Chapter 2

That was the start of two weeks of being frozen out.

They didn't kick me out. They didn't have to. The silence did the job.

At meals, Kael cut the best meat and put it on Ayla's plate.

At night, Dorian wrapped his Nightfall Cloak around her shoulders.

In the mornings I stopped hearing Seth's harp, because he was out in the woods teaching her to shoot.

I drifted through the house like I wasn't there. Like a ghost in my own home.

I couldn't understand how everything had flipped overnight.

So I tried to win them back. I tried to prove I could be "mature" too, like Ayla.

I copied her. Went into the woods to gather herbs myself.

The thorned vines tore up my arms. Blood ran down to my wrists. I didn't cry.

I carried the herbs back, proud of myself, and ran straight to Dorian.

"Dorian, look, I found Moonpetal on my own."

I held it out like a prize, waiting for him to smile, maybe touch my head the way he used to.

He frowned at the cuts on my arm. Something flickered across his face.

Then it was gone.

"You're bleeding on the floor," he said flatly.

I looked down. Blood had dripped onto the expensive rug.

"I didn't mean to, I just wanted—"

"Wanted to prove you're as useful as her?" He cut me off, and there was no hiding the mockery in his voice. "Elara, copying her only makes you look worse. Look at this Moonpetal. You snapped half the roots off. Most of the potency's already gone. You can't do anything without making it worse, can you?"

He waved a hand and the herbs I'd bled for went flying into the fireplace. Gone in seconds.

Something in me burned right along with them.

That night, a storm rolled in.

Thunder crashed outside. I'd been scared of thunder since I was a kid. Kael used to shift into his silver wolf form and hold me against his fur until it passed. Seth used to cast a spell to block the sound out completely.

I curled up in the corner of my bed, shaking, and waited.

No one came.

I couldn't stand it anymore. I went barefoot out to the main hall.

The lights were on. Kael had shifted, and Ayla was reading a book with her back against his side. Seth sat next to them, drying her hair with a small spell.

They looked like a family.

"Kael." My voice came out shaking.

The wolf lifted his head. There was nothing warm in those gold eyes, just irritation at being interrupted.

He shifted back, pulled on a coat, and frowned at me.

"Elara. What are you causing trouble about this time?"

"I'm scared of the thunder." My voice was barely a whisper.

"Ayla's scared of it too. She's not making a scene about it." Kael's tone was cold. "You're an adult, Elara. We can't keep treating you like a pup."

"But you used to—"

"We used to spoil you too much." Seth cut in, standing up. "That's exactly why you turned out so selfish and weak. Go back to bed, Elara. Stop trying childish tricks to get our attention."

They thought I was performing.

They thought every bit of fear I'd ever shown was just jealousy over Ayla.

I looked at their cold faces and felt something close to exhaustion.

"Fine."

I didn't scream. I didn't cry.

I just turned around, walked back across the cold floor, and shut myself in the dark room.

The thunder went on all night.

I didn't ask for help again.