Sequel: Thicker Than Water ›
Status: Completed
Shattered Truth
III.
I wake the next morning with the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. I drag myself out of bed, and sure enough, just as I'm in the middle of yanking a dark blue dress over my head, Mira comes bursting into my room, face flushed.
"Giselle! Your brother is home!"
"Thank you for warning me. Excuse me while I jump out that window over there," I reply, my scathing sarcasm muffled slightly through the fabric of my dress.
"Giselle, really, you are too melodramatic," Mira says as I yank the dress fiercely over my head and glower at her. She forces me to sit while she winds my long hair into a braid. Then she places a crown of purple and white roses on my head and beams. "I made it myself," she declares proudly. "So you could look your best."
"Let's just get this torment over with." I glumly follow Mira through the winding halls of the mansion until we reach father's study. And there he is. Sitting leisurely on the sofa, talking to father. My darling big brother. I stand in the doorway, glaring at his too-white smile in his dumb face. Three years my senior, my older brother has always teased and mocked me mercilessly. Since he's been gone to University for the last year, it's been bliss. Or as close as it can be to bliss with Cecily around.
"Ah, my little sister has finally blessed us with her presence!"
"Shut your dirthole, Charles," I snipe. His silver-green vine tattoos wind from his temples down his neck. He smirks. "Still a foul-mouthed brat, I see."
"Children," Father says, raising a brow at us. We instantly drop our malicious glares. Father has never been one to dole out punishments, but he commands a great deal of respect and we always obey him.
"May I be excused until dinner?" I ask, peeking through my lashes. Father's lips twitch and he nods. I escape from the study as quickly as I can without actually running. Then I make a beeline for the stone bridge that connects the main grounds to the olive orchard that Father owns on the other side of the bay. As I'm stomping irritably across the bricks, I hear someone call my name. I lean over the rail and Felisha pokes her head up, spitting water at me.
.
"Oh, yuck! Feli!" I shout, jumping back. She laughs maniacally. Bloody mermaids.
"Why so grumpy today, Gis?"
"Charles is home," I say dully. "School break." Felisha looks sympathetic. Then she brightens. "Well, I know what will cheer you up," she says, a devious twinkle in her eyes. "Some bounty hunters just docked in town. I know how fascinated you are by the dangerous type." She giggles as I roll my eyes. "Plus." she adds conspiratorally, "one of them is quite attractive. And he's a lightning Elemental." This news does indeed pique my interest. Lightning is a rare element to control. And bounty hunters and pirates do intrigue me; I envy their lifestyles. I share a wicked grin with Felisha.
"A trip into town couldn't hurt..." I say slowly.
"Giselle! Your brother is home!"
"Thank you for warning me. Excuse me while I jump out that window over there," I reply, my scathing sarcasm muffled slightly through the fabric of my dress.
"Giselle, really, you are too melodramatic," Mira says as I yank the dress fiercely over my head and glower at her. She forces me to sit while she winds my long hair into a braid. Then she places a crown of purple and white roses on my head and beams. "I made it myself," she declares proudly. "So you could look your best."
"Let's just get this torment over with." I glumly follow Mira through the winding halls of the mansion until we reach father's study. And there he is. Sitting leisurely on the sofa, talking to father. My darling big brother. I stand in the doorway, glaring at his too-white smile in his dumb face. Three years my senior, my older brother has always teased and mocked me mercilessly. Since he's been gone to University for the last year, it's been bliss. Or as close as it can be to bliss with Cecily around.
"Ah, my little sister has finally blessed us with her presence!"
"Shut your dirthole, Charles," I snipe. His silver-green vine tattoos wind from his temples down his neck. He smirks. "Still a foul-mouthed brat, I see."
"Children," Father says, raising a brow at us. We instantly drop our malicious glares. Father has never been one to dole out punishments, but he commands a great deal of respect and we always obey him.
"May I be excused until dinner?" I ask, peeking through my lashes. Father's lips twitch and he nods. I escape from the study as quickly as I can without actually running. Then I make a beeline for the stone bridge that connects the main grounds to the olive orchard that Father owns on the other side of the bay. As I'm stomping irritably across the bricks, I hear someone call my name. I lean over the rail and Felisha pokes her head up, spitting water at me.
.
"Oh, yuck! Feli!" I shout, jumping back. She laughs maniacally. Bloody mermaids.
"Why so grumpy today, Gis?"
"Charles is home," I say dully. "School break." Felisha looks sympathetic. Then she brightens. "Well, I know what will cheer you up," she says, a devious twinkle in her eyes. "Some bounty hunters just docked in town. I know how fascinated you are by the dangerous type." She giggles as I roll my eyes. "Plus." she adds conspiratorally, "one of them is quite attractive. And he's a lightning Elemental." This news does indeed pique my interest. Lightning is a rare element to control. And bounty hunters and pirates do intrigue me; I envy their lifestyles. I share a wicked grin with Felisha.
"A trip into town couldn't hurt..." I say slowly.