Hidden Heirs and Fallen Crowns (Complete)

Chapter 20

A/N Dedicated to theflores for all her lovely comment and support. Thanks so much!!

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Thankfully, we made it back to the house in one piece. Well, I managed to scare the life out of an old lady, but she'll get over it. I bumped into her, then automatically said 'sorry' and she started screaming her head off.

Not that I blame her.

"You all right?" Jasmine asked worriedly, slamming the front door behind her. I nodded shakily. "Don't worry, Blade can't get you here."

"I know."

Zed looked at me for a moment. "You don't have to do it, you know," he said quietly. "I mean, just because you can doesn't mean you have to. It's your choice."

Jasmine gave him a questioning look. "What are you talking about?"

"Dissipating."

Her mouth opened in a small 'O' of understanding. "Yeah. I mean, Zed's right. I don't think you're really meant to be doing it until you've had years and years of experience with seventh degree Wind-bending. Nothing to worry about."

"Alright."

"Besides," Zed added. "You can't actually do it without an at least fifth degree sight, 'cause you need to actually see the stuff you're dealing with."

I didn't know whether to be disappointed or grateful.

We went to one of the many living rooms in Jasmine's mansion and sat down. By then we were ravenous, and Jasmine ordered some food.

"Nothing better than burgers, chips and pizza when you're really hungry," Jasmine said cheerfully, rubbing her hands together.

"You only have to wait half an hour more," grumbled Zed. Then he suddenly sat up, clasping his hands loosely in between him knees. "Hey, Suz. I've been meaning to ask you in the woods, but then Blade showed up and everything and I forgot."

Only half-listening, I nodded. "What is it?"

"What you said about seeing your family."

The taste in my mouth went sour as my head snapped to look at him. "Don't start again, Zed," I said. "I've had enough of this."

"No, no, no!" he protested. "I'm not going shout, this time. Just answer me. Please."

Narrowing my eyes, I told him to make it quick.

"OK. You ... you were still invisible, weren't you? How did they see you? Did they see you?"

"No," I answered, looking at the floor. "They didn't. I just saw them." My eyes were swelling up with tears again, and I took a deep, furious breath, wiping them quickly. I hoped they hadn't noticed. "Done asking questions?"

"Nearly, just one more. About your family ... I mean ..."

I listened eagerly, waiting for him to say that we could go visit them sometime if we were very, very careful.

"What I mean to say is this: why didn't you tell us? When you went to see your family?"

"I ..." I shrugged, trying to act indifferent. "You'd get angry."

"So? What if we got angry?"

"I knew you'd start yelling your head off if I told you and you'd never let me go out again and really it wasn't even my fault I was just walking and then I saw Bumba and then I saw Mum and Will how could I just ignore them so I listened a bit and they were talking about me ..." I broke off, fully crying now. "Why do I cry so much?" I asked in between my sobs. "I'm sorry ..."