Page 134 of The Sea Witch's Son

“He comes home late and insists on insulting me.” Ursela sniffs dramatically, “A woman can only handle so much cruelty.”

“I would imagine a woman as strong as you can handle any amount of cruelty.” Melody clears her throat delicately, “So confident in her own self-worth, she does not need the presence nor the company of a man.”

“Finally! A kindred soul who understands.”

Leaning back in my chair, I watch my little saint take control of the conversation. Every comment, every question is meticulously made to boast my mother’s ego and encourage her to do the thing she loves the most.

Talk about herself.

“I am the Dragon’s right hand woman, you know.” Fake eyelashes bat shamelessly at the pretty girl sitting across from me, “An esteemed position within this town.”

“An esteemed position only within my mother’s eyes.” I raise my glass in a mock toast, “The rest of the town begs to differ.”

Ursela glares at me, her moment of glory so rudely interrupted. I smile right back, laying my cards on the table and knocking her player off the board.

It’s always a game with my mother. A test to see who can cut the other person down the fastest.

“That is an incredible honour.” Melody breaks the tension with an innocent cough, “Especially for someone as young as you.”

My mother beams so bright I’m surprised she doesn’t burn my retinas.

“I do look very young, don’t I?” She pats her bosom modestly, “Tell me, darling girl, how old do you think I am?”

I roll my eyes while Melody scrunches her nose as if the ridiculous question deserves more than a second’s thought.

“I wouldn’t put you a day older than thirty-five.”

“Close.” My mother pauses for dramatic effect, “Fifty-seven.”

Melody’s eyes widen comically, “You’re joking.”

“Even I am shocked sometimes.” Heaving a sigh, my mother strokes her face adoringly, “Take it from me, skin care makes all the difference.”

Catching my eye from across the table, my devious little saint shoots me a grin. She is simply glowing tonight, bantering with the Sea Witch as easily as she cuts through the meat on her plate.

I was wrong when I said her dress was alluring tonight. The dress has nothing to do with it.

Wielding words and defending with questions, Melody St. James transforms in front of my eyes. She is not conversing with the Sea Witch so much as she is playing her. Setting out tiny traps that one cannot help but fall and snare themselves in.

It is a chess match, except her opponent is blissfully unaware.

She plays the pawn well. So well, in fact, that I’m starting to wonder what my little saint was doing snooping around our property.

“Marlin looks just like his father, you know.” Ursela lets out an anguished sigh, “Forcing me to face my biggest mistake every day of my life.”

“And here I thought your biggest mistake was having me.” My tone comes off as indifferent, flippant and nothing short of untouchable.

I rest my hands under the table, hiding the way they twitch ever-so-slightly.

“Oh, no. You have proven most useful, dearest.” She swings her glittering gaze in my direction, “Your father on the other hand… a terrible nuisance. The best thing he could have done was pack his bags and never look back.”

My mother grins like a woman who just played the winning hand. Her eyes are glued to my face, cataloguing every micro expression.

Hunting for a sign of weakness.

My lips peel back into a smile as I reach for the stem of my wineglass. Raising it in the air, I clink it against the woman who never did find a way to love me.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

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