The Cursed Queen

Nocht

I open my eyes only to be cuddling a pillow on the floor. Themis snores peacefully and the nicely padded mattress. The sun hadn't risen yet but I decided to get ready, I took a shower and put my long curls in a bun before exiting the room. As I move through the halls I see Tunji and his mom going through his pictures the day he was born. Turns out Tunji's father had sent her pictures of him up until he turned eight. I watch quietly as the mother and son duo sit and grin. I make my way outside and sit on the steps and before I could help it tears were tumbling down my face. I wipe my tears quickly, It was Tunji's turn to be happy —I wasn't going to ruin it by crying. I take a deep breath In a take a walk down the block to clear my brain.

I imagined myself walking around the street playing with the other kids, losing teeth the normal way—just being a kid. I was secretly envious of all those kids, all smiling and cheering not a care in the world. They didn't have anything close to the Facility, our world was so drastically different I didn't understand how everyone expected me to adjust after being plopped here as an afterthought. Themis would thrive here, this was just the place to support all her artsy dreams she spent her days writing about. Tunji would too healing is right up his alley—all Celestians were good at it. Celestia was the land of opportunity.

Tunji suddenly dashes out of the house and catches up with me. I stare at him in confusion, why was he trailing me? I already had Themis trailing me as if she were some type of spy.

"You okay?" he says bumping into me

I nod. He glares at me and groans.

"You're lying"

I roll my eyes, grimace

"I'm just thinking that's all Tunji. I'm good"

He folds his hands and we continue walking in silence. He lets out a chuckle before ruffling my hair. I punch his arm and he grabs it and winces. I race down the street back to the house as he sits and grabs his arm.

"Yemisi" He groans

I meet Tunji's mother setting the table and I rush to help her. She smiles at me in thanks, before Tunji comes barreling in with a sour look on his face. He notices my tactic and cuts me an icy cool glare before taking a seat at the head of the table.

Themis makes her way to the small kitchen and greets each of us. Themis grabs the seat to the right of Tunji while his mother sits at his left. I sit at the opposite end of the table and wait for our food to be dished out. The food was rainbow-colored ranging from pancakes to eggs.

"Ms. Awolowo, we would like to go sightseeing. Would you like to join us?" Themis asks

The woman's eyes widen.

"I would love to, do you have anywhere you'd like to go"

I nod quickly.

"Lady Niamey's fortune telling shop"

Tunji raises his eyebrows, while confusion is written all over his mothers face.

"Lady Niamey is immensely powerful; What she predicts is usually true. Are you sure you want to see her?"

"It shouldn't be too terrifying mom" Tunji assures

We quickly clean up and get into the carriage. Pyros's guards were still here, why we were being spied on for so long was beyond me. The ride to Lady Niamey's was a quiet one. She lived in the mountains of Celestia, which was close to Pyros which explained why it was colder than where Tunji's mother lived.

When we reached her home, everything was eerily quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the whooshing of the wind . I watch as Themis's long black hair whips around in the wind. We head straight towards a small house adorned with leaves of an assortment of colors. A small woman exits the house holding a large cane.