Trifecta

Chapter Six: In Which I Freak Out

Me. I was the only thing the two instances of unexplained happening had in common.

But I couldn't be doing it. I didn't have magic. I had a shawl that could apparently make little boys fly, but I didn't have magic.

But it didn't make him fly, the annoying voice in my head reasoned. Not at first anyway.

Well what came right before Perié had wooped and cheered that he was right?

I wished for it.

I had wished for it to happen, just so he would survive, and it did.

I had been mad at Mama and Papa for spoiling Perié and punishing me, and that anger had made the glass explode.

No! There had to be another explanation!

Oh really? The annoying voice in my head said annoyingly. And what would that be?

I....I dunno....

Exactly.

I huffed and threw my head back. I was arguing with myself, and I was loosing.

Which was stupid.

I'll just, forget it all. Pretend none of it ever happened. That should be easy, Mama and Papa didn't believe Perié's flying story anyway, and he had a short attention span as it was.

I looked and the ruby in my hand and frowned. Somehow I knew I couldn't get rid of it. Or the shawl. I wore the shawl all the time, people would start to ask questions if I suddenly stopped. As for the ruby, what if someone else found it? If it was magic, it shouldn't fall into the wrong hands.

I tucked it back into my pocket. There. It wouldn't do any harm to anyone there. Out of sight, out of mind.

I slept rather uneasily that night, and it didn't help that I was woken when Papa and Perié came in arguing that the latter needed to get to bed.

"Avaká!"

I jumped, falling out of bed. I hit the floor with a very uncomfortable thump.

"Ugh...." I groaned, sitting up to see the source of the shout. "Perié!" I exclaimed. "What was that for?!"

"Mama says that you have to get up. You're under punishment because you didn't hang the washing on the line." he said innocently.

Dragons and dungeons, he was right. I'd never put the washing up, and now I'd probably have to wash it again.

I huffed and flopped back on my pillow, which had toppled over with me. Why must it be?

Yank! Thud.

"Ow!" My head hit the dirt ground. I sat up to glare at my brother, who only whacked me with my pillow.

"Better get up!" he tossed the pillow onto the bed and ran, angling his arms like a bird as he went.

I rolled my eyes. This was my life, Scout. More a servant that you didn't have to pay than a daughter.

But what was there to change?

I got up and dusted myself off, pulling on my shoes before I headed out into the kitchen for my daily orders.

As it turned out, did need to be done again. Mama was mad that I had only hung up my shawl, even though I knew I hadn't hung a single stitch.

But there was my turquoise shawl, blowing in the wind and smelling line fresh.

I tried to ignore the fact that I knew I hadn't put it there as I wound it around my neck. Somehow the familiar feel of the soft fabric was still comforting.