cascade | kotlc

9. The More Things Change

time skip: meeting gildie; moonlark pin, firecatching bottle, firecatching book

 "What happened?" June mumbled sleepily. Sophie had just ran back to bed after she helped the flareadon.

She buried her head in her hands. "I'm such an idiot."

"What happened?" June asked again, awake this time. "I'm sorry, that much Gusting yesterday really drained my energy. I should get Mentored soon. But what happened, Sophie?"

"There was a flareadon," she said. "A flareadon flew in, and Grady and Edaline were trying to calm it down. I wanted to help them, and I think I read the creature's mind. It was cold, so I lit a fire, June. I lit a fire."

June looked extremely pale. "Jolie." Sophie could tell June really didn't want to bring up the topic. Someone else she offended.

She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, June."

Her sister rubbed her eyes. "I... I don't like to bring up Jolie. I didn't know her, but she was still my sister." She closed her eyes, as if she was recalling a painful memory. She probably was. "It's just, when I was born and up until you came, Sophie, Mom and Dad... they were distant. I know they loved me. But they were too absorbed in Jolie's death. It changed them, Sophie. When I grew up, I... I didn't get a lot of love. They didn't take me out to go shopping, to go see my friends. I didn't have any friends until I went to Foxfire a year ago. Then I found Dex, Marella, and Alden saw me. He invited me over, and I met Biana and Keefe and" -- she blushed -- "Fitz. And I'm glad. But... I sometimes feel like they love you more than they love me, Sophie. I know I'm being unfair, but I can't help it. And I love you too, Sophie, and I really care about you, but sometimes it feels like you're just better than me in every way, Sophie. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be jealous, I know you have a lot going on in your life, but- I'm sorry."

Sophie didn't know what to say. She resorted to wrapping June into a hug, and June pressed her face into Sophie's. She was crying, June was crying, her lovely sister was crying, and Sophie could taste her salty tears, and she felt horrible.

"They love you, June. I know they do. They love us, even though they sometimes don't show it. And I love you too, June. I love you."

-

Things weren't much better at breakfast the next morning. Grady and Edaline's smiles looked forced, and June's eyes were still bloodshot and red. Nobody had much to say.

"So where did the flareadon come from?" Sophie asked, trying to fill the silence.

"She flew into our pasture, screeching her head off, and we scrambled to calm her down," Grady answered. "That's when you found us. It's strange. Flareadons live near volcanoes, that's why it didn't occur to me to use fire. Gildie strayed a long way away from home.

"Gildie?"

"We were up late with her, calming her down, and it felt silly, calling her 'flareadon'. So when we figured out it was a female, Edaline named her Gildie."

"It's a good name."

Edaline forced a smile and looked away. June walked up to her and kissed her cheek. Edaline's smile turned real, and she embraced her daughter.

"You really think you read her mind?" Grady asked.

"How would I have known about the fire? I think I might go practice with Gildie for a few minutes before school."

"Absolutely not," Edaline snapped, instantly on her feet, though she still put her arms around June. "You're staying home to rest. And you're not to go anywhere near those animals. Is that understood?"