Page 87 of Revenge of the Forgotten

Destined to die.

A welcome feeling followed her words—the out-of-body experience of the curse giving her back a memory. Typically, she would panic and fight the inevitable blackout… but as the pain seared through her body, Vega closed her eyes and slipped into her mind, where at least she wouldn’t feel anything—where her memories held her tightly and made her feel less alone.

An older woman’s face floated into view, her jaw falling open while her hand outstretched to help Vega off the cold marble underneath her.

“Miss Vega, I’m so sorry.” Her doe eyes fluttered to someone standing behind Vega, panic fluttering across her face.

“Oh, please, I—” Vega started, pushing herself off the ground.

“Gods, watch where you’re going! You could have hurt her!” Marlena said from behind her.

She looked over Vega, grabbing her by the shoulders to check her inch by inch as if she’d been to battle and not taken a small tumble to the floor.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Marlena. Of course,” the older woman croaked, bending down to pick up the winter decorations that fluttered to the floor when she’d collided with Vega.

“Marlena, I’m fine,” Vega said, but Marlena continued to check her over. “I said I’m fine!” Vega snatched herself out of her sister’s grasp, meeting her matching eyes with a glare.

“You’re lucky she’s fine, or—” Vega didn’t let Marlena finish.

“It was my fault. I was walking backwards, not looking where I was going. She didn’t mean to. Calm down.” Vega’s dark hair was pulled back from her face with braids while the rest tumbled past her shoulders.

“No, my apologies. Your sister is right. I should have been paying attention.”

“It was an accident. It’s okay.” Vega had long forgotten about her bumped elbow, bending down to help gather the scattered decor.

“Miss Vega,” the woman began again.

“Please, just Vega,” she interrupted. “Your name is Della, right?” Vega smiled softly.

“Yes.” The maid’s smile was huge, a sparkle in her eye.

“How is your granddaughter? She shifted for the first time last month, didn’t she?” Vega asked as she picked up the last of the decorations and put them in the brown box.

“She did. You remembered,” Della cooed.

“Of course. I remember the first time Khort shifted. It’s such an important moment for your people. Do you mind me asking what form she took?” Vega lifted the box off the floor and held it close to her chest.

Della couldn’t hold back her smile. “A sparrow, like her father.”

“I bet she’s loving her new wings!” Vega’s voice was smooth, excitement ringing through the busy hallway. “Will you tell her congratulations for me?”

The woman grabbed the box from Vega and nodded—her smile had yet to fade.

“Of course, Mi—” Vega gave her a look. “Vega. Of course I will. She’s going to be so excited to hear you remembered.”

The woman hurried off to finish her duties, and Vega watched her until she rounded the corner. Her emotions switched when her gaze landed on Marlena, glowering. “What was that all about?”

“The help needs to learn to be more careful.” Marlena was standing by what she said, her spine straightening as she looked down her nose at Vega. Compared to Vega’s loose curls and lazy braids, Marlena’s hair was pinned up tight, not a piece out of place.

For the first time, Vega saw what Marlena would become—the ruler she had been schooled to be. She scoffed. “It’s like I don’t even know who you are these days.” Vega shook her head, not taking her eyes off of her sister. “What’s gotten into you?”

Marlena crossed her arms, closing herself off. “Nothing, Vega. Jeez, I didn’t think you’d get this upset about me trying to protect you.”

Vega shook her head. “That’s not protecting me. That’s you treating the people beneath you like they’re less important. She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Marlena let out a laugh, motioning towards where the maid ran off to. “Oh, c’mon! Get a grip. She is lesser than us. She shifts into a deer. A deer! That’s why she works for us, Vega, not the other way around.”

Vega’s cheeks heated with anger. “Oh my gods! How dare you say that! That’s not how we were raised, Marlena!” Their argument was starting to turn the heads of the help roaming through the halls of their home, readying the Caelums for their annual Saturnalia Ball. “Because if what you’re saying is true, remember that I’m stronger than you. Does that make me better? Do I deserve more than you do?”

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