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“It seems your usefulness is coming to an end, pet.”
“My usefulness?”
“You were such a good babysitter while I needed you. Just a few minutes ago, my little Amelia was able to prove once and for all that shedoeshave magic. She grew flowers all on her own.”
I feel both shock and relief as I study Antonia’s face.
“I didn't—” Amelia begins to deny it but is cut off quickly by Zach.
“She did. I saw her,” he declares. His face is a hard mask, daring anyone to disagree. As I stare at my son, I note the changes in him too. Just like Amelia, it’s clear he has lost weight and missed a few nights of sleep. Unlike his sister, there is a hardness to him that wasn’t there before.
As he moves to stand protectively between his mother and sister, I understand it all. I know where the flowers came from. Amelia is an owl. I know it, my mother knows it, and my son knows it too.
I lock eyes with my son and give him a nod of thanks for protecting her when I couldn’t. He’s done his best, but I know he doesn’t realize the problem he’s now created. When Amelia shifts—and she will—Antonia will find out that this was all a lie.
I give my children one last look before turning to their mother.
“And what are you going to do with me?”
“I was going to kill you.”
“No!” Both of my children cry out in my defense.
“But then I thought it might be nice to have some extra help around here. You wouldn’t be able to interact withmychildren, of course, but it seems it would upset them to watch you die.” She pauses and glances at Zach as he holds a sobbing Amelia. “For now, anyway.”
With that, she waves her hand, pushing me back so I fall on the ground, and I watch in horror as she ushers my children away from me.
I have no choice now. Despite the threat to my village, I have to plan an escape for the three of us. Zach has bought us some time, but he can only do so much. I only wish that I could get a warning to my mother and tell her to get out of Greece before Antonia’s wrath heads their way.
Chapter Seven
Pearl
Iwas right. In the time I’ve been gone, my father has accumulated a long list of issues to discuss with me. He already has suggestions for each decision, and I completely agree with his choices. I hate that he feels like he needs my approval. For most of my life, my father was the one in charge. My mother died when Aqua was born, and I was only eight. There was another woman in our pod who had just turned twenty who took over the role of pod mother.
When I was freed from the hunters and finally reunited with my family, she was gone. My father later explained that he and a small number of our pod refused to leave our pre-planned meeting location, knowing that was the first place I would look if I were to escape. Since he refused to give up hope that I would find my way back to him, the few women there were—none of whom were willing to step up into the leadership role—left along with most of the men. When I returned, my pod was a fraction of the size it once was.
Now that I’m back, though, even the original members of my pod have begun looking to me for guidance and answers. I hate it. I know my place is at the head of my pod, and I want to do them justice. Still, I don’t feel quite equal to the task.
It’s the main reason I truly hope Kristle and her family join us here. Perhaps Narissa will seamlessly step into the role of pod mother with our people as well.
The possibility fills me with both hope and anxiety. If I’m honest, as much as I long to be free of the responsibility, I just don’t know what type of leader Narissa is yet. I need to know before I give her control over my family—we’ve been through enough. From the small interactions I’ve had with her, I doubt she would be as willing to defer to my father as I have been.
“Pearl?” Mizu calls out as he steps through the front door.
“In here.” I raise my voice so that it carries from the sunroom at the back of the house overlooking the ocean.
I turn and watch as Mizu and Kristle walk through the door hand in hand and smile at the sight. My cousin has never looked so happy, and Kristle is practically glowing.
“Hey, guys. What’s up?”
“Well, I just talked to my mom. She is understandably excited about our mating…” She turns her head and looks at my cousin like he hangs the moon each night. He leans over to kiss her on the forehead.
“They want to come here,” Mizu finishes for her, “but were hoping to talk about some logistics before.”
“Step into my office.” I chuckle, gesturing to the couch opposite me. “Congratulations on your mating,” I begin as they sit down, still clasping each other’s hands. They look completely at ease with each other already.
It sends a small pang through me, and I search inside me for the pull that I became accustomed to. It flickers weakly, and I make a mental note that I need to return to Greece soon to see if my hunch is correct about my mystery man.
