Page 4 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
I want to be modest and say I only need one, but the strawberry pins on her hair are too cute. “I’ll take two, please.”
She hands me the pair with trembling fingers.
“You should know they have my name carved in small letters at the back,” she informs me in a low voice, half afraid I would change my mind.
No way.
I’m already pinning them on each side of my head. “I love them, Jessica.”
I gasp when Jessica suddenly wraps her arms around me.
“Thank you, thank you,” she whispers gratefully into my ear. I feel the relief shuddering through her. “You don’t know what this means for my family.”
I melt into her warm embrace. The sting of disappointment I felt earlier slowly ebbs away after getting new hairpins.
“Where’s Oscar?” she asks, pulling away. “Isn’t he supposed to be with you?”
My heart prickles at the question. I take a step back and shrug.
“Did you sneak away from his watch again?” Jessica asks with a soft smile.
I nod, backing away. I don’t want to get the knight into trouble. “If you see him, tell him I’m going to my room.”
I walk along the passage and make a quick stop at Mother’s chamber to tell her that Father is gone.
The door is ajar and I hear Rainer’s smooth voice coming from inside. “What do you suppose we should do then?”
It’s not nice to eavesdrop, but I can’t help it.
“We can’t bring Rhianelle with us.” Mother’s voice carries across the room.
I stop in my tracks at the mention of my name. My heart is racing as I peer slowly behind the door. I glimpse at Mother sitting at the edge of her bed in her nightgown. Tears fill her eyes and they overrun, spilling down her lovely cheeks. My uncle is right beside her in full armor.
“She is too weak, too small. A mistake.”
Pain snakes into my chest over her remarks. I don’t understand why it would hurt this time. Mother used to say these things all the time when she took me to the Hlaryan healers for my checkups.
“Don’t say that.”
“Well, it’s true. She is.”
“Nothing from you could ever be a mistake.” Rainer’s voice gentles. He never uses that tone. Not even with Judge.
“The girl is so different from Aerin.” Mother lets out a breath and winces.
“That’s not a fair comparison. Aerin is extraordinary.” I catch a look at my uncle, finding pride glimmering in his eyes. “Rhianelle will be too. If you give her a chance.”
Warmth fills me over his confidence.
I am going to be extraordinary.
Mother gives a mournful cry. I’ve never seen her so vulnerable and broken. It’s like she’s not herself. “I can’t do this anymore. Every day I see her and I break.”
“You don’t mean that,” Rainer says quietly.
I strain to hear them over my racing heart.
She heaves an aggrieved sigh. “The girl is a constant reminder that I betrayed you.”
