Dead King's Sword (Old Draft)

43. To Steal an Earring

Light glittered off the crystal stud earring I held in my palm, travelled along its silver rod. I had stolen it from its velvet cushion in a black box where Zeren kept it safe. It was one of the lucky pairs that she wore whenever she performed. She would be pissed when she realized what had happened, but I was hundreds of miles away from Champion's Magic Academy, so there was nothing she could do about it. I heard her voice in my mind, 'What kind of person steals someone's jewellery like that? No 'good morning', just—'

Knowing her, she was probably pissed I hadn't said bye either.

I smiled and put the stud in my right ear after disinfecting it.

I washed my hands by the sink; water rushed from the golden faucet and warmed my hands. I caught my reflection in the mirror, tired, sunken eyes. Sallow skin. I really ought to take better care of myself, but the possibility of war left me uneasy. If Zeren were here, there would be no end to her teasing.

I removed an elastic from my wrist and used it to tie my hair back. There was a family meeting scheduled for today, and if I didn't hurry, I would be late, and my mother had little patience for those who were late. When I was a child, she had made me stand in the hallway with a bucket of water for hours till my arms, feet, and knees hurt, so I had learned to never displease her.

Connected to the bathroom was my bedchamber. I entered it. A golden counterpane covered my queen-sized bed. Red swirls swept across the wall, forming flowers. And just above the bedhead was a picture where a small, eleven-year-old me with braces stood between my proud parents. All I remembered about that time was Zeren's teasing till she got braces herself, and suddenly braces became beautiful mouth jewellery and not something to make fun of.

From my closet, I chose an orange robe that reminded me of sunset and a pair of red fire-proof boots. After dressing, I headed to the meeting room, traversing a long grey corridor that stretched beyond my room.

The Gattis and Williamses had yet to provide any significant contribution to the Canadian Magic Society. We gathered at a round table inside the conference room; mother at the far end, father next to her. On the left-hand side of the table were my father's siblings, and on the right, my mother's siblings; then, to the back were all the children, some as young as three, farting flames and laughing. Others were as old as thirty-six and married, with little babies of their own. Sir Farts headed in my direction; he was a small boy with gelled bronze hair who had lost his pants somewhere around the house. So, I sent him away with a gentle kick, and he found someone else's feet to release his foul gases on.

His elder sister, Krystal, came to stand next to me. She was a quiet girl with a single pink streak in her long black hair. Olive skin. She smiled. "The little bugger is just as annoying as he was last year."

"He'll grow out of it."

"That's what they say," she said, staring at her parents but looking unconvinced. "Did you know he tried to drink my blood while I was sleeping? I sensed something off, woke up, and found him drooling over me like some dog. I smacked him and said, 'Vampires don't drink other vampires' blood'. He's such an idiot. I don't know what we'll do with him; between you and me, I think he lost a few brain cells when our dad dropped him that one time."

The commandment banning vampires from drinking other vampires' blood was one of the few reasons we didn't prey on each other. And there was also the fact humans, with their red, oxygen-rich blood, tended to be a sweeter target. I was glad I didn't have a brother Sir Farts' age, but I didn't tell Krystal that. Instead, I said, "My dad has a secret place he wants to take me to later."

"Oh?" Her lips curled into a smirk. "And where's that...?"

"No clue."

"Ah. The dreaded secret. We miss you at Howard's, by the way."