Where Home Is

An Owl's Language

Gem's Perspective-

Gem and Anthony practically ran out of the bar and back into the castle.

Trissa saw them and stopped them, "Gem where were you? You need to go see Everett."

"Now?!"

"Yes, now, why is it something bad? What happened?"

Gem and Anthony exchanged worried looks but Gem sighed, "I'll explain later, better to get to the meeting now before I get in more trouble."

"What?"

"Just...lead me to where he is."

Trissa hesitated but led Gem away.

-

"Come in."

Gem entered the meeting room and saw Everett surrounded by three owls.

Gem only recognized the one from the bar, though.

He was facing a window, holding a letter.

"So, looks like your brother likes to lie as well." Everett said, smiling at Gem, "Tch, tch, tch, runs in the family, does it?"

Gem didn't respond and instead death stared him.

"Lies. But the owls tell me the truth."

"You figured out the spell to talk to animals, huh?"

"Oh yes. It's became a great advantage." Everett said, putting down the letter, "This one," He motioned to the owl to his left, "Has been telling me great stories."

"Like what?"

"Like there are...people in the forests. People talking about how to enter Frost Ford without getting caught. People talking about how to free you. Apparently," He started pacing, "Four are staying. One man with ginger hair, one with black, one with brown hair that has a green streak in it, and one woman with pink hair and fish gills. Are these friends of yours? And you can't lie. Your brother did and I found the truth."

"If you know the truth, why are you trying to get me to talk? Do you want to give the illusion that I have a choice?"

Everett turned to the window, his back now facing Gem.

"You know, you have had so many times you could've left. So many chances at freedom. And yet you stay. Why?"

"I stay because you're a tyrant who needs to be stopped!"

"Is that why? You're putting your friends and brother through so much trouble. Your friend Katherine would've never gotten caught if you left earlier. And I'm sure your brother has been out of his mind with stress because of this."

Gem started to feel guilty but shook her head.

He's playing mind games.

"Look, you can't get me with these mind games- "

"Mind games? Or the truth?" Everett turned around, "Gem, you've been here for almost two months. I have given you a chance at freedom. Now your brother and other friends are going to risk their lives to save yours. And yet you think you've been doing the right thing? The right thing is putting your friends in danger? Giving your brother an overwhelming amount of stress? Making your brother get in an argument with his boyfriend, or now fiancé, Sausage?"

Gem gasped, "F-fiancé?"

"Yes, Sausage proposed to fWhip after they shouted at each other. They broke up for two weeks and fWhip was a wreck. He had no one, he was alone; I've never seen someone be so pitiful."

Gem scoffed, "You saw me and Oli in the dungeon. And how do you know these events are happening?"

"Talking to animals. Sending out owls to spy."

"Why?"

"To tell you what they've been going through. Your brother was a mess but now he's better. I let you out of your cell when you were a wreck, almost committed suicide even. See, I'm not too bad. Sausage came through to fWhip before he wanted to leave this planet?"

"You don't want to save me- "

"Then why did I keep Tom as a guard when I knew he had given you so much freedom?"

"I don't know." Gem said bitterly.

"I gave you chances to escape, yet you don't take them. You fight me."

"Well let's see. You replaced Tom with Ortiz, have been nothing but rude to me, threatened my brother, guilt tripped me, trapped me in a dungeon, took away my wand, and have been using my wand to torture me and Katherine."

"But these events have happened because you've been lying. All of these events happened because of you. Your fault."

Gem paused.

She shook her head, but the thoughts wouldn't go.

Her breath started rushing and tears filled her eyes.

Katherine was going to get tortured because of her.

"Exactly." Everett smiled a sick smile that Gem hated ever so much, "Trissa, come collect Gem."

Trissa entered and she and Gem walked away.

It was terrifying knowing that he was correct.

It was her fault.

I should've left when I could. Oli was right.

Gem walked up to Anthony and said, "Can we go to the forest?"

"I- not now. You're not allowed to exit the gates."

"Please."

"There are guards there and they won't leave their post."

"I do want to let you go," Anthony said, "But there's just no way."

Gem sighed and walked up to her room.

She looked out the window.

Lizzie, Joel, fWhip, and his fiancé Sausage were all staying in the forest.

To free Gem from this prison, she could've escaped but never did.