Page 67 of Wings of Ebony
“Good luck with Tasha, Rue,” Luke says. “Hope it all works out.” The bedroom door clicks shut.
When did I tell Luke my sister’s name?
“Rue, I—” Aasim snatches my attention away.
“Stop.” I put up a hand. “Let me say this and get it out of the way. I’m not here to be friends. I’m here to find out what you know about the General’s dealings back in East Row and get my onyx fixed. I don’t know what’s involved in all that, but it’s the least you could do.” I fold my arms. “Your turn, go ahead.”
“Rue, there’s so much you don’t know. So much I have to tell you, show you. I’m sorry about Tasha. Is that where the necklace is?”
“Yeah, whenIleft family back home I actually planned to come back.”
He sighs. “Rue, it’s not that simple. I loved your mother very much,andyou. We’ve never been able to talk about her. I—”
“No. Don’t do that.” Not now. Not with everything else going on. “Magic. The General. What do you know?”
“Rue, I’m your father…”
Oh, now he’s my father.
“I know you must be…” He searches the air for words. “What I’m trying to say is… there’s so much I’m sure you’re dealing with.… Just tell me what you’re holding in.”
“I’m not holding in anything.” How can he possibly think now is the time to bring up Moms? He doesn’t get to do that. He doesn’t get to just bring her up… and force me to remember… and especially not when Tasha and East Row—
“Rue—”
“STOP.Please!” I won’t cry. I won’t. “I’m not doing this with you here or now. You happen to be in a position to fix my magic. That’s theonlyreason I’m standing here talking to you.”
His eyes grow wide.
I don’t care. “You’re not gonna force me to talk about stuff I’m not ready to.” A brick sits on my chest. “Answer my questions. Tell me everything you know and fix my magic. I have people relying on me. And I”—unlike you—“am not gonna let them down.”
He stares at me, a pained look on his face. Like I hurt him or something. I mean sure, he did something by leaving the necklace, but he still left. He still put everything on Moms’s shoulders for seventeen years. And for that he’ll always be a stranger to me. We can figure out this magic thing together, then I’m out. I don’t need his help to protect Tasha or back home. I’ma make a way and do this shit on my own.
Just like Moms taught me.
Just like I’ve always done.
“I’ve clearly hurt you, very deeply. I’m sor—”
“I’m not hurt, I’m impatient. They’rekillingmy people, my home. They tried to kill my sister—twice!”
“I’m so sorry, Rue. You’re right. This isn’t the time, forgive me. And okay, okay. Let’s get your magic back. Even if we can’t fix us, I know we can fix your magic. So you can protect East Row.”
Finally, he gets it. “Th-thank you. That’sallthat matters to me. Protectingmypeople is the only thing I care about.”
He nods solemnly, but the glimmer in his eye is more pride than sorrow.
I straighten up to speak, but the words come out cracked. “I-I’m g-going to destroy them for what they’re doing to my home.” Tears streak my cheeks, but I smudge them away, quick.
He clasps my shoulder. “Youwillhave justice.”
I want to pull away from his touch, but I don’t.
His breath warms my ear. “But, Jelani…”
No one calls me by my middle name.
I face him, my insides tingling.
