xander is okay.”

I swallowed down my feelings and put on a reassuring smile. “Of course.”

“What the hell is going on?” My attention shifted to Andrew walking up to us quickly with a very confused expression. “Carissa dropped our siblings off with me and the next thing I know lightning is spanking the forest and Xander is in the hospital. Which one of you did something now?”

Julien walked off angrily and when I turned around to see who would answer, I realized I was now standing alone. This isn’t even fair. I’m the only one that doesn’t know how to get home.