cascade | kotlc

25. Tam and Linh

 They leaped to a place that had probably once been a beautiful garden. But now the cascading vines and enormous trees looked withered and crunchy, specked with plague.

"Where are we?" Sophie asked.

"Introductions first," the Shade said, throwing back his hood and tearing off his mask-

Oh my fucking god he's hot. What do I do I don't even know him help me why does he have to be so fucking hot aggghhhhh HELP ME HELP ME WHAT DO I DO SOPHIE I NEED HELP-

Biana cursed as she tried not to stammer as she flipped her mask onto her hair. The Hydrokinetic did the same.

They both had pink lips and a creamy complexion. Their eyes were the palest of pale blue, with flecks of silver glinting in the sunlight, rather like Sophie's gold flecks. Touches of silver in their hair enhanced the effect. The girl's waist-length jet-black hair looked like the ends had been dipped in platinum, and the tip of the boy's jagged bangs glinted every time he tossed htem out of his eyes.

OH MY FUCKING GOD HE'S TOO HOT, WHAT DO I DO SOPHIE. JUNE I NEED RELATIONSHIP COUNCILLING AHHHHHHHHHHH

"You're brother and sister," Sophie said, as if she hadn't realized yet.

"Twins," the Shade corrected. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Why would it..." Sophie started to say, and Biana snorted as the realization dawned on her face from behind her mask. The X seemed to tint red. "Sorry, I'm not very used to these standards. I know what it feels like to be different."

She threw back her hood and mask. Biana noticed the Shade gawked at her eyes, and she tried to not feel jealous.

Of course he would like her, because- oh my god I can't help it why does he have to be so hot-

Her lips had glued together, her hair shaking, almost, as she shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Gah this isn't helping. He's too hot.

The Shade turned to her, and Biana could feel herself melting under his gaze. Something softened as he glanced at her sister.

"I'm Tam," he said. "And this is Linh."

OH MY GOD TAM'S SO HOT-

Fucking get yourself together, Biana. No more of this fangirling!

"I'm Biana," she stammered. "Nice to meet you."

His eyebrows shot up. "Biana Vacker?"

"Uh, yeah." She bit her lip, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry."

"What?" Tam looked incredulous. Biana cursed her social skills.

Sophie snorted from beside her. "I'm Sophie."

"That's a human name," he said.

"Oh, yeah, you probably haven't heard of her," Biana realized. "She's- well, she's the girl that my brother found in the human world."

"What?" Linh interrupted. "Human world? Forbidden Cities?"

"Yeah. Um. Yeah. Don't ask. Four abilities and stuff."

Sophie snickered at her. Perhaps she wasn't as clueless as Biana thought she was as she not-so-subtly glanced at Tam.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Home sweet home." Tam kicked a piece of rotted, speckled fruit.

"It used to be beautiful," Linh said. "We used to feel so lucky to have found it. But that was before the gnomes fell ill."