Forever Luna

Scrutinise

verb ~  to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly

POLLUX

I have been free for a month now, and in the days that have passed, I have had a lot of time to contemplate. Every night as I fell asleep, my mind wandered. It lingered on the man who treated me like a friend in need, who judged too soon and taught me to stand up for myself. It chased the ghost of Clover, desperate for closure. The image of my sister and family back home, even Charlie, the brother I never had. I wondered how he and Calida were getting on. It has been a while since they developed the bond.

I have phoned Nova four times, but never spoke to anyone but her and Phoenix. Things were rocky back home. Apparently, they have had an issue with people getting close to their borders. I wasn't sure how anyone could; a witch Phoenix knew enchanted them when he was growing up. He claimed it was a friend of his mother's but... Nobody has seen her, and let's face it, Phoenix does not have the best reputation with witches and his family.

Myself and Nova were cursed by Angela, and then I was raised by her very own daughter. And yet, my curse lifted before Nova's. A sign of safety. Even now, as I contemplate what could've happened, I don't understand how I shifted. Now I knew of the curse. Shifting when I did was odd.

I haven't spoken to Gaia in a long time. My mother figure distant with her grief. She had lost both of her children, and her grief was consuming. Even speaking to her through the phone, I could feel its intensity. She felt like she was a failure; that she failed her children in steering them right. But it wasn't her; Donovan was a bad one from the start. As for Raven... My heart still ached whenever I pictured her bright eyes.

Nobody knew her like I did.

She was my sister. My comrade. Swayed by the mate bond and then pushed down and dominated by her brother. Raven was strong. She just didn't believe in herself. Now she was gone, too. My entire childhood was hanging on by a thread.

Sighing, I shook my head. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I asked if you were okay?"

The human before me was a pocket sized barbie doll. Honestly, I have never seen anybody so plastic. She bleached her hair white, and her forehead and eyes did not have a single crease. Her lips were dark red and larger than probably my entire hand. She smacked a piece of gum between her lips before flashing teeth that were way too white to be normal. A hand with massive nails settled on her hip and I couldn't help stare at her waist that was definitely missing a rib or two.

"I'm fine." I mumbled, looking up at her face.

"You've been sitting here all by yourself." She cocked her head, manicured nails poking my shoulder. "Why don't you come join us?"

My eyes wandered to the other two girls sat in a booth a little further up. I swallowed down the distaste, trying my best to be polite.

"I'm good here."

"Aw." She pouted. "I'm Celeste."

"Pollux." I muttered.

"Pollux, what a strange name!" She giggled. "Please, we shall sit with you then!"

Just as she went to wave her friends over, I interrupted.

"I sat here alone because I want to be alone." I told her. "Not with company."

Her surprised face hardened to one of rejection. "Gee, don't need to be rude."

"I am not rude." I shook my head. "It was you who kept insisting. Can you not tell when someone is saying no?"

She scowled. I mean, I think it was a scowl. Her upper lip curled and her nose creased, but her forehead didn't move. With a drawling 'whatever', she turned around, her long hair flicking me in the face. I remained sitting in the same position as before, my hands wrapped around my coffee cup. Sighing, I raised it to my lips and took a sip, aware of their penetrating gazes.