Chapter Three
When Jasper and I descended down the stairs, all of my kids were gathered at the front door, talking away to someone that I just could not see over all the heads that were blocking the way. As I approached them, heads began to turn.
The first kids to notice me were the youngest, Scott, Paavo, and Pedro. They were all about eight to ten in age and all arriving on my doorstep around the same time or at least in the same year. Scott was the first, arriving one night. I don't even know how he got in, but he was discovered by Kelley as she went into the kitchen. He's the only one who has gotten through my defenses. His spikey hedgehog hair was what tipped me off that he belonged and went looking for me. Only a couple weeks later did Paavo arrive, wide eyed and his Satyr hooves clumping on my doorstep. He had a knapsack over one shoulder and bruises on his arms. Apparently his protective baby magic had faded and the father who blamed his mother for leaving kicked the kid out. I'm sure that there were other things based on the bruises, but I didn't mention them.
Number one rule with the kids, if there is something that they don't want to talk about, do not push it. Sometimes they will come to me in an hour, a week, and, for a few, years later. But to have them pushed to say something they don't want to will result in mistrust or zero communication.
I'm Fae. But I'm also human. Both matter.
Pedro's appearance still makes me sad. He showed up one stormy night. It was early spring so the snow was still dotting the ground and fog was swirling and filling the night. He knocked softly, hesitantly, at my front door. A wet little Glastig. He barely spoke English, but I was able to understand most of what he was trying to say with my own little knowledge of Spanish. He came all the way from Mexico, at the age of six, and arrived at my doorstep. I don't know how he did it. He came alone to my stoop. He asked for sanctuary. That was it. I thought he wouldn't stay long, but he's been here for three years now and doesn't look to be leaving soon.
Kelley, Chloe, and Bella were the next to turn and see me. There was also another face that while was not one of my kids was still familiar. It was Henry, with his fluffy gray hair and a pin of a white feather in it. He gave me a small, sly smile. He knew he wasn't supposed to be here, but the Swan-man was persistent to hang out with Kelley when he knew I wasn't going to be around. I was ready to yell at him, but when I saw the look on Kelley's face, I knew that she hadn't expected him to stop over either.
And she wasn't happy. Her emerald colored hair was sticking up in places that shouldn't, at least not after she brushed her hair after waking up. She had a habit of pulling at it. Kelley was my Daoine Sidhe. I do believe that she is the only blood worker in my house at the moment. Kelley was almost sixteen and teaching her to drive was becoming a nightmare.
Both Chloe and Bella were my Cait Sidhe. In their cat forms, they were both calico. Chloe had more white than Bella, and Bella had a half moon shape in black near her tail. I wasn't expecting them to stay for long, but after Marcus took over, he made it obvious that he wasn't going to tolerate having changelings in his court. So, their mother came to my door, begging to give the kids sanctuary. She also told me that the only way that they were going to stay with me for good was if Marcus kills her. They were now fifteen, arriving when they were ten. I still hope that their mother is okay, but I was starting to lose hope.
Zeke and Abbey were the last ones to turn around and stopped chatting with the person at the door. Zeke, with his sly smirk, was naturally dark. His eyes were what gave him away as Tuthan de Dannon. They were a bright gold color. He also liked to teleport around the house and scare me. Abbey was. . . Abbey was. . .
Abbey used to be a Selkie. Now she was too human so she wore fairy ointment on her eyes. I don't know her whole story. She can't get through most of it without crying. All I know is that somehow her skin was torn. The magic was destroyed. I always thought that Selkies were family oriented, but her parents had given her a choice; stay and face the wrath of their first born or leave with the broken skin and try to figure things out. Apparently she had tried to stay home but it wasn't really an option. My mother had been the one who found her, wandering around near her domain, blind and clutching her broken seal skin. Diamond brought her to me and we figured out what to do from there. She was sixteen when she first arrived and now as twenty-one. She stuck to staying at the house while she was in college, working hours at a local restaurant to pay for groceries.
