Who is my mother, really? (A Shadow and Bone Fanfic)

Part Nine

^Picture above is of the twins, Ann and Marie Oretsev. They are played by Georgie Henley.

I turned to the occupants of the room with dread.

Mal and Adam were in a heated argument about me and the girls, who I still hadn't meet. They were throwing insults back and forth, and both were bright red in the face.

I glanced away, shame burning my face, knowing that I was the one disturbing their perfect family.

I observed the others in the crowded room.

The girls were sitting awkwardly on the couch, one watching their brother and father and the other staring intently at me.

My shame burned brighter. I quickly turned away.

The two oprichniki the Darkling had left stood at the door, statue like and silent. Their sharp gazes roamed around the room, catching every small detail.

I turned away from them, also. I wasn't welcome with my kind, and I wasn't welcome with my friends. I was to be alone for the rest of my existence.

Was that why the Darkling had went about things like he did? Did he want me to feel his pain, his loneliness?

While Mal and Adam were distracted, I walked over to the girls. It was high time that I met them. I took the seat that Adam had vacated not too long ago.

One of the girls' long brown hair was braided down her back in a simple braid, while the other's fell in silky waves around her shoulders.

When I took the seat, they both turned their perfect blue eyes on me. Their color was such a peculiar color, so unlike their father's and brother's that I had to glance at them twice to be sure of their color. It was a pale blue so pale that it was almost a light gray. Swirling around their irises as if on a misty sea, was a light green that almost blended entirely into the blue.

They were almost exactly identical expect for a light smattering of freckles across one's nose.

I cleared my throat. "I'm Lassie." I said with a small smile.

The one with freckles and her hair loose returned the smile. "I'm Ann, and this is my twin, Marie. We're fourteen years old. It's nice to meet you, Lassie."

The other twin, Marie, spoke up harshly. "It is not nice to meet you!" She snarled. Then she turned on her sister. "Ann, she's Alina's daughter and she came with the Darkling willingly! You read the books, you know how wrong that is!" She was nearly shouting at the end of her speech and her breath came in short spasms in her chest.

Her twin glanced at her before turning to me. "She probably has a good reason for coming, right Lassie?" Her tone was hopeful and light as if she dared to believe that anyone associated with the Darkling was not evil.

Should I tell them truth, or would it be better for them and myself in the long run if they didn't know?

I chose the latter idea and quickly shook my head. My voice lowered to a faint whisper so no one else in the room could hear me but them. "I could choose to tell you what choices lead me here. I could be lying, or I could not. Instead I'll tell you this: Everyone and everything could be deceiving you, so trust no one but yourselves. And of course, each other. It'll keep you alive long enough to survive the Darkling."

They both stared at me as my voice trailed off. Their blue eyes were round like saucers with shock at what I had told them. The twin who had been kind the beginning, Ann, slowly blinked her eyes before lowering them to stare at the carpet. I saw the hopeful light fade from them.