‘You know nothing about my struggles.’
Closing the distance between us, she looked me up and down like she pitied me. ‘That’s exactly your problem, you know… You always lacked perspective. You only see what’s right in front of you.’
My heart raced. ‘How did she mistreat you then? Enlighten me.’
Willow raised her head in defiance. ‘No.’
Funny. Standing like that, she almost resembled our mother. ‘Can’t make up a lie that quick?’
‘I don’t need to lie,’ she uttered an exasperated snort. ‘I live true to myself; can you say the same?’
‘Then why won’t you say?’
‘My past is mine only and won’t be used as ammunition in a bothersome discussion,’ Willow claimed calmly.
I snickered. ‘Because you’re so noble all of a sudden? The Tom situation showed me exactly what kind of person you are.’
Her arms slackened at her sides as she let out a loud sigh. ‘Gods, are you still stuck on the Tom situation? I told you I had nothing to do with that…’
‘He was your friend...’
‘And have you seen him around me ever since? Even once?’ she asked, waving her arms around and seeming genuinely bewildered.
‘Don’t make yourself out to be this honourable sister; you couldn’t stand to be around him because he made us look weak.’
Willow cringed before shaking her head and lowering her voice to barely a murmur. ‘It’s not true, but you wouldn’t believe anything I tell you anyway.’
‘Try me,’ I challenged as my flames trailed around my skin like a shield whilst simultaneously preparing to attack her if she crossed the line.
‘He paid for what he did.’
A humourless laugh escaped my throat as I looked at her faux sombre expression. ‘You expect me to believe that?’
‘I already told you that you won’t believe anything I have to say. Let me be,’ she said and started to walk away toward the staircase. A few steps away, a shadow frog jumped out of a flower pot, excited to see her, and she shooed it away with her boot.
Everything about her disgusted me. ‘Gods, you are self-centred.’
‘And it’s the only way to survive in this cursed realm. You will learn that soon enough.' Her voice carried through the foyer.
‘Not everyone is as selfish as you, have you ever stopped to think about that?’ I asked her as the distance between us grew with each of her steps.
‘I have, actually. And I stand by what I said,’ she remarked beforeleaving me alone.
And unexpectedly, perhaps for the first time ever, I wished she stayed. If only to satisfy my curiosity or prove me wrong.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Avari
My itchy eyes begged for more sleep as I tore the duvet off and jumped out of bed. The alarm blasted its melody from the faraway cupboard, where I left it last night fearing that otherwise no force in our realm could make me get up.
‘Are you ready?’ Miriam asked from behind the door. She sounded much too cheerful for this early in the morning.
‘Just come in,’ I muttered, putting thick socks on my feet as the door opened. Her eyebrows set as if something disturbed her.
Already dressed and carrying her own little leather backpack, she took a seat next to me. ‘Is it the nightmares?’
I looked at her. ‘What about them?’
