The Dark God

Chapter 30: Callioneil - Permission

I sigh. I want to go on that school trip desperately. It's Russia! It's where my family is from! But it could also be really dangerous for me. My parents wouldn't know about it being dangerous and they would probably say yes to me going. But my grandmother? That's going to be the real challenge. I snag my phone off of the nightstand. I might as well tell her now. I punch in her number and wait. The phone barely rings twice before it is picked up and I can hear my grandmother's voice.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Babushka. It's Calli?"

I can almost hear her frown on the other side of the phone. "What's wrong, Calli? Your voice is wavering."

I curse inside my head. That's a bad giveaway. "The school gave out the permission slips for the annual bridge trip."

"Okay . . . but what's bothering you about that?"

"It's to Russia, Babushka. Russia!"

She sighs. "It's dangerous, Calli."

"I know, I know! But Babushka, I can be really careful. And I have the protections Kai gave me from Siera!"

My voice must have raised because my mother pokes her head into the room. "What's going on in here?"

"I'm talking to Babushka, Mom. Was I getting too loud?"

She smiles. "Just a bit. Tell her 'hi' for me, alright? And try to keep the noise down."

"Yes, Mom."

She withdraw from the room and my door clicks shut. "Mom says hi."

My grandmother sighs. "Calli, it won't be safe to go. There are more of them there."

"It's not safe here either, Gran. It's not safe anywhere. Not just because of the Bolsheviks. My roof could cave in and crush me. I could get hit by a car. I could die again for whatever reason. So please, let me go."

I can hear her sigh, she's caving in. "How much do you want to do this, Calli?"

"Really, really badly, Babushka. I've wanted to see Russia all my life. This is my chance, dangers or no."

"You want to go?"

I nod, then remember that she can't see it over the phone. "Yes, I do."

"Then I'm coming with you as a chaperone."

I frown. "Babushka . . ."

"Don't give me that look, Calli. I know you're doing it at the phone. I may be one hundred and seventeen years old, but I'm healthy. I can travel. You want to go desperately, and I miss my home. I haven't seen it since I left with Ivan, all those years ago. If you're going, I'm going. No questions."

I sigh. "Yes Babushka."

"Send me the chaperone slip when you get the chance, alright?"

"I will."

"Good. We'll talk later?"

I smile. "Of course, Babushka."

She ends the call. My fingers hover over Lina's name on my phone. I want to call her so badly, explain everything to her. And I can't, I have to keep the secret. And besides, I shouldn't tell her the parts I can now anyways. Knowing her, she'll need to blow off some steam before she can listen to any explanation from me. I'll have to wait to talk to her.
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Do you think anything will happen in Russia? Do you think Calli will be able to explain things to her friend? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.