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gorgeous, a white gown fit for a princess. Her dark hair is piled high on her head, with ringlets pinned in place. A diamond encrusted tiara sits upon her head.
“Insane. But also, kinda perfect.”
She takes a deep breath, then drops her shoulders. “Speaking of insane. Last night was kinda nuts.”
I smile, stepping toward her, setting a hand on her waist. “There were a lot of nuts.”
That makes her face flush bright red.
I lean in so close I could kiss her, but wanting to be on my best behavior.
“What? Not even little kiss?” she asks, those wide eyes of hers searing mine.
I shake my head. “Can’t ruin your makeup.” She laughs, rolling her eyes playfully.
“Hey, remember back when we started rehearsals, and Melanie told us the plot of the show? The princess in the tower, the men who came to save her, how I was the bad guy, and how you got locked in the cage?”
She nods, obviously. We’ve rehearsed this show hundreds of times.
“Anyway,” I say. “You asked Melanie how you got out of the cage, and she told you the hero came and saved you and you asked who the hero was.”
“What about that?”
“You seemed sad when she told you the heroes were the men. I always wanted to ask, who did you want the hero to be? Who did you want to save the princess from the birdcage?”
Lark, dips her chin, then raises her eyes. “I guess I was kind of hoping she would save herself.”
I run my hands over her arms, staring at her. “You can, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe not in tonight’s show, but in life. I mean, we’re here for you, as your hawks, but maybe you’re bigger than us. More than us.”
“I don’t know what that means exactly,” she admits.
“I just mean, don’t let us hold you back from your destiny. We can fly with you, but you can fly first.”
“Why do you see me as more than I see myself?” “Because, Lark, you’re the girl who can fly.”
She sighs and wraps her arms around my waist. “Are you nervous?” I whisper in her ear.
“No,” she says, but her voice is so soft, and I know she’s holding something back. “I’m ready for the show. Melanie did an amazing job preparing us for it.”
“Then what is it?”
“I’m having a hard time understanding everything that happened last night is all.”
My eyes narrow, my heart suddenly tight. “You didn’t mean what you said?”
Her face looks pained. “No, no, not that. I love you. You can’t get out of this already.”
“I’m not getting out of anything,” I tell her. “What about last night then?”
“About Remedy. Her story. Our story. Do you think it is true?”
I take a deep breath, not sure if this is the right time for this talk. “I don’t want my opinions to influence you, Lark. You’re your own woman. And I don’t want to change that.”
“Tell me what you think. Please. Usually, I would ask my mom to weigh in, but she’s gone. I need to know what you think.”
“Well, I think it’s true.” I look down at her. “You saw what she did in the desert. She shifted, put out a fire. Has a ring an awful lot like yours. And she isn’t on the eagle’s side. She sent him away.”
“What if that was a part of their game? To lure me in?” “Here’s what I think. You ready for it?”
She runs a hand over her neck. “I’m ready.”
“I think you got your answers. The ones you keep saying you want. And you don’t like them. You want the truth to be some- thing it isn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“The story isn’t a happy one. Angry fathers trying to take down their daughters? Hunting them for dead? That isn’t the father- daughter story anyone wants to hear. So, I get it. Why play a role in that?” I pause for effect. “But what if that isn’t the whole story.”
“What do you mean?”
“What if the story needs you. What if it isn’t about a father and his daughter, instead it’s about a mother and her child?”
She shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “But I already have a mother. I don’t need to find another one.”
I take her hands because this is the part I didn’t want to say. I don’t want to burden her; to put things on her shoulders that weigh her down. Still, she asked, so I will answer.
“You say you aren’t special, that you just have a magic ring. But you are special, Lark. You have something in your heart the rest of us hawks don’t. Your mother’s love.”
“I don’t know what Remedy even wants me to do,” she says. “She came barging into my life and I don’t even understand what she expects–”
“She wants your help. She wants her sisters to come together and then see if Gaia will give you more information.”
