Selected

Twenty-Fourth

I didn't join Hal and Mrs. Bly downstairs. Instead I took the opportunity to visit my friend, Walter. No one was in the stables to help me. It wasn't like my intentions were to ride him. But, I would have liked some guidance as to where things were kept. Like his brush or some snacks I could give him. After some half hearted searching, I gave up.

I walked over to Walter's stall. "Hey buddy." He nodded his head back and forth.

I reached out and started petting the side of his neck. I wasn't really sure what I was doing, but it was comforting to me at least. Hal's words had left me with chills. I hadn't realized that the family secrets were so secret that I couldn't know. I thought I was trustworthy enough to know everything. I mean I was practically married to Vox already, right? Of course we hadn't had the official ceremony, but I wasn't gong anywhere. I should be able to know what family I was marrying into, right? What difference would it make anyways? It's not like I had a second option. At least not anymore.

"There you are." I turned around to see Addeck standing next to the stall.

I jumped so high I could have probably mounted the horse. "Hi." I had lost track of time in my own head. The sun had set a long time ago. Someone must have turned on the lights . Or maybe they were automatic.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Vox has been looking for you."

"Oh. I was just. I just wanted to be a lone for a little while."

"So, should I tell him where you are, or do you still want to be alone?"

I patted Walter one last time, "No, I'll go inside. I'm getting a bit cold anyway. Thanks, Addeck."

He smiled and turned on his heel to walk away. "Addeck." He stopped and looked over his shoulder at me. I wasn't sure what made me call out to him, or what made me ask the next question. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was desperation to actually get answers. "I'm trustworthy, right?"

He took the few steps to shrink the gap between us, "You haven't proven otherwise. Besides the part where you spied on me. Other than that I have no reason to not trust you."

I could feel a blush creep up my neck at his mentioning of spying. I hadn't realized that he knew. I shook the embarrassment off, I needed answers, "Then why don't people fill me in?"

He frowned, "I don't know to what you are referring."

"Hal said that there were family secret that she couldn't tell me because I wasn't a Bly. But I think I'm pretty much in the club, right? Unless there is some sort of handshake I need to learn."

My comment made him chuckle for half a second. "Emmary, I'm sorry. But, honestly, we don't have any secrets. Hal just gets a little over protective about some of our family's more private details."

"Like what?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. Like our pasts. Mine is a pretty hefty one. Mother has some past actions that wouldn't be appropriate for her. It's not like if you knew any of these things it would lead to the world ending. Hal is just dramatic."

"She said that if I knew, that it would ruin the plan."

He rolled his eyes, "She just means the stupid perfect world she's created in her head. She does everything she can to make it come true. And sometimes, it just doesn't work out." He smiled at me, "I have to go, please go see Vox, he was worried about you." Addeck then walked out of the stables and disappeared into the darkness. It was a little unnerving how he could do that.

I felt a little better after talking with Addeck. I mean I wasn't absolutely 100% positive what he told me was the truth or another excuse. It seemed like the Bly's were good at evading questions they didn't want to answer. He didn't give me answers, just reasons.