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An unanswered question from that time compelled me to break the silence. “What happened to our old home in the village?”
“Burned,” Mother said crisply. “You know that.”
“Did the villagers burn it?”
Mother didn’t answer for a moment. “No, I did.”
I gaped at her. “Youdid?”
“I didn’t want the Council poking around and discovering me or my secrets; I was still hidden from them.”
“Why were you suspended in the first place?”
“They hated my powers. I believe I scared them.”
She smirked before reaching over with a dirt-splotched hand to seize my chin and turn my head towards her. For a moment she studied me with a thoughtful pucker wrinkling her brow.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said about missing your old life, and I believe I know why: you had things taken from you with nothing to replace them. I’ve updated your style and given you a new cloud, but what you need are friends.” She tilted her head, considering. “Blaze and Trinity would be perfect. Why don’t you spend more time with them? I believe having Nightmare friends will help you feel more at home here.”
The thought of befriending Blaze and Trinity caused me to shudder; just being around them gave me a creepy, unsettled feeling. “They don’t like me.”
“Nonsense,” Mother said briskly. “They adore you. Thus you should all be friends. And don’t resist, Eden, this is for your own good.”
I didn’t want their friendship. I wanted my old friends—Stardust, Angel, and Iris. But they were gone, likely forever, leaving me nothing; even my makeshift friendship with Shade was tainted considering she’d stolenhim.
But I couldn’t share any of this with Mother; I couldn’t shareanythingwith her. So I simply nodded submissively when she said, “When we finish here, I’ll arrange for you three to go on a little outing; perhaps Blaze can show you where he works at the Weather Shaping Studio. Would you like that, Eden dear?”
She caressed my hair. I sighed as I returned to my weeding and Mother to her pruning, feeling more unsettled and unhappy than before Mother’s attempt to cheer me up.
Chapter 11
Iwove through the familiar gnarled trees of the Nightmare Forest on my way to meet Shade, a meeting I was both reluctant for and unable to resist; as much as I resented her, I was desperate not to lose our friendship, for she was all I had left...not to mention I was keen on avoiding Mother’s arranged outing with Blaze and Trinity for as long as possible.
Voices drifted from the clearing up ahead where I’d planned on meeting Shade. My brow furrowed and I slowed. Was Shade meeting someone? My heart pounded at the suspicion that immediately entered my mind.
It seemed a bit of eavesdropping was in order.
I slowed my steps, tiptoeing carefully around strewn branches and leaves that would alert them to my approach. I knew who was in the grove before I even peered around a trunk, sensing him even before I spotted him.Darius.
My heart lurched at seeing him again before flaring to life. Pain pierced whatever excitement my traitorous heart felt at being so close to him once more. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone, but withher, the one I’d hate if she wasn’t my only friend.
I glared at the couple. Darius sat on a moss-covered log so close to Shade they were practically touching. She straddled the log facing him, her expression bright as she juggled three different-colored bottles. I hastily ducked behind a tree when he straightened and looked around.
“Won’t you help me test them?” Shade asked plaintively.
I peeked around the tree at Darius, who frowned in my direction. After a moment he shook his head and turned back to Shade. “Must I?” he groaned.
“Please?” She leaned closer and batted her wide eyes imploringly, but he merely cocked his eyebrow, unmoved by her charms.
“You know I adore you, but love only goes so far; I really don’t fancy being poisoned.”
My breath hooked.He loved her. I dug my nails into the bark of the trunk I hid behind as agony raked over me, twisting my poor raw heart.
Shade’s smile widened. “I love you, too. Hence I’d never risk poisoning you.”
Darius managed an indulgent smile. “I know,” he said with a tender look that squeezed my heart even tighter. “I hate to be so blunt, Shade, but you’re a bit...ditzy. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you poisoned me inadvertently.”
“I know I’m ditzy,” Shade said brightly, as usual the embodiment of cheerfulness. “But not so much as to risk harming you, not when you mean so much to me. Just test them. All it’ll take is one sip of each. Please?”
