Twisted Fate

Chapter Four: Non Idem

Non Idem means Not The Same in Latin

Maria put down the platter on the drawer top and she folded her arms across her chest.

"Explain." she said. "Now." She demanded.

"We were only showing Dalya," Kylie said. "Honest."

"Why were you showing her your . . . powers?" Maria gave each of us a hard glare. "How did she even find out?"

"We, uh, we . . .," Kylie was fumbling on her words. She was having a hard time trying to explain this without getting in trouble. If it was me or even Kyler, we would have lied our asses of. Kylie, being her, was a little 'angel', so she could never tell a lie. "we . . . told her . . ." I wasn't all that surprised that she told the truth.

"And why, exactly, did you tell her?" Maria was tapping her foot impatiently.

"Because . . ." Kyler paused as he looked into Maria's eyes. He seemed a bit scared of her, don't blame him either, Maria was really scary when she was mad. 

"It's a bit of a tale," I said. "Lemme' explain," after a few minutes, we had fully explained the events that had happened beforehand and Maria seemed to get the gist.

"Where did you get a book about magick?" Maria demanded in a tight voice. She seems to have forgotten the glowing twins in our midst.

"I found it." I said, not even a second before she finished her question. Right! I thought. You totally don't look guilty of something. "I found it at the Library in town, they were giving away free books." I spoke in a calm and steady tone.

Maria narrowed her eyes to slits. "Dalya?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you lying to me?" she asked.

This didn't catch me off guard, Maria usually asked that question if she suspected something. Fortunately, I already came up with a simple answer to that.

I shook my head. "No."

She studied me for a while, her blue eyes studying my facial expression. I resisted the urge to avert my eyes from her gaze but I held it, even if I was getting slightly uncomfortable.

"Okay," she said hesitantly after a several moments. She turned to the twins. "you two: Do not tell anyone about your magick, ever, no matter what, deny everything." She returned her attention back to me. "As for you, give me that book."

"W-Why?" I stammered. I should've just given her the book, would've made me look less guilty than I was already feeling.

"I can't risk anyone finding it, especially Margary," she shook her head. "who knows what she would do if she found this?"

"Probably have Dalya burned at the stake." Kyler offered.

"She'd probably have me burned at the stake regardless of the book or not." I said with an eye roll.

"Give me the book," Maria held out a waiting hand. "it'll lower your chances of getting burned at the stake." She said jokingly.

"Here." I gave her the book and she held it against her hip.

"Remember what I told you two," Maria said as she made her way to the door. "No magick," she spoke in a hushed voice.

"Yes, ma'am." Kylie said, relief lacing her voice.

"No problem." Kyler gave her a two fingered salute.

"As for you, Dalya," Maria returned her attention to em. "you're washing the dishes after breakfast."