A Study of Poisons

SIXTEEN

        Buttoning the collar of my shirt, my mother talked on the other side of my phone. "You father thinks you should come home and switch with another Keeper." We had been arguing for the past hour, making me wish I never answered her call in the first place. My original plan was to tell her about the Lost but now all I wanted to do was throw my phone across the room.

"Why can't the man tell me himself?" I snapped, drawing my feet down into my boots as I quickly tied them. My hair was in a mess of sorts. I didn't have the time to shower so I was going to braid it. Taking strands into my fingers, I began to weave each part of my hair together.

It's been nearly a year since I've talked to my father. "He's having some trouble with the council." She told me. It would be strange to hear his voice again. I wondered what he would say to me. Judge me on how I'm doing things. Control my decisions. I'm glad he's using the silent treatment against me.

I scoffed, regretting answering the phone. Wishing I would have just left it behind in the room with Sabien. Not Sabien, that thing wasn't Sabien anymore."So? What does that have to do with me?" I motioned to her. Looking at myself in the mirror, I could see the frozen over expression that many seemed to be afraid of.

"Because you're refusing to marry Santrill." My hand reached for the phone as I took it off speaker. I was not having this conversation with the Vampires all around me.

My teeth clenched together and I could feel the cursing escape my tongue."I'm on a mission right now Diana." I would probably get yelled at later for being rude to the mother of the year, but I didn't care enough. Not right now anyway. How dare she bring that up right now.

She seemed betrayed by my manner of speaking but she should think about how I feel first. "But you can still be courted, talk to him. Get his number, treat him like a fiancé. I know Surano speaks to him since their on the same mission." Treat him like a fiancé? Like how she treats my father, like how my father treats her? Like hell I'd ever let that happen. I'd take my own life first- I'd leave the Keepers before I let that happen.

"Why are we talking about this?" I motioned as I grabbed the garter from my sword and strapped it around my waist.

On the other side I could hear her stressing over this. I guess my father has been getting on her. Maybe I shouldn't be so much as mad at her than my father, "I don't know but you need to make a decision, you're an adult now Cordelia." I've been an adult since I was thirteen. I don't need to be lectured about being an adult.

I don't have time to deal with this. "I'm hanging up." Moving my phone from my ear I put my finger to the button, but before I was able to properly end the call she said something that made me freeze.

"Happy Birthday." She said but before she could finish what she was saying I slammed the phone down. Nineteen years on this planet and I still hate her. I hoped none of the Vampires heard that, I didn't want a birthday celebration and I didn't want to talk about marriage. Leaving my phone behind, I head for the door.

Opening it, I was met with a pair of red eyes and golden locks. Of course he was here. He heard everything but his face told me he wouldn't say anything. "You ready to go into town?" He was so calm considering everything.

Nodding in agreement, we both started walking down the hall. Everyone was ready to leave. They were all waiting on me. Alex walked at my pace by my side. "When we get there I need to stop at the herb shop." I told him and I could see the curiosity in his eyes.

"With the witches?" He asked me.

It reminded me that he wasn't allowed to enter the store and then it made me remember the threat from the creep. I hoped we wouldn't come across them again but then again it was a small town."Yes."