by H. E. Barnes
Orla stopped in front of her house. Red and blue sirens lit up their street. “Uh oh,” she whispered.
“Maybe I should go?” Aviva asked, uncertain in the array of lights.
“No, come on,” she said pulling Aviva behind her. They walked into Orla’s house, passed a storm of cops and to Orla’s parents sitting on the couch. Her mom had tears streaming down her face.
“Orla,” her mom called jumping up from the couch and hugging Orla hard. “Where have you been?” she asked, holding Orla out at arms’ length.
“We were just at Idalia’s,” Orla shrugged sheepishly.
“It’s been two days,” her mom yelled. “You should’ve called.” Her mom pulled her in for another hug. “I was so worried,” she cried grabbing Aviva and hugging them together.
“I’m sorry, mom,” Orla said wrapping her arms around her mom and Aviva. “It won’t happen again.”
“Of course it won’t,” she said wiping tears from her face. “You’re grounded. Now go to your room.”
Orla bowed her head and walked towards her bedroom. The cops filed out of her house, leaving her parents and Aviva in the living room. “Come on, Aviva,” Orla said motioning for Aviva to follow her. But Orla’s mother held her back.
Orla’s mother looked over Aviva. “What happened to your arm?” she asked holding Aviva carefully away.
“I, uh, fell,” Aviva said, her voice low. She didn’t meet Orla’s mother’s eyes.
“I have some bad news, honey, but the cops had to call your parents. You have to go home,” Orla’s mother said.
“What? No, mom, she can’t go home,” Orla said stomping back into the living room.
“It’s not our choice. It’s the law.”
“But, mom,” Orla started.
A cop came up behind Aviva. “Are you ready to go home?” the cop asked. Aviva looked at Orla, sadness filling her. She didn’t want to leave. Didn’t want to see Kathy and Ted.
“I’ll be fine,” she whispered to Orla with a small wave. The cop led her out of the house.
“Mom,” Orla said looking up at her mother.
“I know, honey. I know,” she said wrapping an arm around Orla. Her father hugged the pair of them, and they watched the cop drive Aviva away.
Eira sat alone in the empty and abandoned house. She held her necklace in the palms of her hand, squeezing and squeezing. “Take me to Season,” she said over and over again.
No matter how or what she tried, the necklace wouldn’t open the portal. She was stuck.
She threw the necklace across the room and crossed her arms over her chest. She huffed out a huge irritated breath.
She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She dreamed of Conformity Castle and Season. Wishing she could go back and stay forever.
The sun rose the next day, Thanksgiving Day. The Daughters of Season were surrounded by family and friends. But they couldn’t shake the feeling of not belonging to that world anymore. And they knew, soon enough, they would be called back to Season to fight through another Trial. But for now, they tried to enjoy their ordinary lives.
To be continued…
Author’s Note
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About the Author
H. E. Barnes grew up in a small Southeast Texas town with her large family. She writes fantasy to get away from her mundane life as a stay-at-home mom to two wonderful children (when they give her a chance to write, that is.)
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my cover designer, Nessy Zanahoria, for designing such a wonderful cover for my novel. Also, I want to thank my editor, Melina Wedin at Healthy Writer’s Life, for making my book so much better. Without them, The Ebb of Winter wouldn’t be the same.
