These Lying Eyes (10 page)

As was
Esther and the Small Ones.

As was
The Tale of the Wind, the Boy and the Mouse.

Mina swallowed dryly and another memory struck her. The nice doctor with the kind eyes saying,
Sometimes the people who want to help you need you to ask. Maybe they’re even waiting for you to.

“Do you want something to drink?”

Mina nodded.

While Sarah was gone, Mina searched the book for its entry on sprites and read the description. She hadn’t read it for her essay, had never even thought to look for such an entry. But now, she whispered it to herself,

“Sprites, like human magic users, divide into two categories: the Fae and Witches. All sprites are incredibly strong belying their size and are capable of lifting many, many times their weight. They are also extremely fast fliers easily outpacing all birds.

Unlike human magic user children, whose magic begins to appear in their early childhood, a sprite’s magic develops slowly. This has led to an occasional prejudice against the abilities of sprites, especially in communities where sprites are uncommon. Any supposition that leads one to conclude that human magic users are more powerful than sprites is wholly incorrect. Sprites, like the Ndiri or Small Ones, can perform magics that are as complex and powerful as any full-sized human magic user.

As sprites go through their adolescence, it is not uncommon for sprites to bond with human magic user children. Their adolescence is much longer than a human’s, and with the slow development of their magic, many sprite communities practice a tradition called Adventures. These Adventures will lead a young sprite with still developing magics to partake in an activity to fill their “in-between” time. The time between childhood and when they can begin serious magical study. An Adventure can take the form of aimless travels, attending Universities to study non-magical things in the tradition of human colleges and Universities, to follow pilgrimages of famous and beloved sprites from history—and most commonly, to bond with human magic user children.

This relationship can help to expedite the formation of the young sprite’s magical abilities, and often forms relationships that rival the sprite’s bond to their birth families. Occasionally, this bond will lead to a change in the sprite’s natural abilities adding the flavor of the supernatural child to whom they have bonded. In these situations, the sprite may even learn to use a fae or witch child’s magic.

These bonds formed during the Adventure create lasting links between sprites and human magic users and have been the basis of many great collaborative spells between the fae, witches, and sprites.”

It went on, but Mina didn’t finish. She glanced around her room and found evidence of the sprites everywhere. Maybe there had always been evidence of their reality in her life. Maybe there had always been evidence that she
wasn’t
crazy, but it had been too scary to believe.

Since she wasn’t crazy, she was…something.

Maybe she should ask Grace what.

* * *

In the morning, Mina sat down to a favorite meal. Fresh apple juice. A fruit salad heavy on the apples. Omelets with avocado and tomato. All of it laden with guilt.

Mina accepted her food without a word, remembering her promise to herself. Let things go back to normal. Wait until one of her siblings distracted them, and then take the knowledge she needed. She couldn’t do that if she threw the omelet in their face and demanded why they thought she was stupid enough to believe she just needed to take vitamins.

“This is for you, Mina.” Dad said handing her a small plastic card with a pretty little Visa symbol on it. “So you can get those smoothies at the shop across from the high school.”

She could wait, she told herself as she wordlessly slid the card into her wallet. She could wait until their attention was on one of her sisters or her brother, until her parents were comfortable with the idea that she was clueless. A few weeks, maybe. And she’d be free again.

But not if she confronted them.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out to see a text from her sister.

Mina read, “Ask for something huge.”

“No phones at the table, love.” Mom said as she gave Sarah an omelet.

Mina placed her silenced phone, face up, to the left of her plate. With a surreptitious glance to her right, Sarah was quietly eating breakfast with an innocent look, no sign of her phone.

Mina’s phone flashed, “Doooo it.”

Mina rubbed her eye and shook her head.

Sarah kicked Mina’s heel.

Mina elbowed Sarah.

Dad looked up from his contraband phone, but only for a moment.

“Do it,” Sarah whispered under her breath.

Mina ignored her sister and Erik’s suspicious gaze.

“Fine,” Sarah whispered, but there challenge in her voice. Mina turned to her just as Sarah said, in a carefully sweet voice, “Dad?”