There was a sound, a small pop, to my left, telling me that a Candela had arrived. I barely paid any heed. There were only two Candelas that I knew. Wick and his daughter Murmur. Murmur liked to use my place as a hide away from her father and her father was fine with it because he knew that she was close.
Wick was a good man. He was my mother's most trusted knight and he was training one of my former kids, Pen, to be a knight as well. Being a father was new to him, though, and being a father to a teenager was tougher than he thought it could ever be. Murmur's mother had been human as well. When Murmur chose Fae, the house had burned to the ground. Her mother was at work and she believed that her daughter and husband were killed in it while they were preparing for the bus and school day. So, when a fight ensued, Murmur came to me to pout and Wick would come a few hours later to pick her up.
I didn't pay attention to Murmur, though, as I looked around the space by the door. Akari, my Kitsune, wasn't around and neither was Tay now that I thought about it, my single residential Hob. I couldn't see the other two Cait Sidhe kids, but I could hear meowing from somewhere. And the kids were all wearing the livery that I had picked out but had yet to put into production. The clothing was made up of a soft yellow color with violet swirled in. The symbol I had picked was of one Fae ear, long and pointed with a rounded human ear on the other side of it with stitching to connect the two. There was a sapphire gem underneath as well, something that Opal told me was needed.
Before I could ask where they got the clothing, the person at the door began to push their way through the crowd. Any words that were in my throat died away. The dark skinned woman with glossy black hair dropped both of the bags that she had, one that was gripped in her left hand and the other was over her shoulder. There was a look of relief on her face.
"Silvia!" I gasped, dropping my grip from Jasper's and rushing over to Silvia's side.
"Momma!" she shouted in return, jumping into the air and changing into a black cat before landing in my arms. Her head butted against my chin.
Silvia was the most unique of all of my kids. When I was a little girl, I found a small, meowing kitten out in the cold. She was barely old enough to open her eyes. I brought her inside, insisting on keeping her. My father couldn't say no to me, but I had to take care of the kitten. I stayed with the kitten for months, waking up each time a small yowl was uttered. She went from barely being able to survive to a thriving cat. It wasn't until she was five years old did she change into a little girl. That was a surprise. I don't remember what she had said, but she changed only because she wanted to say something specific to me. We took her to a shadow filled alley where not even the homeless would get near and shouted for someone. What we weren't expecting was the Queen of Cats to answer. She tried to take Silvia with her, but she clung to my arm, claiming me to be her mother. I didn't know what to do. The Queen let her stay with me, though, as long as I allowed someone to come around and teach her how to be a Cait Sidhe. We agreed. So, Silvia stayed with me, until she had to leave for some more training.
"Wait, wait, wait," I finally said, dropping the cat on to the floor. "What are you doing here?" While I was happy to see her, I had assumed that she was never going to come back.
She meowed at me.
"Oh, no, don't you dare," I scolded her with a wag of my finger. "You will talk to me in a way that I can understand."
There was a huff and the cat became a woman. A woman who refused to look me in the eye. But with my hands shoved on my hips and the kids crowding around her wanting to know the same thing, she had nowhere to go. So, Silvia looked at me with the same look that she gave me when she first left, defiance and determination.
"I am going to challenge Marcus," she said, head tilted up and her eyes steely. "He doesn't deserve his throne and needs to be challenged."
"Silvia-"
"I am a Princess," she said before I could get anymore out. "I have the training."
"Proper and full training?" I asked. She refused to look me in the eye. "Silvia. . ."
"She's here," interrupted Kelley. "Her room is still the same. Why not let her stay whether or not she had the training or was just spending time doing whatever?"
I glanced over at Jasper, looking for some sort of support. He simply shrugged his shoulders. Not sure of what to do next, I gave a long exasperated sigh.
"Fine, fine," I responded, waving my hands here and there. "Jasper and I have to go to a party. Unpack, relax, there's some clam chowder from dinner last night in the fridge, you can reheat that."
Silvia brightened. "Can I come to the party?"
