Splendid Fall

Ch.12 Baby Bird

Chapter 12

Birdie stared at the red dress in front of her as if she expected it to leap up and strike her like a snake. She sat with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms tightly wrapped around herself as she silently nibbled on a slice of apple.

Over and over she tried to open her mind-link. But every time she thought she had a grasp of the energy that usually freely sprang through her mind, she was cut off. No doubt it was the brass around her wrists that blocked her from her abilities.

"They'll be here any minute," Jasmeen said, looking at the girl sitting on the bed through the mirror.

Birdie did not move. She continued to nibble on the apple slice as Jasmeen carried on with her makeup and hair. After several minutes, Mina walked in with her arms full of freshly ironed dresses for Jasmeen.

"Are you girls ready?" She asked.

"I am," Jasmeen shrugged. "Not bird head."

"Birdie!" Mina gasped, looking at the girl's unruly hair. "You were supposed to be ready ten minutes ago."

"I'm not going," Birdie said, feeling her insides shake as if she was a child.

The two women in the room looked at each other and then back at the silver haired girl on the bed. Mina threw down the dresses and marched over to the bed.

"Who gave you an option?" She demanded.

Birdie looked up at the woman, "I did."

"And who do you think you are?"

"I am Birdie Afreen Heyder," Birdie said, taking in a long deep breath. "I am not an object that can be bought or sold at the will of others. I will not be Tamzin's plaything."

Mina gazed back at the girl, baffled. Jasmeen giggled behind her as she put on her long gold earrings.

"She's funny," Jasmeen said.

"Listen here, your majesty," Mina's voice laced with irritation. "The guards will be here to take you both in ten minutes. Get up. Get ready."

"No."

"Yes!" Mina grabbed Birdie's arm and pulled her to her feet. "Stupid girl, do you have any idea what they wil do to you if you disobey them?"

"Kill me?" Birdie asked. "Death has to be better than this."

Plus, death means I might have a shot at seeing Kiara or Killian, Birdie thought to herself.

"You'll beg for death," Jasmeen said, carrying on about her business.

Birdie glared at the girl in the mirror. Now that the shock was wearing off, Birdie felt the hollowness in her chest be filled with rage and fire. She knew with the brass on she would never be able to defend herself against the fey. But that didn't mean she would go down without a fight.

Her baba didn't raise her to sit still and wait for help to arrive. She was Heyder's daughter. Chaos was in her blood. And they'll be damned if they think she was just another jinn they were going to keep under their feet.

"Birdie," Mina called to the stubborn girl. "Put on the dress. Let me fix your hair."

"No," Birdie said.

"Jasmeen, you talk some sense into her."

"What do you want me to do?" Jasmeen asked. "I have my own makeup to fix."

"It was bad enough I had to deal with one," Mina hissed like a kettle. "Now I have this one on top of my head too."

Seeing the years suddenly age the woman, Jasmeen's heart took pity. Mina was the only one who had ever been kind to her.