All That Falls

31 A True Gem

Lark had extricated himself from me with what appeared to have been a monumental effort. He ran a hand through his still-drying hair as he paced away from his aunt, clearly unwilling to look at her while still in such a state. She watched him with something like amusement. If Gemini Morningstar ever allowed herself to be amused. He took a deep breath and then another, flexing his fingers and clenching them into fists. I bit my lip to keep from snickering at his behavior. Of course, I was disappointed at the sudden appearance of a chaperone as well but his reaction was borderline ludicrous.

"What are you doing here, Aunt Gem?" He asked, still not looking at her.

"You didn't think I'd recognize my own niece when she popped up in the middle of the street and snatched away my pupil?" Gemini chided, shaking her head so that her wild locks shifted back and forth on her shoulders. "I'm old, boy, not blind."

"We've been gone for days."

"I had other matters to attend to. Your father, for one. It was fairly difficult to convince him the Court of Friends hadn't stolen away his most prized hostage while keeping who it really was a secret. But I imagine you didn't think about that when you conspired to help her escape, did you?"

To his credit, Lark looked properly scolded at that. He blinked at her for a moment before allowing a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Aunt," he told her. "We meant to send word, but became a little preoccupied."

"Oh, I can see that," she rebuked, nodding her head toward where we had been standing, entwined, when she'd appeared. "Is this tea?"

She was reaching for my cup. I nodded and so she lifted it and took a sip.

"I hate traveling," she said. "Always leaves me parched. Now, what's all this? I thought you'd be halfway back to Ariadne by now, girl."

"I told her the truth, Aunt Gem," Lark said, his gaze narrowing.

"Which is?" She asked, brow raised.

"The same as I told it the first time."

"Ah, the truth then."

"You knew?" I asked, lips parting in surprise as I stared at the woman sipping my tea.

"Who do you think helped him get into the Court of Peace and Pride?" She asked. "My name still carries some weight in the royal circles, you know."

At my confused glance, Lark explained.

"Aunt Gem told Ariadne she was coming for a visit. Your mother likes to fancy herself friends with my aunt but the feelings are not mutual, you see. So she packed us all in her trunks and set off. The Court of Peace and Pride doesn't allow shadow stepping in their lands, probably out of jealousy that they can't do it themselves, so we had to travel the old-fashioned way. Three days locked in a trunk with Pollux, avoiding using any magic so that they wouldn't know we were within their borders. Once she was settled in her rooms, we set off on our mission and all hell broke loose."

"We didn't stay much longer after that," Gemini recalled, still sipping my tea.

"You helped?" I asked, staring at her as if seeing her for the first time. "You helped save me all those years ago and you didn't tell me?"

"I couldn't," she replied with a shrug as though it was obvious. "Ursa never left us alone once throughout the duration of our one and only meeting and my dear brother never knew I was involved. He exiled and then executed his own son for the crimes he committed that day. What do you think he might do to his sister?"

She raised a brow and I fell silent in realization.

"Thank you," I told her because I didn't know what else to say.