The Seelie Curse

Chapter 53

Rowan folds her hands together for a moment, wincing as her eyes widen. This will not be good. She shifts on her feet.

"Umm, I burned myself?" It's kind of true, but not really.

"When?"

"It doesn't matter, Mum. It's healed."

Arwen glares at Rowan for a moment, scrutinizing her. Rowan doesn't back down. She's not going to tell her mother when she got injured. Not only will her mother not believe her about how old the burn scar is, telling her mother about what caused it could be dangerous. The Seelie Lord is gone now, but Ciorsdan isn't. Besides, if her mother doesn't believe in the fae, in the Aos Sí, then she has an extra layer of protection.

It would be better if her mother actually obliged Rowan and her grandmother and just wore red, or her clothes inside out, or even just carried an iron nail or salt. But this is better than nothing. Rowan shakes her head, pulling herself out of her thoughts. She must have only been distracted for half a second, her mother is still frowning at her, trying to figure out what to say next. Arwen sighs.

"What happened then? What caused that burn?"

"Umm, I touched something that I didn't realize was hot?"

Arwen raises an eyebrow. "Let me see." Rowan hesitates, squeezing her palm clenched. "Rowan."

Rowan sighs and extends her hand to her mother with her fingers still curled in tight. Arwen's eyebrow lifts higher but she doesn't say anything, she just forcefully uncurls Rowan's fingers to reveal her palm. With one of her fingers, Arwen prods the burn scar, feeling the rippled skin. Rowan shifts, trying to pull away from the ticklish sensation. But her mother grips Rowan's wrist to keep her from moving, still examining the scar. She releases her hold at last, still frowning.

"How in the world did you get a second degree burn without realizing that you were touching something that was going to do that?"

Rowan flushes, muttering, "It's not my fault."

She pushes past her mother and into the house. Arwen twists around and grabs Rowan's arm.

"Tell me!"

Rowan yanks out of her mother's grip and darts the short distance down the hallway to her room. She shuts the door behind her and after a moment, locks it. She doesn't want to keep talking about this anytime soon, her brain is too full to think. She just needs a break. She throws the window open and leans out into the darkening world, breathing in the cool air. The wind whistles as it passes through the trees on the forest's edge.

As it passes the house, she can feel it toss her hair with a strong gust. Rowan sighs and pulls away from the window, taking a seat at the desk. She drops her head into her hands and closes her eyes, listening to the world outside her room. There is a rattle from her door and she jerks, startled. A knock follows a heartbeat after the rattle, the person on the other side having realized that the door is locked.

"Rowan? Will you let me in?"

Rowan sighs at her grandmother's voice. She doesn't have the energy for this right now. She starts to lower her head again but her grandmother raps on the door once more, her voice growing louder.

"Open the door, Rowan."

Grumbling to herself, Rowan walks over to the door and unlocks it, pulling it open. "What is it, Gran?"

"We need to talk."

"About?"

"Your friends, what you were talking to your mother about a moment ago, the Seelie Lord, and that prophecy." Aisling spits out the last word.

Rowan sighs and flops back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "What do you want to know?"

"What do you want to start with?"

Rowan groans. "Nothing? I'm tired. I just want to sleep."

"You're not going to sleep until I get some answers, Ro."

Rowan mumbles something rude beneath her breath, but her grandmother chooses not to hear it. "Fine. What first?"

"The simplest thing. Your scar?" Rowan makes a choking sound. Her grandmother frowns at her. "What is it, Rowan?"

Rowan wraps her arms around herself, flushing. "That may not be the simplest thing?"

"Really? Did you lie to your mother?"

Rowan quickly shakes her head. "No, of course not! I just . . . didn't tell her everything?"

"And why not?"

Rowan bites her lip, wincing. "It has to do with the faeries?"

"Was it the Seelie Lord? Did he hurt you? When did this happen? Why did you hide it?"
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Truth will out! Will Rowan tell her grandmother? How will Aisling react? What do you think is going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you after NaNoWriMo!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.