Lost Girl

by Mary E. Twomey

  Roland glared up at Bastien. “You brought her here, knowing who she was. Tell me this plan of yours that gets me out of the Forgotten Forest. I would’ve stayed here forever, but now that Morgan’s spawn is here? I won’t make it another minute.”

  My lower lip started to tremble, but I would sooner cut off my own hand than cry in front of Roland. “Aunt Avril, could I have a minute in your room to unwind? Just need a second to collect myself.”

  Avril nodded, compassion and sadness in her eyes. “Of course, dear. My home is yours.”

  Roland snatched at my arm when I stood, punishing my bicep with his firm grip. “Oh, no you don’t. I’ll not leave Morgan le Fae’s daughter in a room alone to do any number of spells. Did she collect a sample of your hair, Aunt Avril?” He sneered down at me. “And you don’t call her that. This is Duchess Avril to you.”

  Maybe I was struck dumb when my cousin spat on my shoe, but no way was I going to let some dude with a temper put his hands on me. I shoved my fist into his gut, and then let loose a swift uppercut the second his grip on me went slack. It wasn’t meant to do any lasting damage; I just wanted to disorient him so he wouldn’t grab at me.

  Finally, Bastien came to life, jerking me away from Roland and standing between us, his hands outstretched and his eyes wide. “Enough! Rosie, go to the bedroom and lock the door. Roland, are you kidding me with this?”

  Roland was still bent over, holding his gut. “You try having your land taken by that witch and see how understanding you are. Leaving the spawn alone in a room? When did you get so careless, Bastien? A daughter of Morgan’s is lethal! With all the magic Morgan’s got in her? We’re housing a catastrophe waiting to happen with that girl under this roof. There’s no telling what she’s capable of destroying with all that magic flowing through her.”

  I ran into the windowless bedroom and locked the door behind me, my chest heaving. I fought with my confusion and hurt, trying my best to stuff it all down so I didn’t burst into tears. If Roland came charging through that door to throttle me, I couldn’t be an emotional wreck. I clenched my fists at my sides, scolding myself for hoping in a fairytale. Perfect families weren’t real, and as much as I wanted my new family to like me, I had Lane, and she was enough. I tapped my heart with a shaking finger, reminding myself in Lane’s voice that I know who I am. I wasn’t an evil witch, and I wasn’t someone who could be jerked around and spit on by some jaggoff who didn’t have a clue. I imagined Lane next to me, engulfing me in her hug to steady my nerves and remind me that I was her daughter, and that was enough to get me through any tough situation.

  I listened to the shouts filtering in from the main room. Roland’s voice rose above the others’, his angst mingling with his fury. “If you love me at all, brother, you’ll take that spawn to the woods and burn her right now!”

  Bastien’s reply was incredulous. “If I love you? If I love you? I spent a year tracking her down, fought Morgan’s soldiers just to find the Compass so I could come here and bring you home! If I love you? I brought you your ticket home on a silver platter, and you spit at it?”

  “I never asked you to come find me! I failed my people, Bastien. You’re responsible for you, so you have no idea what this feels like.”

  Bastien’s voice softened. “Morgan forced you to choose between leaving or dying.”

  “Then I chose wrong!” Roland roared, and then after a few beats, he quieted. “As much as I love you for coming to find me, it was a wasted effort. I cannot go back. I’m too ashamed I left in the first place.”

  A key jiggled in the door, and Avril let herself into the room where I was eavesdropping. Her lashes were wet, but she was composed when she spoke. “You’ll not listen to a word of this, child. Roland’s always been a bit emotional. This isn’t about you at all, so dismiss it from your mind. Are you alright? Did he hurt your arm?”

  “I’m fine.” I took a deep breath. “Duchess Avril, I promise you I’m not a witch. I can do that Compass thing and talk to animals, but it’s nothing evil. I don’t even know what Morgan looks like! Honest, I’m not working for her. I came here to help give Avalon back to its rulers.”

  “You may call me Aunt Avril, if you like. Pay no mind to Roland’s anger. He has much of it to spew at the world. You are not the first to catch his temper.” She paused and extended her hand to me. “I see you clearly.”

