They Lied (Liar Duology #1)

Chapter 8 / Olivia

"Oh, my gosh," I said, looking at Aunt Kat's house. I know her name is Khione, but it's hard to rewire sixteen years of calling her Aunt Katerina, so I just go with it.

"What happened?" Aunt Kat asked, looking at me with a smile.

"Your house is so beautiful," I replied, looking at the clear glass walls and similar furniture which looked suspiciously like ice. 

There were carpets and rugs everywhere, all made of the same white fluffy material (snow, perhaps?) and there were a few framed snowflakes. Chandeliers made of icicles adorned the ceiling, and there was a cool, bluish glow emanating from nowhere, and yet from everywhere. My eyes started to pool up when I saw a frame with a picture of Neva on the coffee table. I can almost feel her childish giggle through time. But, she was no more. I sniffled.

"Are you okay, Via?" Atlas asked, squeezing my hand.

Bless his soul, he had never seen me so emotional before, and he was getting worried.

"It's her magic, Att," Aunt Kat said, braiding her blonde hair. She had thankfully changed out of her standard-issue gown and was sporting jeans and a powder blue strapless top.

"What do you mean, Khione?" Atlas asked.

"Her magic makes her more of a Feeler than a Thinker," she replied, "And this place is filled with her magic."

"What do you mean, Aunt Kat?" 

"You made this place."

"Then why don't I remember?"  

She sighed, "Your mother worried too much about you, bless her soul, so she tried to make you more human by wiping your mind clean after every ninety years and making you relearn everything in school, and-"

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, "We missed two days of school! My GPA's going to slide! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my-"

"Olivia," interrupted Atlas, gently, "Would you rather preserve your perfect GPA or rid the world of my traitorous twin?"

"The latter," I replied, calming down, "So, Aunt Kat, I'm how many years old?"

"A thousand and six," she replied, casually, "So are you, Att."

"A thousand and six! How?!" Atlas and I said in unison, and we giggled.

"You guys are so cute," said Aunt Kat, taking one cheek of mine and one cheek of Atlas between her finger and squeezing, "But we really need to get to work."

"Tell us what to do, ma'am," we both said in unison, again.

"I've never seen a pair of kids quite like you two," said Aunt Kat, laughing and shaking her head, "Let's get you two to the fight room."

"We're not kids!" whined Atlas, "We're a thousand years old!"

To which Aunt Kat merely chuckled.

She snapped her fingers and we were instantly transported to the place she called the, 'fight room.' It was an ice arena with a lot of stands. And by a lot, I mean, a lot. And, it wasn't empty. There were at least hundred people, some in the stands and some in the arena itself, and they were all women.

"Welcome to the Ladies' Fight Club," said Aunt Kat, "Sorry Att, you're going to have to sit this one out."

"No problem, Khione," he said, saluting, and I laughed. He made his way to the stands, and sat on one of the front rows, giving me a thumbs up.

I shivered, and chuckled a little halfheartedly, waving back. The truth of the matter was... I was nervous. How was I going to fight so many experienced people? People generally think I'm good at everything because I don't let people see me until I am perfectly amazing at it. Learning something new in front of so many people was... Nerve-wracking to say the least.

"Okay, love," said Aunt Kat, "Be perfectly still and perfectly calm. I'm going to return all your memories to you, okay?"

"Okay," I said, closing my eyes, breathing in and breathing out, feeling just a little bit better because Aunt Kat was giving me a thousand years worth of knowledge, which was going to be right at my fingertips.

I did not anticipate the warm rush of adrenaline as I saw a scene from many years ago.

"Get away from her, Atlas, she's from the House of Juniper!" a young blonde screamed.

"Calm down, Akantha, she's my friend, Olivia. Why do you hate the House of Juniper so much, anyway?" Atlas soothed.

"Her mom, Brianna, and her Aunt, Khione, killed mom and dad, Atlas!" Akantha screamed.

The scene shifted.

"Will you, Olivia Bree Mason, marry me, Atlas Liam Matthews?" asked Atlas, kneeling on one knee with a bouquet in one hand and a silver ring in the other.

"Yes! Yes!" I replied, and he slipped on the ring.

The scene shifted again.

"I'm sorry, Via, love, but my sister does not honor our engagement. She's all I have left. I can't marry you, I'm sorry. She'll kill me!" he screamed.

"This love will be the death of me, but I know, I'll die happily,'" I quoted, "If you love me you should elope with me. Let's run away."

"I'm sorry, Via, I can't," he said, sobbing, "I can't run away with you. Akantha..."

"I'm disappointed, Atlas. I thought you would at least attempt to fight for this engagement, but no... Live your life in peace with Akantha," I said, and I slipped off the ring from my finger and threw it at his face.

"Via, wait!"

I wiped the tears from my face, running away from my ex-fiancé.

The scene morphed into blackness.

"One day, one day somebody will give you your lost memories back, and you will remember me," a disembodied voice said, "I am your father, Olivia, and I love you so much. I can predict the future, and as you listen to me, someone will jerk you awake," a hand clasped my shoulder and shook me, "And you'll find the person you last expected to meet."

My eyes shot open, and I saw those same, captivating emerald eyes and the same platinum blonde hair. It was all I could do to prevent myself from pinching my skin again and again and again.

"Neva?" I muttered, staring at her in shock, "But... But, you died! How are you here?"

Kind of a filler chapter. Sorry, guys. You gotta wait for the exciting parts, my loves.

Thanks for all the support for my book!

Love,

Cara.