The Rose of Anthacena

Chapter 20

Violet trudged through the tunnel. Although it seemed like a long time to her, it was probably only five minutes before she came to a door. Unsure of what to expect, but knowing that was where she was supposed to go, she opened the door and stepped through it.

Violet found herself outside, in the middle of a snowfall. It had obviously been snowing for quite some time, but she thought she could still recognize some things. If she was correct in her thinking, she was at the bottom of the O'Reilly's driveway.

She looked to her right, and sure enough, there was the cottage her family lived in. She gazed at it for a moment before carefully picking her way through the snow to the front door. In order to not make her family think there was a burglar, Violet decided it would be a good idea to knock, so after setting her suitcase down beside her, that's just what she did.

"Dereck, can you get the door, please?" her mother asked from upstairs.

"Sure, Mom," Dereck called back. Violet waited only a moment before she heard his footsteps, and then the door opened. As soon as he saw her, Dereck froze and he stared open-mouthed at her. Violet looked him over, too.

He had grown quite a bit while she was gone. Now, instead of being several inches taller than her, he was at least a foot taller. That was all she had time to notice before he enveloped her in a fierce hug, crushing her ribs. Violet struggled to get him off.

"Dereck!" she gasped. "Can't breathe!" He let her go.

"Sorry, Rose," he apologized. Violet started. The name "Rose" sounded very strange to her now. Dereck grabbed her suitcase and lugged it inside. "Come on in," he said over his shoulder. "It is your house, you know." Violet stepped inside and looked around. Everything was so familiar-and yet so strange.

"I'll go up and send Mom down," Dereck told her, and disappeared upstairs. Violet nodded, too late for him to see it. While she waited, she went into the living room to see what had changed there, but it wasn't much.

Before too long, Violet heard her mother come downstairs.

"Hello?" Mrs. O'Reilly called. When Violet didn't answer, she muttered, "I guess they're in the living room or something." She came into the living room, stopping short when she saw Violet. "Violet?" she whispered, staring at her daughter with wide eyes.

Then Mrs. O'Reilly was across the room so fast Violet didn't believe it was possible, and she was crying and kissing and hugging Violet, who hugged and kissed and cried right back.

"Oh, Violet, I can't believe you're here!" her mother exclaimed, once they had finally stopped. "How in the world did you escape from that-that monster?" Violet glared at her mother.

"He is not a monster!" she said sharply, then lowered her voice. "And I didn't escape. He let me go. In fact, he-told me to go."

"He told you to go?" Violet's mother repeated, her incredulity showing in her eyes and voice. "Why?"

"Because Kaysey's dying, and I'm the only one that save her," Violet replied.

"How do you know that?" her mother asked in surprise.

"One word explanation, Mother." Violet leaned closer and whispered, "Magic."

"Riight," Mrs. O'Reilly said doubtfully.

"Right," Violet agreed. "Arin has a-"

"Who's Arin?" her mother interrupted quizzically.

"The beast," Violet answered, somewhat impatiently. "Anyway, he has a magic table that lets you see anyone you want in it. Last night, I saw and heard you and Dad talking in the hall about it being hopeless, and you asked him why you had to lose a second daughter.