My smile drops in surprise and she nods emphatically. “Yup, cousin. Grandfather had loose scruples and he fathered a lot of children he likes to refer to has his “personal bastards”.” I was astounded by the blunt statement, looking around to see quite a few eyes were upon the both of us as she chatted away loudly. “Dad and Dana were the only two he acknowledged and that was because there was a lot of push and shove between him and your father, though he never saw them as his children... just parasites he’s keeping around because they’re “useful”.”
Wait, what, I’m also related to the doctor?
“Fortunately for you, your dad was the only one he had legitimately and the only child he loved, which is why you guys get all the fortune.”
Oh wow, I blink. She has no filter what so ever.
“My father was bitter about it at first but he got over it with time, soon he learned grandfather is nothing but a bitter old man with no one to love. You’re so lucky you never had the misfortune of meeting him-”
Is she even breathing? I wonder in fear.
“-Oh my gosh!” She squealed suddenly, startling me, and drawing even more stares. “I can’t believe I almost forgot to tell you why I was here, my parents just landed from Britain for a visit and we’re having a family lunch at a fancy restaurant so I’m here to help you get ready. It’s going to be with just Dana and my family. Your father sends his apologizes, he says he wouldn’t be able to come to pick you up because his meeting is going to carry on for much longer. Which is why I’m here.”
I open and close my mouth but can’t offer a response in return, still struggling to digest the previous information she just loaded on me. Shaking off all other confusing thoughts, I decided to focus on the one that comes to mind first. “And where exactly is this fancy restaurant in which I’m meeting your family?”
“On the Louvre and Palais-Royal, don’t worry though I’ll be taking you.” She rises to her feet and holds out a hand. “Come on, I came to get you so I can help you get ready!”
~*~*~*~
As it turns out Rae got her tactlessness from her father, in the past hour I’ve tried my best not to blow up while Dana, Rae’s twin Michael, and their mother Felicity, have done nothing but send me apologetic looks.
“So Coral,” Felicity looks up from her meal with soft brown eyes. Her children bear a strong resemblance to her than their dad, but when talking about personality Rae has an exemplary resemblance to her father.
I don’t know about Michael because he’s been quiet throughout lunch, only speaking when a question is directed his way. “How have you been feeling, am sure it is not easy dealing with the awareness of being an Elemental Conjurer.”
“Fine, I guess,” I shrug. “I mean for someone who has just learned she’s not exactly “normal” or from a “normal family”, and that she has a “crowd” of relatives,” I say in air quotes. “I guess am doing pretty okay. Overwhelmed, but okay.”
“Yes, well we were hoping to slowly let you in on the family tree but I guess there’s no need to now.” She says and all eyes move to glare accusingly at a sheepish looking Rae.
“But don’t worry,” She turns back to me. “You’ll be just fine. We’ve all been through these feelings despite knowing our true identity all our lives. If you need to talk or anything, please feel free to call me or turn to Dana. We might not have been in your life before but we want to be now.”
“And despite your mother’s actions,” Dana adds, reaching over to pat my hand. “We understand why she kept you away.”
“Considering how she almost lost you, of course, we do. We’ve all had to live with the constant fear Grey imposed upon our lives.”
Blinking, I pause from lifting my spoon and look up with a frown. “Fear… almost losing me…” I tilt my head at Kingsley’s statement. “What the hell are you guys talking about?”
They exchange looks I can’t quite read, but I do notice the slight smack Felicity gives Kingsley in the ribs beneath the table. “Ouch!” He hisses audibly and glares at her, obviously not understanding that he needs to shut up when he argues. “How was I supposed to know Steven didn’t tell her-”
“Wow look at the time, I’m so late for training with the team!” Rae stands abruptly out of her seat and everyone stares at her in surprise. Ignoring the looks, she motions for me to get up. “Come on Coral, I need to get back to school.
Sighing out loud, I throw the napkin placed over my lap on the table and slowly rise to my feet. I’ve barely touched my food since I had to deal with their questions and Kingsley's loose mouth, but now my previous hunger is gone. They’re bent on keeping secrets from me. “Well, since it seems everyone wants to hide this big knowledge regarding my mother, then I will take my leave.”
On the way back to school the tense silence between the both of us is filled with soft French music from the taxi’s radio. “You’re wrong,” She finally speaks, breaking the tension between the two of us. I honestly thought she was going to be silent through the trip back and was a little grateful, but it seems I’d hoped too soon. “It isn’t that they won’t tell you, it’s that they can’t.”
“Look-”
“Just,” She cuts me off, expression pleading. “Listen please.”
Sighing, I roll my eyes and shrug. “Fine, go ahead.”
“Our entire family is messed up, in more ways than you can imagine. Our grandfather was a tyrant and a mighty son of a bitch.”
She gets a glance from the taxi driver at the foul language but he otherwise doesn’t pay us or our conversation any attention.
“He made those around him miserable, and because of that, we have more enemies than friends. The crazy stuff they’re trying to keep from you is not something you want to learn about just yet… trust me. Our entire lives are built on secrets and lies, and though you may resent your mother’s unconventional ways of doing things, one day you’ll come to learn her true reasons for hiding you away from uncle Steven and the rest of us. I can’t tell you not to be angry, or to feel excluded and lied to, but what I can say is that you should give everyone a chance. Your mother, in her way, thought she was doing the right thing and now uncle Steven believes keeping you out of things while you try to settle into this new life is the best course of action for you.”
