Page 70 of Above
“Well, we have our moments,” Mama whispered, her voice thick with emotion. I could see the wobble of her bottom lip from my spot next to Dad. She would cry if no one stepped in.
“We own an apothecary, you know,” I chimed in. Altair’s head whipped from Mama to me, those bright eyes holding my gaze as if trying to read my thoughts. “The four of us all work there, but it’s my mother’s passion. She has spent her entire life dreaming of helping eadi.”
Scrunching my eyes, I dared him to say something bigoted. To prove to me he was the hateful creature he had always shown me. I was forgetting beneath the veil of his charm, and I needed to remember.
“That’s incredible. Honestly, I’ve never met someone who was that selfless. That hopeful. It’s rare, and I’m so glad there are people like you who are eager to change the world.” A wistful, awed tone made his voice softer than normal, his cold and deep rasp fading into something warm.
We stared at each other for what felt like years, not so much as blinking, before Dad cleared his throat, startling me back into reality. His deep set eyes were slitted, narrowed in on the table, where Altair and I had simultaneously placed our hands, barely an inch of space separating our fingers. Altair snatched his away, running it through his hair and turning to face Mama. As he peppered her with questions, Dad and I entered into a silent conversation.
Even when I was younger, I could always tell what he was thinking just by looking at his face. He was like a living journal, a story that needed only to be seen to be understood. Now, as he stared me down, I could tell what he was thinking just as clearly as ever.
Dad knew I was keeping something from them. His full lips were tightened into a thin line, his thick brows so low they nearly forced his eyes closed. His beard had grown out more in the last two months, and he stroked it slowly as he accused me wordlessly.
What was I meant to say? The truth wasn’t an option, and more lies felt pointless. Talking would only bring more fury. Like she so often did, Mama saved me.
“My love, do you want some more food?” Dad’s eyes flicked toward hers, softening and lifting the corners of his mouth.
“No, darling, I’m full. It was delicious,” he praised. Then a mischievous smile appeared, and I readied for his next comment, watching Altair rather than either of them. “Just like you are.”
Altair’s eyes widened, the comment that was relatively tame for my parents seeming to scandalize him. Mama blushed, bringing her fingers to her lips to stifle her musical giggles. She was the most lovely thing the world had ever seen, and it crushed me to watch her disappear and fade before my eyes. But when she laughed like that, her vibrance was momentarily restored.
“You naughty man,” she cooed, winking at Dad. Celeste groaned, slumping in her chair and letting her head fall back. I couldn’t stop my laughter as she feigned hanging herself with her short hair, not quite succeeding.
“You’re both so gross,” she muttered.
“Agreed,” I added, smiling at my sister. She sat up straight, not returning the grin.
“So areyou two.”I reared back, sticking out my tongue in disgust.
“We are not together.”
“We are not together,” she parroted, lifting her hand and folding her fingers as if her hand were talking.
“We are not together,” I shot back, grabbing my fork like a weapon and tilting my head as I mocked her in return. We went back and forth three more times, our chests both leaning over the table, before Dad cut us off.
“Girls, really?”
“I’ve never seen two people so in love,” Altair whispered. We all turned to him, jaws slack. Beneath our gazes, Altair almost appeared shy. His shoulders rose, his immaculate posture slumping somewhat, and a deeper pink spread across his cheeks. “Apologies, I didn’t mean to be inappropriate.”
“Not at all,” Mama reassured, placing her hand on his and tapping it gently. “That was so kind of you, Az.”
Death’s fur tickled my slightly exposed ankle, stealing my attention. I bent low, swiping her up and placing a soft kiss to her damp black nose. She purred, rubbing her tiny head against my chin, then turned toward Altair. A grimace stretched his lips into a slightly downturned line, his light brows knitting together. Was he afraid of cats or something?
Death meowed, shimmying out of my hold and forcing me to drop her onto my lap, where she promptly bent low and leapt onto Altair. He froze, his hands up and shoulders pressed into the back of his chair. For her part, Death only purred and shoved her head into his lower stomach.
“That’s Death, she’s friendly.” Though I wished she weren’t.
“She’s also not supposed to be at the table, but she’s stubborn like Nova.”
Crossing my arms, I leaned forward and looked at my mother. She was smirking, a sparkle in her eye that terrified me.
“Thanks, Mama. I’m actually quite—”
“When are you going to tell us about Elite Academy?” Celeste cut in. I looked at her, mouth open, wishing she’d just let us have a nice dinner for once.
“What more do you want to know? I’ve told you everything in my letters.”
“Yeah, right. We know you’re leaving things out.” She paused, placing her chin in her hand. “I just want to make sure you’re safe. You’re my little sister, it’s supposed to be my job to protect you.”
