A Double-Edged Sword

New Beginnings

Surprisingly, Jorany and Nicolai made no moves to pack up and leave the following morning. Partly relieved and partly annoyed, Lela avoided her brothers’ room like the plague. Staying as busy as possible in order to prevent Jorany from making conversation with her. Her plan worked for the entire morning and most of the afternoon.

“Lela?” Jorany asked, calling down the stairs that led to the cellar.

Lela froze, maybe if she was quiet he’d think that she had left already.

“Lela, I know you’re down there.”

So much for that plan. Maybe if she didn’t respond he would just go away.

She heard heavy footsteps on the stairs, the wood creaked in protest.

“Lela, please look at me.”

Sighing, Lela turned around, but she was still unable to meet Jorany’s gaze. She was embarrassed about how child like she had acted yesterday. Even if she had had more than ample reason to be angry with Nicolai.

“It isn’t that hard. Simply tilt your head up, open your eyes, and focus on my eyes.”

“That isn’t funny,” Lela replied, but she did finally meet his gaze.

“I talked to Nicolai.”

“About what?”

“You.”

“I’ll apologize if you want me to, but-“

“I didn’t come down her to force you to apologize,” Jorany interrupted.

“Then what did you come down here for?”

“I wanted to tell you that I talked to Nicolai and he’s sorry about the bet. He’s regretted it for a while. But you should talk to him about it,” Jorany suggested.

“He doesn’t want to talk to me,” Lela replied bitterly.

“How do you know? It’s not like you’ve tried talking to him.”

“I told you. He has no desire to talk to me. He was quite clear about that the day he found out.”

“And I told you that he was just upset,” Jorany retorted, “Please Lela, just talk to him. Without all of the accusations and yelling.”

“I’ll think about it.”

~

She put it off for two more days. Avoiding, Nicolai’s room, barely speaking to Jorany at meals. Eventually, the tension gathered to a point that she realized that she was just going to have to have the discussion that she was dreading. She didn’t know why it mattered so much to her, what Nicolai thought, but somehow it did.

She knocked cautiously on the door.

“Jorany, you don’t have to keep knocking every time. It’s not like I’m doing anything,” Nicolai’s irritated voice answered.

“It’s not Jorany,” Lela replied.

“What?”

“It’s not Jorany,” Lela raised her voice enough, that this time Nicolai could hear her through the door.

“Just come in.”

Lela hesitantly pushed the door open and stepped into the bedroom. Nicolai was sitting up in the bed, with a map spread out across his lap. His legs were underneath the blankets, and his expression morphed into a blank mask as he recognized who it was that was standing in the door frame.

“Lela.” He stated.

Lela took another step forward, gently closing the door behind her. Then, before she could lose her courage, she blurted out the words, “I wanted to apologize for taking Sky out the other day. I know it wasn’t my place. And I’m sorry that I had to deceive you in order to save my family.”