The taxi rolls to a stop in front of the building Rae parked her cart and after paying the bill, we head into an underground parking lot. Looking around I realize its the same building Devon parked his cart yesterday, I hadn’t noticed this fact earlier because my mind was a mess when we left the academy.
As we head back, I slowly thought about what she said. “Fine, I’ll give everyone a chance,” I say and immediately a grin forms on her lips. “But this doesn’t mean I trust any of you yet.”
“No problem,” She nods in understanding. “Trust can be built later.”
Trembling violently as she continues to scream, she rose to her feet and swung the bat widely in the air. Hitting her seat in the process and sending it flying across the room.“When I learned about you and your mother after losing my baby, you have no idea the rage I felt!” She screams, pacing back and forth as if possessed.Stopping, she stares off into space, a smile taking over her features when she points the bat at nothing in particular. I eye her carefully, slowly calling forth my powers as I continue to burn through the ropes. Only this time, I made the heat stronger before she loses it on me completely.“But then a plan suddenly came to me. A perfect plan to get revenge against everyone that messed with me.” Turning the bat my way, she grinned sadistically. “And they all ended with you being dead.”I immediately let go of my powers when she takes careful steps towards me with the bat still raised. Shutting my e
Letting me go abruptly, she walks back to her chair and settles down. “Let me tell you a story while you heal, and then we’ll continue. Okay?” She grins, winking.“Back when your parents and I were still friends, our little group of misfits was very close. It included me, your parents, and of course Dana and Kingsley. But then everything went to shit when feelings started becoming complicated."She breathes in softly, a dreamy smile on her lips. “Your father was the eye of every female back in our day. Handsome, from a wealthy elite family, tall, educated, brilliant… he was all and more of those things and it made any girl desperately want him. But, unfortunately, he only had eyes for your bitch of a mother.” She snorts, a look of disdain twisted on her face.Swallowing despite the blood in my mouth, I breathe in slowly when my sight started to become clearer little by little. Wiggling against the ropes tied around my b
Coming to, my eyes fluttered open to see a blurry figure sitting on a chair in front of me. When my vision clears, I gasp in shock at the sight of a smirking Miss Rosa. She has her elbows rested on her knees, leaning forward her lips parted to speak. “Welcome back little Coral.” She smiles sweetly, though her eyes blazed with a dark promise that sent a shiver of cold fear down my spine. Remembering all the things that happened the last time I awoke, my hands immediately fly to my throat with a gasp and I’m surprised to realize my bounds have been loosened and my throat is completely healed. Instead, my hands are bound together before me and each one of my legs is tied to the leg of the chair I’m seated on. Eyes wide, I look around and took notice of the fact that I’m in some kind of warehouse. Every window is sealed shut and taped with garbage bags. Eyes flittering around, they hesitate on a gas tank a few feet away. I hope she isn’t planning to u
Striding out of the elevators with my arms linked around Lillian and Tamil’s, we practically skipped as we walked.Neither one of us found a match, and formost of our classmates, that was something to be sad about.We, on the other hand, are thrilled we didn’t embarrass ourselves in front of the company’s newest set of trainees who had been present in the room taking notes while our tests were conducted.Spotting Rae and Micheal, I waved to get their attention as we headed their way, but they weren’t looking. I was just to call out to them when a series of gunshots were fired from various directions.I heard them before I saw them, and my instincts immediately kicked in.Suddenly, I was in front of the girls with my hands up in the air and a shield of fire surrounding the three of us. The flaming glass blocked the gunshots like a shield of metal and sent them in various directions.People ran a
“You owe me a hundred bucks.” I stare at my cousins with an expression of irritation, glaring at the hand Rae held out to Micheal with a triumphant expression on her face.Grudgingly, Micheal drops a handful of bills on her outstretched palm with a look of annoyance.The two of them had made a bet on whether or not I would bail on taking the test, and obviously, Rae won.Shaking my head, I wonder why I didn’t just come along with my classmates.Ever since it’s been revealed I’m an Elementalist, I’ve avoided confrontation and I’ve been hiding out at Steven and Dana’s. My I-pad is switched off and the guys are banned from letting me know what people are saying on the elemental splash.Next week, final exams will begin and I’m so not looking forward to it. Especially since I promised both Tamil and Lillian that we’ll study together long before this whole incident. “We’re here!&rdq
I’ve gone and gotten myself into deep, shitting trouble.Hands placed before me, I bite down on my lower lips as I nervously awaited judgement from Steven.He gazed at me, seated behind his desk in silence, his hands crossed in front of his chest with a hard penetrating glare. After crawling my way back into the utility closet, imagine my surprise to find my father standing right in front of those doors waiting for me, with a sheepish looking Liam standing a few feet behind.Now you’d think that would be the end of my problems... Unfortunately, it's not.Thanks once again toLiam, my video, thevery video he used to threaten me is currently being viewed by every elemental within the society. When he realized he couldn’t get back to me after an hour of waiting for a reply, he panicked and hurried his ass over to Steven to tell him what we’d done.And, in his haste to get to Steven, the blo