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Chapter 22

I instantly shot a panicked look to Alana, who was sitting diagonally across from me, but she was staring off in space ahead of her, not even noticing my distress. Lilo on the other hand smiled widely at me with her thumbs up as she nodded her head at her mother. If that was supposed to reassure me. It didn't.

"I'm glad to see everyone's arrived safely." Luna Nyla addressed the table.

I exhaled in relief. Her attention was no longer on me and I didn't even have to speak.

"Skip the pleasantries, Mother," Marcel said, reaching out for the food, but Maiko swiftly slapped his hand down.

"Mind your manners, idiot." Maiko scolded him. "Even a child is more respectable than you."

"Food," Marcel rasped like a fish out of water, completely disregarding everything his brother just said.

"We will eat soon," Luna Nyla assured him with a pointed look," But first I would like to properly welcome our guest now that everyone is finally here."

"If you must," he grumbled under his breath.

"It's unfortunate we meet in a circumstance like this. However, I hope you find yourself at home whether you are our closest ally." She smiled towards those most unfamiliar to me. Her gaze shifted towards me and a ball of anxiety tumbled in my stomach as she stopped speaking.

I sucked in a breath as she paused, anticipating what she would say next.

"Or an unexpected gift." She finished, softly.

I blinked. Had I heard her correctly?

A gift?

She....she couldn't be talking about me, right?

My heart clenched almost painfully at her words and when I looked up, I found her warm, comforting eyes. They reminded me of my mom's whenever I needed her most.

"Let's eat, shall we." She piped up and gestured to the array of platters in front of us. "I wasn't sure of your preferences, so I requested a bit of everything be prepared. I hope you're able to find something to your liking."

I broke free from the daze I was locked in as everyone began to pass around the food and dump it on their plates.

Everyone but me that was.

I had no idea how to move or where to start. The amount of choices were overwhelming and I didn't know what half of it was. There was some fresh bread that reminded me of what I normally ate to keep myself afloat, but it passed around so quickly and I couldn't find the strength in my voice to ask for it.

I decided I would just wait until everyone had gotten what they wanted and eat whatever was left. Just as I had always done. I could hold off a little longer. My stomach rumbled while I sat patiently and I placed a hand on top of it in an attempt to muffle the sounds, but it just roared beneath my fingertips.

"You should eat."

Alana stared at me from across the table with her mouth set in a straight line.

"All of you," she said, flickering her eyes to my younger siblings.

I looked to my right and realized my siblings also sat with empty plates, watching everyone else with their arms glued to their sides.

"I heard you two didn't eat yesterday, either. Do you want your body to feed off of itself until you hallucinate and die?" Alana tilted her head sideways.

I hope Alana doesn't plan on having children anytime soon.

Karter's face bunched up and Alana returned her neck to its normal position.