Splendid Fall

Ch. 11 The Eel and The Cave

"Here," the woman handed Birdie a piece of hard candy that looked like a shiny pebble. "It's lemon and honey. For your throat."

Birdie stared at the candy for a while before lifting her lashes at the smiling woman.

"I'm Mina," the woman said. "I take care of Jasmeen. And now that you're here, I'll be looking after you too."

"You...." Birdie's eyes fell on the woman's brass cuffs. "You're a jinn."

"Mhm," Mina nodded. "And so is Jasmeen."

"But what are you?" Jasmeen turned. "I heard people saying you're a jinn."

"I am," Birdie said.

"Then why do you look like that?"

The energy to explain her appearance just did not exist in Birdie. She shrugged her shoulders and quietly placed the honey lemon candy in her mouth.

"Where am I?" She asked once more, looking at Mina.

"How much do you remember?" Mina frowned. "Do you remember the auction?"

Birdie's skin crawled and her tummy tightened. She nodded her head and swallowed the honey that had started to melt in her mouth.

"King Darrian bought you from the collector," Jasmeen said. "For Tamzin."

"Who's Tamzin?" Birdie asked, moving the sweet honey drop around in her mouth.

"Darrian's nephew and step son," Jasmeen sighed, lifting off the edge of the balcony she had been sitting on.

"You are his birthday present," Mina announced. "He asked for you himself."

"What?" Birdie choked as the honey drop tried to slide down her throat. "I'm not an object he can ask for as a birthday present."

Jasmeen snorted as she plopped down on the narrow bed and leaned back on her elbows.

"Behind Xaiba's walls, you're whatever they want you to be," she said.

Mina nodded, "Be grateful he didn't pick you to be his target practice."

"Very true," Jasmeen nodded along. "Your head would be hanging in the yard by noon."

Flinching, Birdie moved her eyes between the women. She gripped the sheets until her knuckles turned red and her insides felt queasy.

"What...what did he pick me to be?" Birdie dared to ask.

Mina looked at Jasmeen as the girl burst into laughter. The old woman's face pinched with annoyance as she tugged on Jasmeen's long hair and scolded her.

"Let her talk, Mina," Jasmeen said. "I want to know what she thinks she's here for."

Mina bit back the protest as Jasmeen turned to Birdie and placed her wrists under her chin.

"Go on," the girl said. "Why do you think you're here, bird head?"

Birdie's eyes snapped up at the mention of the name. Her heart contracted as she thought about the way Hayden used to tease her around the house calling her bird head. But god forbid anyone at school ever dared to call her that. Hayden's fists would be meeting their face in the very next second.

A dark heavy weight fell over Birdie's heart as her eyes began to water from the hollowness in her chest. She ached for her family and regretted every moment she had spent away from them when she was with them.

"See," Jasmeen teased, seeing the tears in Birdie's eyes. "You know why you're here."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Mina snapped, swatting at the girl.