All Magic Has a Price

Chapter 5: "If I eat it he lives?"

Mom and Lily are fighting.

Yes, I said Lily. That's what I have decided to call them. My mother is Lily and my father is Ethan.

Prim started calling Mom Snow and Dad James and it really makes me angry. We have four different kingdoms at our castle for dinner, and Mom and Lily are bickering.

"I don't care if you raised her. She is my daughter. I'm in charge. She will call me Mom, and she will do what I say."

Did I mention they're fighting over me.

"Katniss is seventeen years old. She will do what she wants when she wants. She is old enough to make her own decisions. She will call you what she pleases." Mom says.

"Snow White, it's not your decision what my daughter does!"

"Lily Everdeen, it's not your decision what my daughter does." Mom slams her hand down on the table.

"Snow, calm down." Dad says.

Both of them look at me. "Back me up here!"

To have both of your mothers wanting you to take their side, well, it's kind of stressful.

"Katniss, you heard her. Do what your mother says." Ethan says.

I clasp my hands in front of me, sitting up perfectly straight, elbows not daring to touch the table.

"Snow and James are my parents. I call them Mom and Dad. By blood, you guys are my parents, I'll call you Lily and Ethan. Oh, and I don't really listen to anyone anyways, so I won't listen to you. If I were to listen to anyone though, it would be Mom and Dad, being Snow and James."

"But I'm your mother!" Lily says.

"Well you weren't thinking that when you hit me when I was three." I say calmly, even though my anger is skyrocketing and I can feel my hand heating up on the table.

"What?" Lily snaps. "How the hell do you know about that?"

I raise my eyebrows at her language. "It doesn't matter how I know about it."

"Never should have broken that damn vase in the first place!"

I slam my hand down on the table. "I was three, and besides, you don't hit your three year old! Especially not for something that was done on accident!"

"She's right." Mom says.

"Shut up Snow." Lily hisses. "You were always the favorite!"

"What does that have anything to do with my daughter?" Mom asks.

"It doesn't! She isn't your daughter! She's mine!"

"You were never there. From age three and up, I endured every tantrum, changed every diaper, wiped every tear, and soothed every fever. She's mine."

"Like I had a choice!" Mom yells.

"You gave her to me because she broke a vase on accident! She was three! She was unsteady on her feet!"

"She's such a stupid child." Lily seethes.

"Hey!" Dad stands up. "Enough."

I sit there, drumming my fingers on the table, glaring at the chandelier, making it swing with my mind.

Left...right...left...right...

"Katniss, Prim, get your things. We're moving to the summer palace." Ethan says.

Prim gets up and walks off to her room, but I don't move.

"Did you hear me?" Lily asks.

"Yes. I'm not moving. I live with my parents and sister and it's going to stay that way."