  I nodded, grateful she hadn’t come in here to attack. I took her hand and squeezed it, trusting her enough to let her feel my nerves.

  The shouts picked up outside the door, until a childish “Fine!” ended the feud temporarily. Aunt Avril shielded me with her arm, and opened the door to let us out. “Gentlemen, I trust there’s not going to be a problem anymore?” Roland didn’t answer, and neither did Bastien, who looked a mixture of hurt and livid. “Very well. We’ll sit at the table like a civilized family and discuss our options.”

  “She punched me,” Roland said like a petulant tattletale.

  “Put your hands on me again, and you’ll catch my right hook,” I retorted, taking my seat. I sorely missed my hoodie. Now seemed the perfect time for my magical disappearing act, where I sat in plain sight, but with a flip of my hood over my hair, I became invisible to jags who wanted to pick fights.

  “I’ll not fault a woman for fighting back when a man grabs at her,” Aunt Avril responded, sitting in her chair like a queen with her chin raised. “Conduct yourself like your mother’s son, Roland. Heloise would not tolerate such unfounded hatred. Do not exasperate me.” She cleared her throat and leveled her gaze at me. “So you’ve come to the Forgotten Forest. Tell us why.”

  I explained the whole bit about Master Kerdik for Roland’s benefit, and that we were going to take the gemstones to the provinces. Cheval promised to take us back, and that’s the name of that tune.

  Roland’s arms were crossed over his chest, a sneer on his face. “I suppose no one’s going to question that Morgan’s daughter wants to waltz in here and grab the stones Morgan’s been after for decades. No one thinks that’s odd? Of course she won’t go running to mummy dearest.”

  I didn’t bother defending myself. There wasn’t a thing I could say that he would believe anyway.

  Aunt Avril raised her finger. “If the Cheval Mallet will take me back, I’ll resume my post. I’ve not seen magic like yours in far too long.”

  “I wouldn’t be able to give you back your stone. Right now, I’m thinking Cheval’s only got Lane’s, Gliten’s and Heloise’s. But it’s better than nothing.”

  “What?” Roland shouted.

  Then I had to explain that Lane, Roland’s mother and his Aunt Gliten gave their jewels back, and they’d been somewhere in the Forgotten Forest this entire time. “So I don’t know where your jewel is, Aunt Avril. Maybe you can stay in Lane’s province for a while until you get back on your feet. I don’t really know how all of that works, but it’s worth a discussion when we take you back.”

  “Lane is well, then?”

  I nodded. “I can’t speak to the last few days, since we’ve been separated, but yeah. She’s doing great.” I mulled over how I could get my hands on Morgan’s other gemstones, but came up empty. I mean, short of storming her castle, I didn’t see how I could return them to the provinces. That’s a problem for another day. If we can get the three gems back, that’s a good start.

  Bastien relayed a little more of the plan, until the two were all caught up.

  “Wow. What could possibly go wrong?” Roland flatlined, begging for another punch to the gut.

  “You can stay here, then,” Aunt Avril replied, her delicate nose in the air. “This conversation doesn’t concern you, if you’re so bent on condemning an innocent girl.”

  “Innocent? Morgan’s daughter, innocent? Oh, Auntie. I almost feel sorry for you. I’m going with you, if only to make sure the little witch doesn’t kill you while your back is turned.”

  Great.

  Bastien looked wary at having Roland come with us, but was also
reticent to have traveled all this way only to leave him behind. Bastien let Roland spit on my shoe. He’d stood there while Roland grabbed my arm. He didn’t bother correcting him when Roland referred to me in any number of derogatory ways. Bastien was bold alright, just not around his buddies.

  I stood when Cheval called me from outside. I’d been trying to block out all the animals that were talking to each other excitedly about the Voix being in the Duchess’ home. Bastien was right behind me when I opened the door to literally hundreds of animals, who were all waiting to greet me – hopping, chittering and flying excitedly. Cheval dropped a pouch from his mouth into my hand, for which I kissed his maw. “Thank you,” I whispered to him, handing the gems to Bastien so I wasn’t seen as a thieving daughter of Morgan. “Can I take a minute to say hi, and then we get out of here?”

