The queen of nothing

chapter 3 page 17

My attempts at opening the door did not seem to catch their attention, but the slam of the door behind me did. Cringing at the loud sudden noise.

I had forgotten to close it gently.

The two women looked up startled and I felt bad for taking their attention away from the one who actually needed it. But Mother Astria rushed up to me eyes widened. She put her hands on both sides of my face, looking slightly on the edge of being crazed.

Trying to offer her some comfort I held onto her arms. On our contact glassy tears had appeared. Even under these circumstances I was nice to know that I was missed and wanted. But Astria looked on the verge of breaking.

Moving my hair behind my ears, she moved on looking for any signs of harm or pain. My side did hurt, but I shouldn't be the center of attention at the moment Davi was in harsher conditions.

And it was my fault,

Maybe if I hadn't left her in the patch of moss, she would have been fine.

The strawberries once in my dress were scattered on the floor during my attempt to comfort Mother. They were easy to gather again, as they were only around fifteen strawberries.

Mother May greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the temple.

Mother Astria was about the say something that was caught in her throat when I had first come in. But I wanted to stall a lecture as long as possible, because I knew that if Davi were to die her blood would be on my hands.

Mother May wordlessly nodded when I gestured to the water pitcher, opening the cottage's door I leaned out using the water to clean the dirtied strawberries.

Once I was done, I sucked in a breath as Mother Astria was right beside me. Now in front of me, she had a firm face but not in the kind of firm that said I was in trouble, more like she was concerned and worried.