Installment 44

I turned to Janet, talking quietly, although Gwendolyn could hear perfectly well, I knew, "When were you going to tell me this?"
"I was coming to tell you. You didn't give me a chance."
"What the fuck, Janet?"
"Fi, you didn't give me a chance! You dragged me off into the maze and..." she glanced at Gwendolyn and her word grew slower and more deliberate, "It didn't seem the right time."
I turned back to Gwendolyn, "What fucking right does Arianwen have to say that we can't leave?"
Gwendolyn smiled, "She's in charge. We do as she says."
"Why?"
She continued smiling, but it started to look forced.
"I mean, who is she to you? She's not your daughter."
Her smile faded and her eyes widened. I thought for a moment she was going to hit me. Janet seemed to think the same and started to take a step between us, but Gwendolyn stood down and walked away in a hurry.
"Why did you say that?" Janet asked me.
"Well, she's not! How can she be?"
"Of course she's not, but Gwendolyn believes she is."
"But..."
"Arianwen is powerful, love. Really powerful. Gwendolyn has probably already forgotten any suggestion that she's not her daughter."

“Brin knows.”

“What?”

“Brin knows she's not his sister. He told me.”

Janet looked past me, into the distance, like she'd just had a thought, “Well, now, isn't that interesting?”

I watched her face for a little while, trying to work out what she was thinking. Her eyes shifted back to meet my gaze.

“Sarcy bitch,” I said.

She smiled, but it looked forced.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing. It's nothing.”

I gave her a look of disbelief.

Her smile faded, “I'm not sure. Maybe nothing. C'mon, let's go inside and see if we can find you something to eat. I'll send Gwendolyn into town if not.”

She walked off and I followed her, shaking my head and laughing slightly, “Fucking rabbits!”



We walked back into the castle and were greeted by Harry.

“What d'you eat?” she asked me.

“Um... most things,” I told her, “Just not meat.”

She thought about this for a while, then ran off. A few minutes later, she returned with an apple and handed it to me. I smiled and took it from her, taking a bite. It was good, just the right mixture of sweet and tart. I told her so, and her face broke into a grin and she almost skipped off.

“What was that about?” Janet asked me.

“She brought me an apple.”

“Why?”

“I dunno. Because I was hungry, I guess.”

“Weird.”

“Why weird? She's a nice kid.”

Janet shrugged, “I guess.”

I couldn't understand why she was so suspicious, but decided to just let it go. There was way too much shit going on already. I didn't want to fall out with Janet too.

I glanced around and, when I was sure we were alone, said, “What are we going to do, Janet? They'll be coming for us still.”

“Not us,” she whispered, “The pendant.”

I could feel tears starting to form in my eyes, and looked up to try to make them go away, “The pendant and everyone within striking distance.”
She nodded slowly, looking thoughtful, "So I guess we need to get out of striking distance."
"How?"
She shook her head, biting her lip and rubbing her eyes, "I'll think of something."