  Bastien spoke up at my side. “First, the Untouchable. Then we get out of here.” He looked warily down the lane to the others who were gaping at us. “It’s only a matter of time before they all put this together. If any of them feel the same way Roland does, we’re in trouble. So only a minute, Rosie. Then send the animals away.”

  Roland scoffed from inside. “No, she’s not a sorceress. That’s completely normal.”

  I nodded, my knees wobbling with nerves as I stepped forward. “Hey, guys. This is such a gorgeous forest. You all live here? Lucky ducks.”

  Too many of them answered at once. I don’t know if it’s just because I was shaken from Roland’s aggression, or if it was because I wasn’t used to hundreds of animals vying for my attention, but the whole thing was a little overwhelming. Usually animals put me at ease, but not this time. I could barely understand them, but tried to pick out a question at random to answer. “I’m not staying here, guys. I wish I could spend more time with all of you, but I only came for a little visit.” I dropped to my knees and scooped up a few bunnies, birds and a black cat, touching as many of them as I could. “I’m so sorry I can’t stay.”

  I nodded with my eyebrows in full-on concentration mode as I tried to listen to all of them, speaking whenever I was given a second to answer. When my minute was up, Bastien placed his hand on my shoulder. “We have to go. You’re causing a scene.”

  I stood solemnly, not bothering to look up at Bastien. “I’ve got to get going, guys. I’m real sorry. And you have to go back to your normal day. I think we’re freaking out the locals.” Animals always saw through my bravery to the heartbreak beneath, and they wouldn’t stop commenting on it. Most of them scattered, taking my polite request as a command, but I could still see them poking out from behind bushes, tracking me with their eyes.

  The birds didn’t listen. They started bringing me flowers, lacing them through my messy ponytail and smoothing back the flyaways that taunted my forehead and neck. They even teamed up and wound my ponytail into a ballerina’s bun, assuring me this style looked more regal. This amused Aunt Avril to no end, and turned Roland’s face purple.

  Bastien took a step back, still not immune to the occasional what-the-crap from my animal connection. “Uh, we should get going, then. Pack your stuff and we’re gone.”

  Packing their stuff took all of one minute, since they had only a sack each of things they’d acquired. I shoved Aunt Avril’s other dress into my backpack, and Bastien stuffed a change of clothes belonging to Roland into his.

  Cheval could sense how tired I was, and how weighted my soul felt, so he sat down on the ground to let me climb up on him. I was grateful for the offer, and clung to his neck to keep myself from letting the sadness take me over as he stood. Cheval swatted his tail against Bastien’s face, letting him know in no uncertain terms that he was not welcome to a free ride this time.

  Bastien offered Aunt Avril the spot behind me, but Roland wouldn’t hear of it. “I’ll not have my aunt on an animal the little witch can control. I’ll blink, and they’ll be gone.”

  I kept my eyes straight ahead and didn’t bother defending myself. Cheval kept up a steady stream of encouragement, and then asked me if I wanted him to give Roland a sturdy kick. I patted his neck and whispered, “No, thanks. But I appreciate you sticking up for me.”

  Bastien shook his head, rubbing the nape of his neck as we started walking past where the trail ended. Their feet and hooves trampled the lush, green grass that carpeted the woods. “Roland, you’ve got to stop this. Rosie’s not a witch. I’ve been traveling with her for a couple months now. We all knew about the birth blessings she got from Master Kerdik. That’s all this is.”

  “Whatever you need to tell yourself. You’ve got the gems, right? I don’t want her touching them. I mean it. I see them in her hands, I cut them off her body.”

  “Jeez, Roland. I’ve got the three, and Avril’s got hers.”

  “Good. I’ll want my mother’s peridot back once we get to my province. It’s safer with you for now, though. This way if she attacks you for them, we can hang her for putting her hands on an Untouchable.”

  I didn’t much care for being threatened, but I knew there was nothing I could say to defend myself that Roland would believe. Instead of making me bristle, his threats made me unbearably sad. An ache started in my chest, making me appreciate how wonderful a thing it was that Lane had taken a chance on me not turning out evil. She loved me, even though I was Morgan’s daughter. She never once looked at me like I was something to be afraid of, or that there was wickedness lurking inside of me. In fact, Lane knew all my crazy, yet still had the grace to call me her best friend. The ache grew, feeling like a hole gouged in my chest. There were people out there – family – who would cut off my hands, burn me in the woods, and do who knows what else to end my life after taking one look at me.

