Page 93 of Into The Green

But even as she walked in on her own two feet, seemed to be able to carry out basic everyday functions, it was clear that she wasn't there. You looked in her eyes and you saw nothing. She was absent. She was living and breathing, but a shell of a woman.

I closed my eyes tight at that realization as Ang sat down beside her, a foot or so in front of me and Jasper, her expression a little sadly hopeful. Feeling awkward, but knowing it wasn't exactly appropriate to sit and stare or, alternately, to sit and ignore her, I smiled a little wobbily and reached out toward her. "Hi, Mom." Okay, so I knew I shouldn't have expected a response. My voice wasn't some cure for mental illness, but I was still just the tiniest bit disappointed when all I got was more of the vacant stare. I got a whole new level of respect for Ang as she sat there, serene smile in place, because I knew how amplified her disappointment must have been to see no progress in her daughter for all those years. I swallowed hard against the feeling, touching her hand. "That's a really unique necklace," I said, mostly meaning it. It was unique... uniquely hideous.

Beside me, Jasper stiffened. "Cece, she's not wearing a necklace."

"Yeah, dear. We don't put jewelry on her in case she might get caught up and not know how to free herself," Ang said, her brows knitted.

Not quite willing to admit I was following the family tradition of going batshit crazy, I reached out toward her neck. "Really? Then what is this?" I asked, lifting it off her skin.

"What the fuck..."

"How..."

So, um, yeah. Jasper cursing and Ang gasping was never a good thing. I dropped the necklace instinctively, looking between the two of them. "What?"

"Pick that up again," Jasper demanded.

"Take it off her," Ang put in.

No less confused, but willing to play along, I grabbed the necklace and lifted it carefully up, reaching out with my other hand to untangle her hair from the clasp. "Here," I said, holding it in my palm.

"A spell?" Jasper asked, looking at Ang who nodded slightly. "For what?"

"I have no idea," Ang said, taking it from me and inspecting it. "It's powerful though. It vibrates like a hummingbird's wings in your hand."

"Does anyone else think it's weird that it was invisible?" I asked, thinking of my own disappearing necklace, wondering fleetingly if seeing it meant I had some sort of pixie ancestry too.

"No, spells usually are invisible. They cost fae a fortune for that kind of magic, but that is how they work," Jasper explained. "What is weird is that you could see it, but no one else."

"I will have some witches get on this right away," Ang said, standing, anxious to know what had been on her daughter since... well... no one knew when. "They can find out what this was used for."

I looked back at my mother, feeling like I had even less to say to her without the necklace to comment on. "I'm sorry I suck at this," I told her and Jasper's hand squeezed my leg.

And I almost swore that for the absolute barest of seconds, something flashed in her eyes.

But it couldn't have.

--

Jasper - 5 Days

Five days after Cece came to the castle, we were all sitting in the dining hall enjoying a quiet meal, the concept still novel to me and Cece so we did so with a small bit of anxiety, when out of nowhere, Dany looked at the servant and said no.

Ang's fork fell to the table with a clatter as everyone's eyes went to Dany. But that was it. There was nothing else, just the no. My eyes went to Ang who shook her head in confusion. Her witches hadn't been able to give a clear answer as to what the symbols or vibrations of the spelled necklace were. The best guess they could come up with was some kind of repression spell. But for all they knew, what it did was repress the feelings she had as a young woman toward Cass. It made the most sense.

Under the table, Cece's hand found mine, her fingers slipping between mine and squeezing hard. After a fair bit of head-butting and objections that she was in no way worthy of the throne of a 'freaking faerie Court!', she had finally settled down and started taking her lessons. She devoured the ones on history, on creatures, on healing and gritted her teeth on the ones about the laws and punishments, most of which she found antiquated and barbaric.

She was trying.

But I could also tell that she was perpetually waiting for the other shoe to drop. It didn't matter how much Ang assured her that she was safe in the Light Court, that no Dark king had set foot on Light land with ill intentions in all of fae history. It also didn't matter how much I tried to calm one anxiety, another was always right behind it to pop up. On days when she was sullen and detached, she would carry around her black moonstone so no one could read her. Especially me.

For all the bad, though, there was just as much good. Cece met Light fae who meant her no harm. She accepted gifts from well wishers who were excited to see an heir to their throne finally. She talked with Ang, letting down some of her guards so she could get to know her family. She sat with her mother. Best of all, she came to me. She came and found me, eyes bright and smile huge when she learned something new and wanted to share. She came to me shoulders slumped and frown lines creasing between her brows and fell into me, letting me wrap her up and hold her until she felt better. Then at night, well, she came to me for other reasons and I took my sweet time showing her how much I appreciated it.

I knew Cece was un-trusting. I knew she had known men from a young age all the way up to the encounters with her father who had reinforced her belief that she was better off taking care of herself, not leaning on men. So the fact that she turned to me, without thought, without hesitation, that meant a lot to me. It meant everything.

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Cece- 3 Weeks