The Summer Solstice

Chapter 12: Kassia

🌿 Kassia 🌿

    The past few days I've slept more than I ought to, even more than my narcolepsy makes me need to.

    Renwood is all to blame. He walks me through the cavernous halls of his home, strolls me in massive gardens, and shows me parts of the Isle that I could never imagine. The tiny grove around my home pales pitifully in comparison to the grandeur of the woodlands of the Faie.

    The forest we visit is always the same, one Renwood says is called Sever. It is always warm and humid, steam rolling off the vibrant verdant plants. Squirrels and funny little creatures Renwood calls gnomes peek from deep holes in the ground or from skeletal trunks.

    And despite seeing these things with my own eyes, half the time I still don't believe in such a place. Or Renwood's constant claims of my true heritage. But I can't peel myself away from the desire to sleep, to meet the Gentry Knight in my dreams.

    Even surrounded by Gwen and Ty I find myself drifting off to thoughts of the Faie.

    "How have you been, Kass? With your dad home?" Ty asks, looking up from his hand of cards splayed protectively against his chest. Gwen has a history of peeking.

    I shrug. "Miserable. He avoids me though, so it makes things easier."

    Gwen shoots a sympathetic look at Ty which I don't fail to notice. I don't want their pity, but it's probably better that they think my strange attitude lately is due to my dad's arrival rather than some creature invading my dreams and convincing me I'm not human.

    "He's leaving soon anyways, right?" Gwen asks, placing a card facedown, supposedly a ten.

    I look at my hand, trying to find a jack to play. "At the end of this week, yeah."

    "My offer still stands, you know. To come live with me," she says.

    Ty answers for me, putting down two cards as he does so."Gwen, cool it. She's said no a thousand times."

    She throws her ring-covered hands up. "I'm just trying to help!"

    Sensing an argument, I say, "It's nothing against you, Gwen. I just can't bear to leave my mom in an empty house. As much as I loathe the woman, she'll go crazy on her own."

    Or drink herself to death. But I don't say that.

    Gwen sighs. "Fine. You're too nice of a person in my opinion." Then she places down three cards, of all which are allegedly kings.

    "Bullshit," I call.

    "God, Kass, it was a compliment," Gwen starts.

    "Not that," I laugh. "Your bluff, stupid!" Then I turn over her three cards, only one of which is a king.

    "Damn it," she mutters. "That's the third time you've gotten me."

    I wink. "That's because I know you so well. You always bite the inside of your cheek when you lie."

    "It's true," Ty confirms. He stands up, blocking the sun in the process. Immediately the temperature drops, a nice reprieve from the heat on my skin. "Can we go to Lenny's? I'm starved."

    It's Tuesday afternoon, the only weekday I don't have work after school. We always play cards in the field next to the high school after the final bell lets out.

    "I never win this stupid game anyway," Gwen mutters. "Let's roll."

    We pack up the cards and pile into Gwen's car. The raggedy leather seat is blazing hot, making me wince.