Erik paused, hiding his phone between his chest and his palm. Mina froze; Mom stopped humming as Sarah snared Dad’s attention.

“I’m worried about Mina.” Sarah twisted a lock of her pin-straight hair around her finger. Her voice shook slightly.

Mina and Erik’s eyes met. Mina bit her lip as Erik rolled his eyes. Mom stepped closer and placed a hand on Mina’s shoulder, gently squeezing and sending Zizi leaping for the curtain rod.

Erik’s brows rose in a silent question.

With Mom’s hand on her shoulder, Mina could only respond to Erik with a slight shake of her head. Neither took another bite as they studied Sarah’s every move, every tone. Only Sarah had the ability to suck out of her parents whatever they wanted.

Disneyland? Kate had gotten Sarah to ask for that trip. Not once but twice.

Their surfboards? The boys paid Sarah for that one.

Cash for their good grades? Mina had given their sister that idea.

Cash for books read? Sarah inspired by Mina.

Dad set down his cup, slipped his phone into his shirt pocket, and put his hand over Sarah’s. “We were all worried about Mina, honey. But the doctor says she’ll be fine. Nothing a few changes to her diet won’t fix.”

“Hmph,” Erik said under his breath.

Mina kicked his shin.

“But I
am
worried about her.” Sarah whispered with a slightly broken voice.

They all turned to Sarah as she blinked away a non-existent tear.

“The school bus makes us both nauseous.”

Not true…

“So how is Mina supposed to have an appetite for that smoothie?”

Erik was carefully expressionless as Dad glanced at Mina.

Mina slowly ate a bite of omelet, saying nothing. How closely, she wondered, would he look at that card’s statement?

“And then…after…” Sarah didn’t fill in the comment; she didn’t need to. She threw out the hint of Mina’s little episode, letting it sour the air.

Finally, she added, “Mina doesn’t need to be
trapped
on the bus with other kids after what
happened.
”

“Erik could drive her,” Mom suggested.

He scowled, but said nothing. Erik was a jerk, but he knew as well as Mina that Sarah had some other plan.

Their mom even knew it. She was leading the story along, helping Sarah out.

“Well he could…” Sarah tapped her lips.

Erik’s expression said there better be a but.

Mina pressed her lips together.

Their mom moseyed back into the kitchen, listening but never pausing.

If she paused, Mina thought, Dad might pause too. Pause and think about what was happening.

They all waited, breath held, except Dad and Sarah. Sarah flexed her ability to strike just the right tone, tilt her head just right, shine her eyes up at their Dad.

“He should,” Dad growled.

Mina could see Erik bite back an objection.

“It’s why we bought the car. For all the kids. Jase and Kate had to share before they graduated. Erik should have done a better job looking after Mina.”

Mina was no defender of Erik, but her flash of fury was held back only by the sudden, tight grip of Sarah’s fingers digging into her wrist under the table.

“But they didn’t though,” Sarah cut in before Erik could object.

Dad stopped frowning at Erik to look back to Sarah.

“
Kate
had a scooter.”

Shut up, Mina thought as she realized Sarah’s plan. Just shut up. Excitement replaced fury. The sense of hovering freedom surrounded Mina.
A scooter…
That she wouldn’t have to hide.

Mina bit her lip to prevent herself from begging and let Sarah do her thing.

“Sarah, baby,” Mom said, “Kate worked a job for that scooter. We didn’t buy it for her. We can’t give it to Mina.”

“I know.” Sarah agreed, leaning back in her chair as she threaded her fingers through Dad’s. Mina let out a slow breath, not wanting to break the hold Sarah had on Dad.

“But you could get Mina her own.” Sarah said at a near whisper. “Then we wouldn’t have to worry.”

Erik’s jaw dropped but Dad didn’t notice. Mina heard a stifled chuckle from their mom. Mina’s teeth gripped her inner cheek until she tasted blood, but she didn’t want to risk moving.

Her own scooter.

Dad’s eyes sought their mom’s.

