Starling Rise

Chapter 6 Part 3: Touched

****WARNING!!! This chapter contains graphic material that some may find disturbing!****

To her chargrine, after that day Eris was made Mnason's official caretaker. The boy was indeed a handful; he would frequently throw tantrums if things didn't go his way. It was pathetic in Eris's opinion, and she had little patience for it. Her first night there, Mnason had a fit because he didn't want to take a bath. Eris had simply picked him up and threw him in the wooden tub, clothes and all.

The spoiled little crybaby was pathetic, and Eris scorned him. During dinner one time Eris could hear Mnason complaining about how mean she was all the way from the kitchen. But fortunately for her, Mrs. Edwan hardly paid attention to her son and chatted gaily with her dinner guests, who were just as wealthy and featherbrained as herself.

Three days had passed since Eris and her family had moved in, and relations between the children were not improving.

"I'm going to tell my father on you," Mnason threatened at one point.

Eris, who had just released him from the closet she'd stuffed him in during a particularly nasty fit, snorted. "You have a father? I've never seen him."

"That's because he has a very important job! He works for the Celestulus."

At this Eris went very still. She glared at Mnason until he squirmed. It made sense; only a human who groveled at the feet of a Celestulus could possibly become this rich. "Then your father is a bloody traitor to the human race," she stated coldly.

Mnason's fists clenched. "He is not!"

"He is."

"Is not! He's better than your dad! Your dad doesn't even have hands!"

Anger ripped through Eris, and she raised a hand to slap him. But then she stopped. If Mnason could prove she'd hit him, Mother would probably get fired. Then they'd be homeless in a strange city, and Father . . .

She lowered her hand and glowered. "You don't know anything about my family. You're nothing but a stupid little boy." With that she strode out of the room and slammed the door to his bedroom, ignoring his howls of protest.

Downstairs Eris paced the empty hallway, her heart conflicted. If the Edwans worked for the Celestulus, that meant she and Mother indirectly did too. They were helping the very beings who hurt Father and took Willet. But Mother was enjoying being a personal assistant to Mrs. Edwan; she didn't have to work so hard and long now. Even Father was beginning to shape up and had a job doing simple tasks in the stables. The only one who felt out of place and unhappy was Eris. The girl leaned against the wall, arms folded, her face drawn and dark with thought.

"Well. Someone looks mighty troubled."

Eris spun around to see a stranger standing adjacent to the hallway. He was tall, with kind of long, wavy dark hair. He was stunningly handsome.

He smiled, and Eris realized she was staring. "Hi."

He tilted his head, studying her. "Don't believe I know you, do I?"

"No. My parents just started working here."

"Ah." For a moment he cast a glance up the staircase with a vaguely irate expression. "What a surprise."

Eris couldn't take her eyes off him. Wow. His chiseled features could've rivaled a Celestulus. "Are you Mr. Edwan?"

He glanced over at her again, seemingly amused. "It's Sir Edwan, actually . . ." He walked over and crouched down to her level. "And what might your name be?"