That started a chorus of all the kids demanding to come to the party. All except for Abbey, who was trying to slip out the door, muttering something about work. The jingling of her keys were evident that she was leaving, but I don't remember her being scheduled today. The shouting around me I had a hard time trying to figure out if she had told me if she was called in or not.
I raised my hands up in the air in defeat. "Okay! Okay, just remember this is not the mortal world. Do you guys remember your Fae edict?"
Half of the group nodded while the other half looked puzzled. I sighed and rubbed my hand against my neck. The look I gave Jasper was desperate. He simply shrugged his shoulders, with a look on his face that said, "These are your kids, you handle it."
I breathed in and out, trying to find an equilibrium. Resting my hands on my hips, I finally stated. "Fine, alright. The ones who do not feel comfortable communicating with the Fae at the party will go and hang in the kitchen. The Hobs that Queen Mira have are familiar with you guys enough that they will take care of you. The rest of you will stay close enough to me that if anything happens, you can find me easily. Got it?"
Multiple head bobs in response.
"Alright, let's go, then, we are late enough to be fashionably late, but if we dawdle anymore, the Queen will not be happy."
I wondered if we were going to need to get the other kids, but when I turned around, Akira and Tay as well. Tay had an article of clothing in her hands. It appeared to be another livery, fitted perfectly for Silvia. I wasn't sure if Silvia was going to come with us fully, but after she snuck away and changed while I lead the kids to the door to the knowe, there wasn't any doubt after that.
The kids followed instructions easily. The younger ones held hands as Jasper and I led them away from the knowe and Summerland. I noticed pixies flying around the land and finding places to get into the knowe. That was good. That was healthy.
Some of the kids were shivering as the snow fell around us. The Summerland and the mortal world were usually different enough that while it was snowing in the mortal world it could be summer in the Summerlands. Other than the continuous purple twilight, it was just as nippy as it would have if we walked outside. I should have warned them.
A splashing from the water made everyone turn their attention to a large serpent woman swimming around.
"Who is that?" asked Paavo.
"Don't know," I said. "But don't bother her, okay? The water seems to be just big and deep enough for her to enjoy herself."
The Summerland entrance to Queen Mira's land changed from snowing to blooming spring weather. Snow was melting in my hair and cloak. A quick glance over my shoulder showed that everyone was experiencing the same thing. By the time we stepped into the deeper parts of her garden, we were completely dry.
The Queen's gardens were not as fancy as they could be. There were mostly just flowers that could stand even the harshest soils growing around us. I spotted a couple of snowdrops littering the ground. Wild and rampant lilies of the valley were spreading into the territory of violets. Vines climbed on the walls around us. With the weather conditions of the mortal world, Blodynbryd did not live in the area. They and what they grew were difficult to thrive here. The roses would die and so would they. It was a depressing thought, so I tried to push it away.
Right out of the gardens were marble stairs. Climbing up them would lead into the main chambers. If we went up them all the way, we would reach the herald, who would announce us. But the kids split up right before that, the younger ones holding hands and giggling as they went to the kitchen through a hidden servant passage that led off from the stairs.
The kids that stayed were Silvia, Zeke, and Kelley. Less than I had thought, but they were the most behaved and courteous of all the kids.
When we got to the top of the stairs, we were standing at the very top of another pair of stairs, looking down at a crowded party. Soft music played from the band at the very far end. The herald saw me and gave me a wide grin.
"So, is it finally Countess Sapphire or should I just announce you as you?" he asked.
Horvish, one of my old kids. I gave him a smile. "The knowe is no longer a shallowing. I finally have accepted my title as Countess."
He flashed me a wide grin before bellowing, with whatever magical charm he had to allow his voice to fill the room, "Countess Sapphire of the-"
"Changeling Home."
"Of the Changeling Home, escorted by her brother Jasper and three children; Zeke, Silvia, and Kelley!"
The room fell silent as we walked down the stairs. My hand rested on the elbow of my brother's while I held tightly to any loose fabric that I could end up getting tangled in and tripping over. Two hands rested on my back. A quick glance told me that Silvia and Kelley held fists of my dress, their heads held high. Zeke walked normally, but I could see the stiffness in his spine and the worry in his eyes. A pop confirmed that Murmur was behind us as well. There was a small sound from Horvish, confirming that he was not expecting that.
