Neither woman said anything to that, which only made her feel worse.
Elysia smiled bleakly at her sister. “Maybe you were right. Kava’s a shithole and will die a shithole because I don’t think I can do this.” She stared into her disgusting glass of Sap, wishing it could be literally anyone else responsible for this.
Beatriz started coughing, swiping at her tossed-aside handkerchief, but the force of her cough had her bent over and grasping,unable to find the cloth. Tiny black specks dampened her fingers and flew through the air.
Time froze and Elysia’s brain went completely silent.
Delicately, she picked up her sister’s hand. Dark soot-riddled droplets stood out in contrast to her light skin. Elysia dropped her hand, nodding silently with her eyes open, but unseeing. She made to stand, but Beatriz clamped a hand onto her shoulder and shoved her back down.
Her sister was Fallen now. Nothing escaped the soot in Kava, not even its people, and once it was inside you, there was no future outside death.
Voice rough, she towered over Elysia. “Don’t you dare look at me like that. You never once pitied me as I drank and smoked and wrecked my life every way I possibly could, and you sure as the realms aren’t going to now. Do you understand me?”
“Because that was yourchoice!” Elysia shouted back into her sister’s face, tears blurring her vision.
Beatriz lifted her chin, mouth tight. “It’s going to be fine. So just calm down and forget about it.”
“How long?”
“Can we not do this? There are more important things for us to discuss.”
“I said,how long?”
“She’s already held on for over six months. Stubborn shit.” Jessa crossed her arms, ignoring Beatriz’s irritation.
Elysia swallowed this information, but her fast words and high pitch gave her away. “Okay, okay, so we just need to work harder. Find the talisman. Aidan gets his magic. He fixes Kava, and you’ll be fine. Yeah, it’ll be fine.”
Hot tears threatened to break free now, and Beatriz swore. Slapping her hands firmly to the sides of Elysia’s face, she gave no room for argument. “Look at me, dollface, it’s okay. I was never supposed to live this long, anyway. And trust me, I’m doing everything I can, but you’re not responsible for this.”
The tears rolled, but Elysia nodded, clutching onto Beatriz’s wrists. “You can’t die, Triz. I won’t let you.”
“Want me to piss you off?”
“You can try,” Elysia hiccuped.
“You’re how the Nightshade Market started.”
Jessa took a gulp of gin. “Here we go.”
“How could I have possibly started the Nightshade Market?”
Beatriz removed herself from Elysia’s death grip and grinned tauntingly. “Father wasn’t the only one who realized you were a magnet for finding magic.”
Elysia’s already heightened emotions turned volatile, storming through her, ready to attack if her sister answered wrong. “You knew.” It wasn’t even a question. Her hands clenched.
Beatriz held up a finger. “I didn’t know about the realm traveling. Which is what you told me about that first night! So, before you even say it, I wasn’t lying when I was surprised. I thought you had things under control.”
“As if that’s the point! Did you know about Father then, too? Just couldn’t be bothered to care that I was being exploited when you were doing the same thing?”
Red crept up Beatriz’s neck onto her face. “Donotcompare me to him. I knew he was a pain in your ass, but I didn’t know the extent of it until you told me. Maybe I should have asked, but you’re not exactly the most forthcoming person. You wouldn’t have told me shit even if I’d tried to suddenly swoop in and play the part of big sister. So yes, I saw an opportunity and I took it, okay? The Nightshade Market allows people to make money from their magic and for people to get things they need that don’t exist here anymore unless they’re imported at astronomical costs, and I’m not going to apologize for that. Even if I die, the Nightshade Market is a good thing, and I did that!”
Tears brimmed once more in Elysia’s eyes. “Fuck you, Beatriz. Fuck you for being a shit sister and fuck you for trying to die.”
Sharp as glass, Beatriz pulled her sister into her arms where all her edges couldn’t cut her. “I know.”
Elysia breathed in her familiar mixture of smoke and something crisp yet earthy. “I’ll find the talisman, okay?”
Jessa pushed their glasses at them. “I didn’t realize this was going to be a Parker family sob fest.”
