Jonathan Kane wasn’t even part human, and yet he was one of those rare changelings: not only a survivor, but one who was so indoctrinated into his human life that he believed the lie.
Maybe he was actually happy.
His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what I was thinking.
I took a deep breath, not sure what I was about to say until I opened my mouth.
“I made a mistake, man. Sorry about that—we’re out of here.” I nudged Ivy and began to back away.
“Bullshit,” he said, stating it calmly. “There’s something seriously whacked going on here and I want to know what it is. I always knew there was more going on in my life. Weird crap happens all the time, and mostly I just ignore it. But there’s—”
“No,” I said sharply, shaking my head and ignoring Ivy’s restraining hand on my arm. “Don’t even think about that. You need to get out there and do your thing. Get on with your life and forget this. Forget us. We’ve taken up enough of your time.”
“Are you sure?” Ivy said, trying to make me look at her.
But I only had eyes for my sort-of-twin. He didn’t know what he was, and maybe that was how this was meant to be. He’d taken my life, but it wasn’t like he’d had a choice in the matter.
Ivy’s words from last night came back to me: There are always choices.
Maybe not, I thought. Maybe not for him.
I licked my lips and took one last look in the mirror of the life that could have been, before turning away and heading for the nearest exit.
Jonathan called out after me. “What’s your name? Who are you?”
Pretending not to hear, I broke into a run and didn’t stop until the cool night air hit my face and I could breathe again.
Ivy shed a couple of dead leaves in distress and hopped from one foot to the other. I watched the traffic pass by as we stood on the street and contemplated walking home. Part of me wanted to be alone, but the other part was glad I had company. ‘Alone’ just meant more pain.
“Alexander,” she said. “What can I do?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head slowly, wondering what I was going to do now that my old life—my true life—really was over. “Not a damn thing.”
I looked up at the stars, winking at me like fool’s gold in the night sky.
I’d set out to find a lost boy, the changeling who was living a false existence in a skin not even his own. Instead, I’d discovered that only one of us was lost. Only one of us didn’t know where he fit or who he was supposed be.
Ivy slipped her hand into mine and swung on it like a child. “What will you do now?”
I shrugged, feeling the heavy weight on my chest ease just a little as I looked into her hopeful eyes. “I’ll find out soon enough.”
She smiled and nodded, apparently pleased with my answer.
Giving in to a sudden impulse I touched her face, allowing my chilled fingers to trace the warmth of her cheek. Whatever Ivy felt for me, I wasn’t sure I could ever return it no matter how much I might wish things were different. Sometimes, I let myself believe that I had yet to meet the girl who would really get me. A girl I could trust enough that I’d show her my scars, all of them, both inside and out.
But in that moment there was an indefinable something between us—me and Ivy, I mean—a bright spark of connection that I didn’t want to lose. Maybe because she’d shared this new scar with me. This sense of letting go.
“There are always choices, Alexander. Remember that.” Her voice was almost a whisper.
“Choices.” I thought of Jonathan Kane, living a lie that he fully believed. A happy lie that, when it came down to it, I couldn’t bring myself to reveal.
“Yeah,” I said. “I guess maybe there are.”
THE END
Karen Mahoney - [Iron Witch 00.5] Page 3