Then, once we reached the bottom, Queen Mira was there to greet us.
Sea Wights are their own form of terrifying. Her long black hair looked like an oil spill, with shots of rainbow where the light hit. Her eyes were a deep blue color, reminding me of the deepest parts of the ocean. She had claws for hands, though I think that was more for show with them being above the sea. Her son didn't have them. But her skin was pale and an odd color of gray, like she was a person who had been drowned at sea.
She flashed me a smile. "Sapphire, you are the second group of your family to arrive. I believe your mother is going to wait until I have to send a courtier to her little sanctuary to fetch her and your father."
Then she glanced over at Murmur. "Oh, hello, dear. Your father is already here with his knight."
The frown on Murmur's face confirmed that she did not want to see her father for the moment, including her two dancers who flashed around her.
"Go help yourself to some of the food spread," I said, resting a hand on her arm. "I'll talk to your father."
I grew up with Wick. I knew how he acted. If I had to ask him something about a fight between him and Murmur, most of the questions could be responded with a nod or a shake of the head. His merry dancers were also good at telling me the answers. He had three, the most that I have ever seen from a Candela. They spun around him in almost an infinity loop most of the time.
Everyone seemed to disperse around us, leaving me alone with Queen Mira, who was still smiling.
"So, you got the knowe up and running? And even on your birthday," she said.
I gave her a quick curtsy, nodding my head ever so slightly. "Yes, your highness."
She gave me a harsh shove in the shoulder, making me stumble back in the pose. I got back to my feet and gazed at her with both bafflement and amusement.
"Still don't like having people curtsy?" I asked, a smile twitching at my lips. "It's been over ten years since you took over."
"And ten years adjusting," she said, a click of her tongue. "Even Taro doesn't like being called a prince."
"And that's why he gave up the throne and gave it to his sister," I said, peering over her shoulder to the dias.
Queen Mira's husband, King Barley, was a full Daoine Sidhe. They had married shortly after she had taken the throne with war. It wasn't until after she fought for the right to keep the throne. Their daughter, Odessa, was a tall girl at only seven years old. She was sent somewhere to the Undersea as blind fosterage. Where, I wasn't sure. She had enough Sea Wight in her to breathe underwater. And enough Daoine Sidhe that if someone bled in the water, she could use her blood magic. King Barley was not happy about that, apparently he wanted her to go to California, where the strongest and bravest Daoine Sidhe resided. But it was Odessa's decision. She wanted to be around the Undersea.
There was something about King Barley that had always unnerved me. He was always scowling. Especially at me, where his face grew more sour. I had a feeling that he felt like changelings were beneath his feet, and changelings that tried to climb the ladder of Fae standing were even worse. I had been a knight when we met.
"Go dance," whispered Mira, smiling at me. "I think Taro is looking for you as well."
I wasn't sure if she was playing matchmaker again or if Taro really was looking for me, so I simply shot her a quick look, one that I hoped said that she better not be lying.
All I got in response was laughter and a wave of her hand as she walked away.
It didn't take long to find Taro. He was at the very edge of the party, trying to turn down women as they came up looking for a dance from him. His face brightened when he saw me and he pushed the women away to get to me quicker. Those women were not happy with me at that moment.
"Hello, Prince Taro," I said, giving him a curtsy. Though, with this one, I puckered out my lips and wiggled my nose at him.
He took one of my hands with a laugh. "Countess Sapphire. You are as lovely as ever."
"As are you."
Prince Taro was a unique Sea Wight. He didn't have the gray pallor like his mother, but he was pale. There were no freckles that dotted his skin, like the ones that dotted mine. When we were kids, he tried to count every single freckle on my skin. He lost count somewhere around three hundred and quit trying after that. His hair was a unique dark purple, taking on the color of the root that he was named after. His eyes were like algae, a mix of green and blue with shocks of golden brown that flickered around the edges.
