Linked

Thirty-Seven : Unfair

Glyn is alive. My mother is dead. Irrefutable proof that life is, indeed, unfair.

He slaps my finger away from his chest.

"Step down from that high horse of yours."

I am sorely tempted to slap him back. I've never slapped anyone before, but I bet it feels really good. Antalia bustles over, wedging herself between us. Reluctantly, I back down and Corin's fingers rest lightly on my elbow. It's a slight touch, but I feel like a leashed dog.

"Glyn," Antalia says. "I was wondering when you'd be back. Did you get everything you needed?"

"Not yet. A few more trips and we'll be good to go."

"We?" My mind flicks through the possibilities attached to the tiny word. It's spun from immobile to overdrive in a matter of moments. A headache is coming on. I can feel sharp pulsing in my temples.

"You and me, Benna."

"Are you insane? I'm not going anywhere with you."

Squeezing my elbow, Corin Links. Don't worry, I wouldn't let you go anywhere with him.

"Corin, I wouldn't go anywhere with you either if we weren't attached by severe pain." I mean to Link, but accidentally speak aloud. The words shock him - he pales, as if he'd forgotten his betrayal and my fury. As if it were an issue minute enough to just slip our minds. As if allowing him to hold my hand at the table was forgiveness rather than comfort. Antalia tries desperately to diffuse the situation.

"More tea, anyone?"

The atmosphere in the room is so frigid you could snap-freeze her crop of peas. I don't want to look at Corin's face. It's slightly green, as though my words have poisoned him. I turn my attention back to Glyn, picking up where we left off.

"Glyn, you were like the captain of a sinking ship. You're supposed to make sure everybody gets out safe, or you go down with them."

He scowls, his mouth disappearing in a thin line beneath his salt-and-pepper beard.

"Newsflash, girlie. The refuge was not a ship."

He pushes past us, into the kitchen. Antalia busies herself collecting dishes from the table. The clattering of crockery fills the room. I get the vibe she wants to stay out of this, but at the same time, doesn't want to miss anything. Charla was her Link. She must be upset too. Glyn slouches into a seat at the table. I follow. I'm not ready to let this drop. He bends down and begins unlacing his boots. I try a different tactic.

"Where are we going, then?"

"Finally, a sensible thought. Wasn't sure you had it in you."

"How dare you -" Corin starts to say, but I hold up a hand.

"Just ignore it. Let him talk. I want to hear this."

With a grim smile, Glyn explains. "We can go anywhere we desire. According to the government databases, I no longer exist. They think I'm dead." He wrestles his now unlaced boots off, letting them drop to the tiled floor. "I am the best person to set up a new refuge in a different location. Not to mention the refuge's first -and probably best- spider. Although, from what I hear, you happen to be a pretty proficient spider also." I nod. "That makes you valuable. Which is your only redeeming quality. It's lucky you have one, because I promised Charla that I would take care of you, keep you safe, if anything like this happened."

I raise a skeptical eyebrow. Surely if mom was choosing someone to watch over me if the worst happened, she would have picked someone who, I dunno, could actually stand me?