Chapter Thirteen
Diary
The councilman’s body was disposed of, and the group bustled around the clearing. I slid my sword into its sheath, careful not to touch the blade. I hadn’t comprehended what the flourish of activity meant until Ruby grabbed my arm to conduct me. “Come on, we have to pack.”
She dragged me along as she rushed back to her house. She threw things around her room, sorting and gathering. I didn’t really have anything to assemble. There was only the pack I’d acquired months ago, nothing in it but that stupid white dress and the pouch… The pouch.
I hurried from the room, explaining to Ruby I would be getting ready for the trip.
“I already put your pack in the front room for Chevelle.”
“I’ll just check it,” I said. “Thanks.”
I found the pack with some of Chevelle’s things. As I started to open it, I knocked one of his bags over and went to pick it up. The flap was loose and a piece of familiar fabric hung out. I glanced over my shoulder to be sure Ruby wasn’t watching, and opened the bag to find the fabric-wrapped package she’d handed to Chevelle our first day here. The package he’d traded my stone for. I pulled the material back to reveal a leather-bound book. Afraid Ruby would catch me, I slid the book into my own pack and took it to my room.
I’d already been in trouble for stealing one book but this was technically mine. It had been swapped for my ruby. I was careful anyway, pretending to lie down and placing the book where I could quickly cover it if I were caught. I ran my fingers over the dark leather cover, tracing the scripted V etched there. Vattier? The first pages had been torn from the bindings so I flipped through, finding several more damaged sections, some torn, some by water. I sighed. Wasn’t that the way of things? I returned to the first page to read.
Today was the solstice celebration for the fairies. They are such fools. They got hopped up on dust and raided the castle. We had to kill about six of them before they sobered up enough to reason with. That was before Father killed two more just for fun. He said he had to prove a point, but I could tell he enjoyed it.
I straightened and blinked. What is this? I shook my head and continued.
My stupid sister was mad because he didn’t let her help. She started to throw a tantrum and he stiffened her tongue. It was stuck like that for hours. I laughed so hard I kept having to wipe the tears from my eyes. She tried to yell at me and it came out, “Thut uhp! Thop iht!” Which made me laugh harder, and she got so mad she screamed and busted a bunch of glass.
I kept reading, enthralled. It seemed to be a journal, written by a girl, but I had no idea who. Chevelle’s family? Why would he have a young girl’s diary? It was filled with pointless stories as far as I could tell, but after a few pages the writing matured and it seemed to jump several years. I wished it was dated.
I tire so easily of the formalities here. The only thing I have to look forward to are the few breaks I get to go out on my own, into the pines. Father has increased my work periods to every other day. Combined with my other duties, I am stationed in the castle almost all week. The magic practice exhausts me or I would sneak out at night, the way I enjoyed as a child. It doesn’t seem fair. My sister is practically ignored. Father clearly prefers me, but sometimes I wonder if that is really better. She wanders idly around the castle, no practice, no duties, no formal gatherings.
Magic practice, castles, who was this girl? I read the entries for hours. Ruby must have thought I was sleeping. I had no idea what in this journal could be of interest to Chevelle unless he knew the woman, and that kept me reading. It continued on—her father’s rigorous schedule, their distaste for her sister—and then the entries got more detailed and frequent.
Mother has been too ill lately for guests. I have not been able to see her. The tedium of my duties is getting to me and Father has been relentless with my studies, pushing me harder and harder to strengthen my control.
My sister has been exploring the mountains. I see her bring in all sorts of interesting finds, but she refuses to tell me where she got them. I wish there were a way to sneak out. I would follow her or force her to show me, but Father is keeping a close eye on me, making certain I stick to a strict schedule.
This morning he brought in a detailed list for Rune, giving him direction through a series of tasks. Rune is supposed to grade me on them, see which I excel most at so they can pick a specific field to concentrate on. I don’t know how extensive it was, but I saw ‘wind,’ ‘water,’ ‘growth,’ ‘transfer,’ ‘fire,’ and ‘foresight’ written as it passed between them.
We had already done months of fire. Pass it through water, see how large a flame I can create, see how hot I can go, test me on this, test me on that. And now he asks Rune to test me in the impossible, to see the future.
He expects too much. Merely because I am different. My sister is different, too. But she never has to practice. He doesn’t expect her to stay in the castle, not even when we have guests. No doubt he prefers her not be seen then, embarrassed by her light hair and features. It is infuriating! I wish I were as strong as he hoped. I could do what I wanted then.
~
I attempted slipping in to see Mother this morning, but the doors were protected. Father found me trying to break though and sent me directly to Rune for practice. At least I got out of my duties in the throne room. We started with water. I was so exhausted I had to sleep through most of the afternoon before they brought me back to work again in the evening. Every muscle in my body throbs. I think I hate Rune.