  And I was stuck on a journey with him.

  23

  Mad for the Brotherhood

  I was completely silent on the way through the woods, letting Cheval narrate as he showed me his favorite parts to escape to. When Bastien asked how much farther we had to go, I relayed Cheval’s reply. “The Untouchable doesn’t like to live near people. His hut is just up there on the other side of that hill.”

  Through the entire journey, the birds had taken turns flying overhead to drop flowers down on me. They could sense my despondency, and wanted to cheer me up.

  When one bird tucked a flower behind my ear and pranced on my shoulder, Roland let his temper fly loose. “Honestly! How can you not see that she’s a witch? She’s controlling the birds right now, and we’re going to trust her with the stones? We’re just going to believe that she’s not going to take them and run back to her precious mommy?”

  The bird on my shoulder flew at Roland, getting in his face and chirping sharply a few very vulgar things in my honor. “No, sweetheart,” I told the bird. “It’s alright. He can have his feelings. I don’t need you to do that. Roland’s allowed to be afraid.”

  Aunt Avril postured. “Be that as it may, he’s not allowed to mock you. Roland, behave yourself.”

  The bird flew back to perch on my shoulder, and nuzzled the underside of my chin.

  Bastien stalked on ahead to be the first to climb the hill, his head no doubt filled to the brim with upset over Roland hating me. I felt bad for the guy, and didn’t want to put him in a tight spot, which was why I wasn’t over the moon pissed at Bastien for not defending me when Roland put his hands on me. He’d made it perfectly clear he wasn’t my Guardien, and super way extra clear that he wasn’t my boyfriend. I didn’t get angry, but I saw things more clearly. I’d been naïve, thinking I could kiss an engaged man with a temper, and assume I’d get a fairytale ending.

  André René Roussimoff would never have been so stupid.

  We made it over the hill, my spine completely erect at being so near Roland, who was visibly seething on my left. My eyes fell on a hand-hewn hut in the woods, resting on its own mid-sized hill. Bastien was already knocking on the door, bellowing for his lost friend to come out.

  When the door didn’t open, I expected to have to wait around a
little. I was not expecting a man’s head to pop up from atop another hill a few stone’s throws away, and shout out Bastien’s name. Bastien turned toward the sound of the voice and put his hands up. “Don’t shoot them, Mad! They’re with me.”

  The dude ran down the hill toward Bastien. He was tall, muscular and broad-shouldered, like I would expect an Untouchable to be. He wore black pants tucked into his army boots, and a matching t-shirt. The bow and arrow over his shoulder were ominous, and I was glad Bastien had led the way.

  Bastien met his old friend in a bone-crushing hug of affection and relief, but I noticed the man only hugged him back with one hand. “What are you doing in this place, Mad? You should be back home with Link. What happened? I was only gone a year. How’d it get so bad you ended up here?”

  When Mad opened his mouth, a thick Irish brogue rolled off his tongue. “Meara died.” Before Bastien’s shock could give birth to a slew of horror, Madigan held up his hand to stop any questions. “It’s a long story, and not one for mixed company. What insanity brought ye here? Ye were always the man with too many plans. What happened tha ye gave up on seeing them through?”

  Bastien shook his head as the grief by proxy struck his face, though at Mad’s request, he tried to rein it in and stay in the conversation. “I came to get Roland and take him home. I didn’t know you were here, but now that I do? No way am I leaving you alone. Meara truly died?”

  Madigan nodded, but offered no further explanation.

  Bastien seemed to come to himself, posturing as he pushed aside his heartache and took charge. “You don’t want to be in the Forgotten Forest.”

  “No, I don’t. Not anymore. But tha’s not the way it works in this place. Ye make your decision, and ye live with it.”

  I noticed Mad had the same tattoo as Bastien cuffing his wrist. He also wore a matching neck tattoo. Bastien didn’t let go of Mad, but instead held on tighter. “Not today, brother. Today you come back with me.”