Chapter 13: Formality
THEY SAT ON THE BEDS they had woken up on, backs facing each other. Both had washed up already - Calida had gone first - and had not spoken a word since they found that the door was locked. Amber stretched her legs out in front of her and pressed her head to her knees. She debated knocking the door down to get out of the stifling tension, but the Athenaeum was safe and offending their hosts sounded bad.
"Why?" Calida asked – the question that had always been coming. Both didn't turn. "Why did you tell everyone?"
"I thought you didn't want to talk to the Demon?" she said. Should I tell her? Is it a secret worth keeping?
"If you say anything like that again," Calida took a deep breath, "I will set fire to the bed."
"Okay," Amber agreed. "I used you, that was it."
The girl's coffee-colored skin started to glow from the inside. There could have been steam coming from her ears, she really wasn't sure. "You ruined my life, just to use me? For what? I never did anything to you. I had friends and I made sure they didn't bully people like you and—”
"Exactly," Amber interrupted. "You had friends, you were popular, and you had influence.”
“What? You were jealous?” Calida flipped her hair.
“No,” Amber answered, her tone even, “I just needed someone like that. I almost killed my neighbor’s dog four years ago. Did you ever wonder why Emily’s garden was always so trashed? I was dangerous. I still am.”
Calida’s eyes widened. “You mean…?”
Amber allowed the corners of her lips to tilt up. “Let’s just say I blackmailed you into blackmailing me.”
“How admirable,” Calida said. “But nobility doesn't cut it.” Amber didn't answer. "They took my dad away from me, you know. My mom was already dead. I had no one, until the Daron twins found me, said that I had magic, took me in."
She almost laughed. "Don't tell me, you actually loved your abuser?"
"Of course I did. And I still do!" Calida's voice went a pitch higher. "He's my dad." She whirled and jabbed a trembling finger at Amber, who looked over her shoulder at her. "You ruined my life, Amber Starling. I could kill you for that."
"And why don't you?" Amber turned fully and spread her arms, as if welcoming the idea. "I'm the Demon. I am an animal that doesn't know love, don't you think?" The bedsheets started smoking. She could see the thin tendrils of flame running up and down Calida's arms. "If you use too much, you'll burn out," she warned, then waited till the flames extinguished at a clench of Calida's fingers. She asked, allowing a heavy dose of skepticism to color her tone. "And he loves you?"
"What?"
"You said you love him. Do you think he still loves you?"
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Fantasy((Originally, Phoenix)) “Leave me alone!” Her form flickered in the dim light. The brothers shared a look. “All right,” one started. “Just let us say something first. We know you have powers; we can sense them on you. We can do this because we have...
