Dark Secrets

Something Dark

"Um, are you sure about this?" my father asked, watching while my mother straightened up the library with a cheerful smile on her face.

"Positive," she said happily.

"But she's a human," he said. "What if she-"

"I thought she was doing farming?" I interrupted.

"Not anymore."

"So what is she doing instead?" my father asked.

"Medicine," my mother answered, pulling out a large stack of papers and some quills and ink.

"But why you? Why not the village doctor?"

"Because the village doctor is busy and I will be soon, too. Now shoo. Send her here when she arrives."

She shoved us out of the room and I narrowed my eyes.

"She's lying," I said as we walked down the stairs.

He sighed. "Yes, I know."

"So why is she really coming?" I asked. "It's not like Mother to lie!"

"Just let it go, Cian," he said.

I rolled my eyes and someone knocked on the palace door. I opened it and narrowed my eyes. Viveka stood there, looking incredibly nervous until she saw me. She glared and went to walk around me but I blocked her.

"Why are you here?" I demanded.

She arched a brow. "For lessons with Queen Darcey. Now excuse me, please."

"I thought you were doing farming," I said, not moving.

She pressed her lips together angrily. I glared and stretched out my mind. But then something strange happened.

I hit a wall.

"Move," she said firmly.

I did without thinking. She stalked past me.

"She's in the library," my father said, having stayed behind me for the whole exchange.

"Thank you," she mumbled and went upstairs.

"What's wrong, Cian?" my father asked when I didn't shut the door.

I was still watching the corner that Viveka had just gone around. Slowly, I closed the door. He stood in front of me, looking troubled at my silence.

"Cian?" he repeated, waving his hand in front of my face.

I blinked a few times.

"I can't read her mind, Father," I said and he stared up the stairs, too. "I could before but now.... There's a wall."

"That's strange," he mumbled.

"Why is she really here?" I whispered, shaking myself out of it.

My father rolled his eyes. "Let it go, Cian."

He walked into the throne room but I took my boots off, putting them by the base of the stairs. I crept up them and to the library. I put my ear to the door.

"Go away, Cian," my mother said and I cringed.

The door flew open, hitting me in the head and I fell over.

"Hey!" I shouted at Viveka.

She stood, her hands crossed around her waist with a medical book in her hand.

"Eavesdropping again?" she snapped.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," I lied. "I came for a book."

"Without your boots?" she asked.