Stolen Scales

Chapter 41

For the first time since she has arrived, Kyma's mother wakes her up. Kyma grumbles at her and turns over onto her side, pulling the blanket over her head. The blanket is ripped away, and she curls her legs into her chest. There is a stifled laugh from above her, and the curtain blocking the window is rolled up, bathing Kyma's face in a beam of bright golden sunlight. She squishes her face against the bed, expecting the pillow to be ripped away next. Miraculously, Kyma actually manages to fall back asleep. That is, until she feels something move across her collarbone, rubbing gently. The sensation jolts her awake, and her eyes open to light above her. She hisses at it and squints, trying to let her eyes adjust to the bright sunshine. Once they do, Kyma finds herself looking at her mother. She frowns, and opens her mouth to speak.

"Why'd you wake me up?"

Lahira smiles. "I woke you up because your lesson is starting soon, and I assumed that you would like food before you go gallivanting off."

Kyma groans. "It's too early to say gallivanting."

Lahira laughs brightly. "I've been up for a while. You're the one who just woke up."

Kyma frowns again. "Speaking of that, how in the world did you wake me up?"

"By running my knuckles over your collarbone and applying pressure."

Kyma gapes at her. "How was that so effective?"

"It stimulates some of your nerves, and those signals are sent right to your brain, waking you up." Kyma sighs, and her stomach growls at the same moment. Lahira laughs again, and her smile grows wider. "Hungry?"

Kyma nods, grinning now. "I'm ravenous. I could eat a horse."

Lahira laughs again, and taps Kyma in the nose. "Well, there will be no eating of kelpies here. You can eat a plate of fruit and Dulce instead."

Kyma's ears perk up. "What kind of fruit?"

"Starfruit. I have something special for you, too."

Her eyes widen, and she dashed to the kitchen, sitting down upon the stone bench and presenting her mother an image of patience. Lahira laughs brightly at Kyma's antics, and steps her way over to the cabinets. She opens one and reaches her hand inside to pull out two plates. Kyma looks down at her plate expecting something new, but is dismayed to find only Dulce and slices of starfruit. Nevertheless, she nibbles in her food and busies herself with wondering how the bacon-like flavor of Dulce pairs so well with the sweetness of the starfruit.

Her mother stands up from the bench beside her, and Kyma's eyes follow her over to the cabinet once more. She returns from it carrying two bowls. She sets one in front of Kyma, who frowns in confusion at the pinkish porridge inside the bowl. There are a few round objects floating in the porridge, and she scoops one out to realize that it is limoncello. Kyma takes a hesitant bite of the pink porridge, and discovers that is it mashed up guanábana fruit mixed with some nuts and some Irish moss.

It's a curious taste, but one that Kyma finds she doesn't mind. In fact, she very much likes it. She eats the rest of the guanábana porridge at a speedy rate, and leans back against the bench with a sigh once she has scraped every last morsel out of the bowl. She lays a hand on her stomach, completely stuffed full of food, feeling like she had eaten a bowl of oatmeal bigger than her head.

"Kyma, don't go into a food coma!"

Kyma giggles at her mother's remark. "I'm sorry, I'm just stuffed so full that I think I'll roll if I get up!"

"Well, then I won't give you so much next time, I don't want you to be so full of food that you can't move." Lahira glances out the window. "As it is, you have a few minutes to digest your food  before you have to get to your lesson."

Kyma nods and tilts her head back, closing her eyes. She has barely sat there for a minute before her mother taps her on the shoulder, her face unapologetic.

"It's time to go, Kyma."

"I know, I know."

Kyma stands up from the bench with a barely audible groan before following her mother to the door. Before she can walk outside, she remembers something. She dashed back to her room and grabs her bag, slinging it over one shoulder as she hurries back to her mother, who is still waiting at the door. They step outside of the house, and Lahira nods at the the guards standing outside of the house. They peel off of the door and follow the pair down the street. Lahira finally stops in front of a building in the center of the city, a few streets away from their house. The building is a dark gray and is slightly larger than the houses.

"This is where I leave you, Kyma."

"Where do I go?"

"You have a private lesson, so you should be in one of the smaller rooms. Lyss can lead you to it if need be."

She turns and walks away to the hill where the land entrance to the throne room lies, leaving Kyma to stand in front of the building with Lyss beside her.
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Thank you CrystalScherer for your advice on how to wake people up! This isn't how I expected to use it, but . . . *shrugs*

What did you guys think of this chapter? I know, it's yet another meal, and you guys are probably getting tired of them. What do you think is going to happen at Kyma's lesson? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading, and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.