“I think it’s a good idea. Mina needs something; Erik’s schedule is just too different from hers,” Mom said calmly.

A scooter she didn’t have to sneak would make getting answers so much easier.

Dad nodded.

“Your sister is amazing.” Zizi said from the top of the curtain.

“This is what I think you should get Mina,” Sarah handed Dad a print out.

He unfolded the paper. Mina didn’t need to look to know her sister would have picked out the best. Dad didn’t even seem shocked.

“You did research?” he put on his glasses and peered at the printout.

“Yeah,” The sugar in Sarah’s voice was overdone this time, but Dad didn’t seem to notice.

The triplets tumbled in the kitchen, whining for milk, and broke the tension.

But Sarah continued as if their littlest sisters were still sleeping, “I couldn’t sleep while Mina was in the
hospital.
”

Mina pushed her omelet around her plate, watching Dad read and re-read the print out Sarah gave him.

“Mina would you want a scooter?”

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

“It rains a lot here.” Dad added.

“I don’t mind.” Mina swallowed on her dry throat, nearly choking.

“Kate had pretty effective rain gear as I recall.” Mom handed the triplets sippy cups and helped them climb into their seats.

Erik stood, breaking the final remnants of Sarah’s spell, but it was too late; Sarah had already been successful.

* * *

Mina and Sarah watched the drizzle from the safety of the garage door. Neither spoke as they waited for their mom to come out and give them a ride to school.

“It’ll be all right,” Sarah lied, stepping closer to Mina.

“Sure,” Mina lied back.

Their gaze met.

“At least you’ll get a scooter,” Sarah said, and the sympathy in her voice had Mina straightening her spine and clenching her teeth.

Mina mounted Kate’s scooter without bothering to hide what she was doing.

“Thank you,” Mina said, not needing a yes from her Dad to know that new scooter would shortly be arriving to their house.

Sarah shrugged.

“Take care.” Mina ordered her sister as she pushed the scooter down the drive.

“Are you just going to slip back into your old life?” Zizi asked.

Mina thought of the youTube video they’d rewatched last night. The comments that had been made by people she’d be brushing shoulders with today. “I think that ship has sailed.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Zizi darted ahead, zipping in between falling leaves.

“It’s obvious isn’t it?” Mina asked. “I’m going to find out more.”

“So you are going to ask your Grandmother?” Zizi rode a leaf back towards Mina, leaping off at the last moment and dropping to her shoulder.

Mina scoffed.

It was quiet for several moments before Zizi said, “You are going to go to your grandmother’s cabin?”

“And I’m going to take what I need.”

“Now?”

“If I don’t show, the school will call the parents,” Mina said.

“So soon.”

“Soon,” Mina agreed.

Chapter 8

Mina ignored the whispers that followed her through the halls. She used to think that the kids in middle school talked about her. Now she knew she was wrong. Day after day, she ignored the snide “vitamin deficiency” snickers. Day after day, a few jock types made “cuckoo” noises as she slunk through the shadows of the hallway. Day after day, she waited for her parents to stop watching her so closely, so she could make her way to her grandparent’s cabin. But no. They were hawks with only one fledgling.

She hadn’t been surprised by Hailey and Charlie dropping her; Hailey had never really accepted her again. Mina hadn’t even regretted them. But, Peter and Ben were awkwardly too nice.

Apologetic.

It was maddening.

Zizi sat on Mina’s shoulder as yet another jock squawked at her.

“I am going to stab him in the eye.” Zeez said, wings jutting straight back.

“Go for the throat,” Mina said, holding her phone to her ear.

At the end of the hall Max laughed at a cheerleader with blue, blue eyes. Only the slightest quiver of Mina’s eyelid gave away what she saw.

“I am disappointed in him.” Hidden amongst the crowd, pressed against the wall, Zizi paced on Mina’s shoulder as they watched him. Back and forth, back and forth, she went.

“At least he izn’t flirting,” Poppy said from the pocket of the old dress shirt Mina wore. Poppy’s bats wings were carefully bound, preventing her normal restless movement.

Mina twisted her lips with disbelief.