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Why why why why why.
But the questions never came.
“Your mother loved you.”
My head jerked up as if I had been slapped.
Odessa’s eyes were still on me, dark and unflinching.
“You’ve never asked. But you must have wondered. Did Crescent ever speak of her to you?”
Mutely, I shook my head.
“He never knew her. I didn’t either,” Odessa said.
I tried to form words. To part my dry lips. My mouth felt full of smoke.
“Then how...” I tried.
“How do I know?”
I nodded.
“Your aunt. Morgan was there when your mother died.”
I cleared my throat. “Orcades.”
“Yes. Orcades. Orcades le Fay. Or Pendragon.”
“Morgan... told you?”
“Yes. Your aunt told Crescent before she left. In case she never made it back. And Crescent told me.”
A blaze ripped through me. Odessa saw.
“I know,” she said. “He should have told you. Over and over again. A child needs to be told. It’s not like Crescent to be so thoughtless. You were old enough to be told. I’m sorry, Medra.”
I lifted my chin. “He’s never liked me.”
“That’s not true.” Odessa’s voice was gentle. “He doesn’t understand you, which is very different from not caring about you.” She was quiet for a moment. “I think he thought it would be easy. He’s always been good with children, you see. He’s always wanted more.”
“More like Taina,” I said bitterly.
“Taina is... Well, she was easy for Crescent to connect with. She’s an easy child.”
“Easy? Ordinary,” I spat. “Normal.”
Odessa smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with being extraordinary. Or with not being easy to get along with. The same has been said about me.”
I felt surprised to hear we were alike in some small way. Pleased, for a moment. But then my temper rose. “Not extraordinary. A freak.”
“Oh, Medra.” Odessa sounded tired. “Is that what you really believe?”
I said nothing.
“Your mother did not believe that. She thought you were the most beautiful thing in the world.”
I couldn’t help it. My heart sped up. “How do you know?”
