Selene and the Moon

4- The Revealing

"So," Verity says. "Explain yourself, please." She looks composed, cold maybe. The exact opposite of her usual self.

"Me? I didn't do anything!" I laugh nervously.

Verity looks at me. "I'm not going to let you leave until you. Tell. Me!" She shouts those last two words.

Yeah, there's the Verity I know. 

"You see, um, I don't know," I lie. The words taste horrible on my tongue.

"I can tell when you're lying!," Verity moans. "Is it that hard to tell the truth?"

I wince inwardly. 

"Lie all you want. You know you are not getting out of this room until you tell me!"

That's not true. I could frost the the door open any time I want, but instead it is my friendship with Verity which keeps me here.

"I don't want to tell you!," I shout. "Why can't you respect that?" 

Verity growls. "Friends don't keep secrets from each other!"

"Well friends don't force their friends to tell them their secrets!"

"Ugh! I thought we were friends!" Verity spits her words out. 

I frown at her. "We are."

"Well not anymore," Verity says.

"Fine!," I burst out.

The anger surges up inside me and before I can stop it, the room freezes over and starts dripping wet grey sludge. Snowflakes fall from the ceiling.

"You want to break our friendship over a stupid secret?," I say. "Then you don't deserve my friendship!"

The anger is suddenly replaced by immeasurable sadness and guilt for what I just said. I never think before I speak, something Artemis used to always tease me about. I'm blaming Verity for something she didn't do. I hold out a hand and the snowflakes stop.

Verity doesn't reply. I turn around to look. The furious expression I had been expecting was instead one of wonder and delight.

"What did you do to my bedroom?," she whispers. She runs a finger against the wall. Her cheeks flush, and she's back to her old self. "Can you do that again?" 

She faces me.

I can't stop them. Tears drip down my cheeks.

She looks confused for a moment, then does the natural thing for her : apologises. "Selene, I'm so sorry," she gasps.

I look puzzled. "Why? I'm the one who kept everything from you, all this time..."

Verity tilts her head at me. "Don't be. But..."

"What?," I enquire.

Verity raises her eyebrows and purses her lips. "Tell me everything."

And I do.

I tell her about my power.

I tell her about Artemis's power. 

I tell her how Artemis went missing.

I tell her how it broke my heart. 

How my father thinks my mother is the moon. 

How my blood magic began. 

By the time I finish, my eyes are red and puffy. I am doing my best to choke down more sobs.

Verity's eyes turn even wider at the end of my story. "You've been keeping all that from me?"