The Incorruptible Bond

Chapter 25

Aurora's fake mother's forgiveness levels seemed to have bottomed out when Aurora returned home that afternoon. She had been late. Charlotte wasn't the type to accept tardiness. The twin promised her only activity after school was homework, but she knew this time she would not be getting off the hook.

Not after using the same excuse the day before.

Once again, Aurora found herself in her room, despising yet also praising the locked door that separated her from the rest of the house. And Charlotte. The woman had just forced Auri to clean the entire house, floor to ceiling, under the strictest of supervision. Aurora managed to keep herself from wincing every time she felt the toe of Charlotte's boot dig into one of her limbs.

I just paused for a second! she thought bitterly. But she never voiced this opinion. It would make her punishment worse.

The house was relatively clean to begin with, so she managed to complete the entire task in about two hours. Aurora collapsed onto her bed just before her legs gave out on her. She was utterly exhausted. Her entire body ached, numerous bruises had already started forming, and to top it all off her head felt like it was splitting in two.

So when Phoenix and Ember came frantically knocking on her window, she was not a bit pleased to see them.

"What?" The white haired girl hissed quietly. This was not the same circumstance as all of Aurora's other secret meetings with her sister. This one was taking place in broad daylight. If they weren't careful, Charlotte would stumble upon them.

Game over.

Phoenix was impatiently bouncing on the balls of his feet. "We discovered something, but it can't be said out here."

Auri sighed before waving both teenagers into her room. Ember seemed to be in a state of awe as she surveyed the pristine neatness of her surroundings. Aurora assumed Em's house was as chaotic as she was and had never seen that level of clean in her entire life. Phoenix, however, took a more... informal approach. The second his feet touched the floor he was heading to Aurora's bed. He flopped onto it with a Mmph!

Phoenix tried to speak, but the only thing she heard was incoherent murmurs. He seemed to realize this, for when he flipped onto his back he said, "Wow, snowflake! I think I know why you stay home so much. This bed is the most comfortable I've ever laid on!" Having said his part he proceeded to close his eyes and seemed to fall asleep.

Aurora shook her head in annoyance and muttered, "Males. Never reliable." Then she faced her twin. Ember was exploring Auri's desk at that moment and was about to grasp the jewelry box when her hand was smacked away.

"I thought you snuck into my house to inform me of recent events, not disorganize my personal items." Aurora's blue eyes glinted in anger. The other girl retreated, hands raised. Aurora heard her mumble something sounding suspiciously like, "Sorry, I didn't know we were in the Cave of Wonders." She paused a fraction of a second to wonder what this 'cave' was, but ultimately pushed it out of her mind.

"It was after school and Phoenix was coming home with me because of- we just wanted- he had to-" Ember started, tripping over her words. "Ugh! Never mind. Bottom line: he came over and overheard my 'dad' saying something."

A slight sigh came from Aurora. She fixed Ember with a look. "You came a all the way over here to tell me your 'father' is capable of speech?"

"What? No!"

"That's what you just said, is it not?"

"No!" Em paused. "Well, technically yes, but-"

Phoenix, having been awake the entire time, stepped between the two. "Ladies, ladies. Let's not get loud. You-know-who's still inside the house."

"Yeah," Ember said, leaning back in the desk chair. "The Wicked Witch of the West."

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of Voldemort."

"What?" Asked Aurora. She was becoming very confused and the room dropped a few degrees. "Mother does not posses magical aptitude, nor do we live in the west. And what kind of mold grows on warts?"

Now all three were confused. They stared at each other for a moment, silent, until Phoenix gave a short chuckle. "I forgot. She hasn't seen any movies, probably for her whole life, so she has no idea what we're talking about." Ember's laughter joined the white haired boy's.

Aurora felt the familiar frozen feeling in her stomach travel down to her feet as the amount of annoyance in her grew. The ground around began to freeze. "Yes," she began. "Lengthen the amount of time you're here. Perhaps by the time you finally tell me what you came here for, my 'mother' will come in and find us."

After straightening up, Phoenix began talking in a deeper voice, mimicking Richard. "'You know they are the only ones that hold the key to reuniting us. We've sensed it! Who else could have such powers?' That is what I heard Richard say on the phone. He must have been talking to Charlotte about you two."

Ember put her elbow on her leg and her chin in her hand. "And that means?"

The twin sighed yet again. "It means Phoenix was right. Pitch does need us to put him back together. There's no one else with powers around here, so we are the only option."

"But the question arises yet again: how are we supposed to do that? Our powers aren't exactly the mending sort, if you know what I mean."

The three lapsed into silence. A few minutes had passed when Phoenix put his head in his hands and took a deep, shuddering breath. He scrubbed his face with open palms before meeting both of the twin's questioning eyes.

"Guys...I uh, haven't been honest with you about something. It's kind of hard for me to tell, because the only other people who knew are dead." Phoenix paused there, swallowing hard. "I-"

Sudden footsteps could be heard from the opposite side of the house, gradually getting closer.

"Charlotte," Ember whispered.

Aurora sprung into action, immediately pulling the others to the window.

Phoenix glanced back at the door as Ember exited. "What happens if...?"

"Bad things," the white haired girl whispered, glancing at the bruising on her arms. Phoenix unconsciously rubbed a thick white scar that ran from his wrist to his elbow. He lingered a moment longer, staring worriedly into Aurora's eyes, but still left.

They all do, Aurora, she thought to herself as she watched him disappear around the side of the house. Ember would be waiting. They all leave you.

Her mind barely had time to wonder what the caused Phoenix's scar before she faced Charlotte.