Chapter 22
Nora and Afet were shown to the spare guest bedroom upstairs by Birdie as the rest of the family stayed downstairs to "talk." Concerned and a bit nervous, Nora's eyes flickered to Hayden many times as she helped Afet up, but Hayden didn't catch her gaze.
"Do you guys need anything?" Birdie asked as Nora spread the covers over Afet.
"No, thank you, Birdie."
"Okay," Birdie sighed. "I'll let you rest then. We can talk later."
Nora nodded, "Okay."
"Call me if you do need anything," Birdie paused, really not wanting to leave. "Or Hayden."
"I will," Nora smiled.
"Are the pillows okay?" Birdie pointed. "Do you need more blankets? Or maybe not. You're probably staying with Hayden."
"I'm not sure," Nora said, tummy feeling funny.
"Well if you need an extra pillow, I'm right next door."
"Birdie," Afet lifted her head.
"Yeah?"
"Would you like to come sit with us for a while?"
Nora couldn't help but notice the way Birdie's eyes lit up, "I don't know....Baba said I had to be downstairs."
"You can stay for a bit," Afet patted the spot beside her.
"Okay," Birdie smiled. "A little bit."
Nora stepped aside as Birdie walked towards the bed and took a seat. She stared at Afet with her eyes bright and her cheeks rosy. A playful smile was displayed on her lips as she tried to contain her excitement.
"Incredible," Afet said, taking a lock of Birdie's silver hair. "You look just like a high blood. But you're a jinn."
"Why don't you look like me?" Birdie asked. "Did all the high bloods look like me?"
"I do not have high blood or noble blood," Afet said. "I'm a common fey. My magic comes from the Shajara."
"Have you ever met a high blood?"
"No," Afet shook her head. "They vanished long before I was born."
"Where did they go?" Birdie asked.
"No one knows," Afet said. "But once they left, the jinns started to slowly weed us out."
"How did you survive?"
"Some of us retreated to our island," Afet said. "The elders said the pull to Makatza was the strongest there....so that's where we settled. They used their combined magic to cast an invisibility shield around the place."
"That's how you were able to stay undetected for so long," Birdie said. "And Makatza....I've heard that word before...or I think I've read it somewhere."
"The untamed, the wild," Afet spoke the words slowly. "Our real home."
"So it's a real place," Birdie was fascinated. "I just thought my mom was telling me stories."
"It's very real," Afet nodded.
"Have you ever been there?"
"No," Afet shook her head. "It's only open to high blood."
"Why?" Birdie frowned.
"Because they are divine beings."
"Sounds more like a class system," Birdie said with disapproval. "My mother's been to Makatza."
