Chapter 35

"You're certain about this?" I asked Cain.

"I don't see why it ought to matter," he said. "The Hargreaves family has plenty of homes. We've lived in this house so long that it's the one place that Father and Delilah's cards will attack without doubt."

"I suppose so. I just have one problem."

"Don't worry about work," Cain said, "I put up a notice saying that you've moved your location."

"What?!"

"I had to change the name also…" he handed me a paper written with the new address and name. I pocketed the paper and glared at him.

"Oh relax, it's not that bad."

"I don't do pet grooming on top of veterinary work!"

"That's why Abigail's been reassigned to help."

"Only dogs get groomed, Cain! Have you ever tried to shave a cat?!"

"No. But it sounds painful."

"That's why I usually sedate them first…"

"Jiz, if you start talking about that surgery, I'll hit you over the head repeatedly with your own skull."

"That isn't physically possible, Cain."

"You never know until you try," Cain muttered.

If anyone should be beaten over the head repeatedly with their own skull, it's this punk Earl…

The thought, surprisingly, brought a little light to me.

"Well, I'm off to another party."

"Cain, at this rate we might have to cancel our next trip to Japan."

"No we won't," Cain said. "That's a separate fund all together." He left.

I looked at Mary, and she at me. "What did you and Cain mean by 'trip to Japan'?"

"Er…well…"

"Go on," Cassian said, "tell her now. It's just another…what…seven, long years till we go again?"

"Stop mentioning Japan!" I snapped. "Just thinking about it is enough to make me crave some fried tofu!"

Cassian made a face. "Blech. I don't know how you can even eat that stuff!"

"Cassian, you're a jerk," Mary snapped.

Cassian backed away from her. "Be nice to your elders, Mary dear."

I snickered. Mary glared at him.

"By how much? A month or two at best?"

"It'll be hard enough explaining it to her later, Cassian. Best let it be," Ben suggested.

Mary looked at us, confused. "What? What will be too hard to explain to me? Come on! Big Brother? Ben? Please?"

We ignored her. Ben flagged a cab.

"Jizabel!"

"You'll see for yourself in a couple years."

"Huh?"

I didn't answer her. Instead, I just pushed her into the cab and we headed off for Aunt Katrina's home…

Slightly over twenty-four hours later, Cain returned with Crehador and a girl in his arms.

I stared at the girl. "Who is she?"

"I know you remember Mikaila," Cain said. "Well…"

I looked at her. The girl was badly injured. I sighed and took her from him. "I'll look at her," I told him.

The girl looked exactly like Suzette. It really was Mikaila. That much I could discern for myself. I set her down on a bed and tended her wounds.

Her arms and legs were badly scarred, and she had a wound in her chest that refused to stop bleeding. She had a terrible temperature. I did what I could for her and left the room. "I can't say she'll live," I told Cain, "but she'll be alright for now."

Cain nodded.

"That girl couldn't possibly be the little chit that tried to kill Riff just a couple months ago."

"I know that," Cain said, "but she is."

"It's frightening how much she looks like Suzette."

"She's still just Suzette's clone," Cain muttered. "In a way, it would make sense."

"Cain, she's not Suzette."

He didn't answer. "I know that," Cain said after a long silence. "I know that. It's easy to remember because of her attitude and the way she acts, but I couldn't just leave her with Father there."

I smiled and ruffled his hair.

"You're still doing that?!" he snapped.

"Would you rather I give you a noogie?"

Cain snickered and shook his head. "No. I guess not."

"You guess not?" I asked, grinning. "You're torn between wanting a noogie or not?" Cain looked down, not meeting my gaze. I straitened my face. "Cain, I don't know what happened between you and Riff. I'd like to know what happened."

Cain shook his head. "He's still there. Somewhere…I'm sure of it…"

I sat beside him. "I'm sure he is," I said, embracing him. "Go get some sleep."

Cain nodded and went into another room. I looked in the room again. That girl—Mikaila—that demon child that had a sick fascination with Cain…no matter how remarkably like Suzette she looked, I couldn't understand why she would trust Father so full heartedly.

Well, she was probably betrayed, so here she is.

