discovering indigo. (finding sky by joss stirling)

chapter four

"um guys.." yves voice is telepathically hesitant in his family's mind. this is as good as time as any to explain, that i can hear other peoples telepathy. "but, her." his eye's subtly fall on me. oh, i wonder who they're talking about? "energy levels are dangerously low."

"stop talking about me when i am right here." i snap. "and don't you think i know that?"

the whole family take a giant step back, the action looks almost exaggerated, as if they're in a pantomime.

will and another brother (it gets confusing, there are loads) try and help me up because i am still on the floor, and i wave them off with a little growl. "leave me alone."

"well," will stuffs his hands into his pockets. "sandwiches are in the kitchen."

my stomach actually rumbles in appreciation of the comment and i have to stop myself running in there. i have more important things to worry about. snack later. escape now. i had previously scanned my surroundings for the door, so i could locate it easily.

zed smirked. "i wouldn't even think about it, you know." catching my yearning stare. "we have very good locks."

"plus" yves leans on the wall. "we're actually really good catchers when people run away."

"and i would know." the pixie girl grins. and the joke is absolutely lost on me.

then slowly, as if pulled by an electric current, the whole family, still joking and laughing, turn their backs on me and walk into the next room. i hear the clinking of cutlery and the pouring of liquids.

i am actually astounded, like seriously flabbergasted at the fact, that my captors, kidnappers, people-who-are-possibly-going-to-land-me-in-jail have left me unguarded. i actually want to stamp my foot and have a tantrum because somehow, the family know that i can't leave without my book. i want to stay in the living room, but what if is the last time they offer me food?

and somehow i suck up all my dignity, and shuffle into the kitchen. dreading their smug eyes and laughing mouths, at the fact they have successfully pulled me into their trap.

an older boy, who says his name is trace pulls another chair up to the table and another boy named uriel hands me a plate and will piles the plate high with sandwiches and there is no smugness, and the joke carries on as if it is the most normal thing to have a criminal eat at their table, in that moment, i want to hug all of them.

i briefly wonder if the sandwich is poisoned and if i was wrong, and sky is not sleeping beauty, but i am, handed a poisoned ham sandwich which will put me in a sleep for a hundred years. or kill me. but whatever. everyone else seems to be fully awake and alive so i eat and my god, i have a foodgasm. try, spending four-or-something months in the woods and then eat a ham sandwich. it'll change your perception. believe me.

immediately i feel my body rejuvenating and i imagine a thermometer rising as my energy comes back to me. i lean back on my chair, feeling calmer and clearer in the mind. it's amazing what a little food can do. 

i glance quickly around the table and i suddenly realise why it's called eye contact. will is staring at me urgently and i must look surprised (and confused) because he quickly stares at his knife as if it is a work of art.

"who are you?" the demand is quick and sharp and i realise it's crystal who's asked.

"cupcake, calm down, it's fine. " i faintly hear xav telepathically soothe his soulfinder, but i can tell that crystal is seriously freaked out. she stands up, her chair screeching on the tiled floor and she is actually coming at me.

i stand up quickly, moving away from her. "tell me who you are?" her voice is hysterical, verging on a scream.

i feel her strong controlled mind and i know that she's a different kind of savant. i actually feel her mind before the full force hits me. it feels like i am winded and i am slumped on the floor before i know what's going on. she comes towards me with inordinate amount of strength and i try and scrabble up, using the wall as support. "tell me who you are."

"xavier do something." victor basically screams telepathically into his brothers ear. 

the telepathic voices are so loud in my ears, all a mixture of panic and fear. 

this isn't good. this is so not good and it's weird to feel relieved because i can deal with the fighting. i can't deal with the being nice. "you wanna play this game, cup cake." i use xav's nickname mockingly. "we can play it this way."

all the benedicts are suddenly around crystal, ready to fight and protect their sister-in-law. but they're a little to slow and i wrap my mind around her's and it's surprisingly easy-

pain.

"what's going on?" the deep voice snaps and i jump and drop my hold on crystal's mind. the man stares at me with an intensity which only wants to make me stare harder. and then his mouth folds into a grin.

it's such an unlikely turn of events, i almost smile back.

a small women with long hair, that makes her look more like a teenager than an adult rushes over to crystal and taps her cheek to make sure she's okay. the wave of motherly affection makes my throat hurt.

victor strides over to his father. "dad" his father leans a hand on his son. sON.SON. .

mr benedict walks over to me and i try not to notice that he shares an identical walk with will. he tries to touch my shoulder and i step backwards. he nods as if he understands. which, he doesn't. "we have been looking for you a long time, indigo."

i look at his greying hairline and his green eyes. "where did you learn my na-?"

"where did you find this book?"

i look at crystal. "she gave it to me."