I began to leave, closing the door. I heard her whimper. I briefly debated going inside and decided against it.

Not Suzette. She's not my little sister back from the dead.

I went into another room and collapsed on the bed, exhausted. It had been quite trying as of late. I just wanted it all to be done and over with…

I woke to a scream and ran to the room. Oscar, Mary, and Cain were in the room. Mikaila clutched at her chest. "Clear the room!" I shouted. "Get out!"

She flinched from me. "You…I remember you…"

"Do you want my help or not."

"Are you going to hit me again?"

"Only if you try to hurt my siblings," I snapped, helping her up. I examined her again.

After an hour, I made her lay down again. "You'll be alright. I'll see if there's a way to stop the decomposition that is happening to your body."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you helping me? The last time I saw you, you were so…cruel."

"Here's the real antidote!" she said, smashing it on the ground.

Cain fell to the ground, shaking.

I couldn't just watch anymore. I ran over to them.

"Cain!" I said, shaking him. "Cain, look at me!"

"The…the antidote…"

I spun around in a blind fury and grabbed the girl by her hair. She screamed and tried to escape…

"Yes. I hit you. You look like Suzette, whom Cain grew up with for a couple of years. Perhaps for a moment, I thought you really were Suzette."

Mikaila bowed her head. "Would you have hit Suzette like that?"

"Yes, I would."

"Why?"

"She's mine and Cain's sister."

Mikaila raised her head. "Sister?! I was told she was Cain's cousin."

"Cain doesn't remember that Suzette was his little sister," I said, sitting on the bed. "That's probably why he has mistaken his love for Suzette as a romantic sort of love. He was told that this was true and I acted like it was true as well to keep Suzette safe from Father."

"So…I'm…"

"No. You are not my sister," I said. "You're nothing like Suzette even if you do look like her. Oh, just so you know. This is not to be told to Cain. If he learned that Suzette was his sister, he'd most likely be angry with himself for stooping to our Father's level."

"I heard that Alexis was in love with his sister, Augusta, but…"

"He's a twisted bastard," I said. "Just focus on getting better."

"You say I'm not your sister, but you treat me like I am."

"Am I? I'm just trying to be decent to you since Cain asked me to treat you." I stood and closed the door behind me.

"How is she?" Cain asked. The others, save Crehador, looked at me.

"I can't say," I answered. "One moment she seems rather healthy, the next, she's worn out. If not careful, she could die."

"Isn't there something you could do about that?"

The others left the hallway, leaving just me and Cain. I shook my head. "Sadly, there isn't. Her body is decomposing and that wound refuses to heal whatsoever. If by any chance she does survive, she'll have a hard life in need of constant care. Mary, where are you going?"

"To see if she needs anything."

I nodded and Mary entered the room. I turned to Cain again. "But that's only if she survives. The possibility looks terribly hopeless, but I'm giving it my all."

"Thanks Big Brother."

I was about to speak again, but Mary's voice carried out.

"My life isn't as carefree as you think, Mikaila!"

We turned to the door and listened.

"My brothers and I have seen many loved ones die. I've been so sad, I didn't know what to do. But I continue to live for my brothers. I would do anything to protect them from the outside world. No one desires love that is forced upon them. When I realized that, no matter what happened outside, I made sure to wear soft clothes and have a smile on my face so that when Cain and Jizabel come home, they can feel safe. That's about the only thing I'm capable of, but I think it's something only I can do. Love is not just about wanting. It's also about what you can do for your loved one, isn't it?"

Cain and I walked away.

"It makes me sad," Cain said when we were far enough.

"What does?"

"That Mary thinks that…"

"Well, would you rather her mope around and make everyone more miserable? Besides, haven't you witnessed more than enough of what she had told Mikaila?"

Cain nodded.

"To some people, maybe such sacrifice is sad. But to those making the sacrifice never seem sad do they? Love, over anything else, is sacrifice."

Cain smiled sadly. "Sacrifice, huh?" He leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry it took so long to say this, Jizabel. I know you're going to get married soon and all, but…"

"But?"

"I need your help."

"Against Father?"

Cain nodded.

I smiled. "How can I be of assistance?"