Being the Prince and of marrying age, he was swatting women away each and every day. His response was challenging each and every girl in a way that they could never do. He challenged Maeve's children to perform perfect flower magic and Titania's children to do water magic. Each one has failed miserably to his standards. I have seen more than one of them crying as they left the main chambers or the gardens. And he gave me a challenge once, when I teased him about the girls.
If I got rid of my humanity, he would marry me.
The flash of a smile he gave me as he spun me around in a circle showed those sharp pearly white teeth of his.
"So," he growled lightly, leaning in too close. "Do tell me what has been happening lately."
"You saw me yesterday," I said, groaning. "You gave me a bouquet of shrimp."
"Oh, that reminds me." Taro leaned in until I could feel his breath on my neck. "Happy birthday, dear gem of the sea."
Gem of the sea. Oh, it's been a while since I heard him say that.
"Silvia came home today, too," I said. "Right after I got a really weird visit from a Cu Sidhe from the same area she went to be an apprentice."
"Not a Princess? I thought that she had potential to be."
With a frown, I stood as tall as I could, I whispered, "She wants to challenge Marcus."
His eyes grew wide. "What? Do you think she can?" Then, he paused. "The Shadow Roads are open here. I would tell you to be careful, but you are with me."
I glanced around the party. The only one who was alone appeared to be Silvia, who was stalking the shadows in the far corner near a pillar.
"She's strong," I said. "I think that she can handle herself in a fight. But Marcus. . .he's. . .I don't trust him to fight fair."
"Is there really anything fair about a fight for the throne?" asked Taro with a wistful smile. Then it faded. "There's something bothering you. Is it the visit from the Cu Sidhe fella?"
I nodded my head. "He knew too much about Silvia. It bothered me."
That got Taro to frown. "He knew about Silvia?"
"Yeah, and stuff about me. Claimed that he was in love with me."
"Please tell me you used that badass Banshee command scream and got him the hell out of there."
I nodded my head. "But it still makes my skin crawl. Something doesn't add up about him. Why is he here for one thing? And why is he working with Rogers?"
That got some anger from Taro. "The mortal that comes and checks up on the kids? Oh sweet Maeve. Do you want some help at putting up some spells to ward him out?"
"I didn't get a good trace on his magic," I said. "I couldn't tell you. It's Kelley that needs to be around to get a perfect spell set. If we put a ward up, we would have to do a general against Cu Sidhe spell."
He frowned at me. "Why him?"
"I don't know," I whispered.
The song was ending and he let me down in a deep dip before righting me. I smelled the magic shortly before a teen body collided with mine.
"Sapphire! I'm so happy to see you!"
Pen's squeal filled my ears as I laughed. Behind him, Wick was there as well as Topaz. My nephew was grinning from ear to ear.
"Aunt Fire, it's good to see you," he said, going in for a hug after Pen released me.
The bouncing squire was still smiling. Originally, he had wanted to be my squire when he learned that at one point, I was a knight. I had given up that title after the war and Queen Mira had allowed me. Considering that the former King had allowed children to fight in his army was one of the biggest reasons. I wasn't the youngest changeling to be in that three day war. But it was good to see him, to see him healthy and happy. He was under my mother's care under a blind fosterage. He came from somewhere from Scotland, his thick accent still came out when he talked and it was so hard to understand him when he spoke quickly.
But it was Topaz I wanted to focus on. He was grinning at me, but there was something in his eyes that made me think that something was wrong. He had a classic Banshee look, with black hair no longer than his ears but it puffed out like fluff. There was a redness around the corners of his eyes, showing me that he had been crying recently. His eyes were a glassy blue, which is why Opal named him Topaz.
"Topaz?" I asked.
"Can I talk to you?" He glanced around at the small group and then to the rest of the dance floor. I had realized that we had been standing in the middle, blocking the bodies around us.
"Sure, yeah. Let's find a table and something to eat."
My nephew took my arm and led me away. I glanced back to see three pairs of male eyes watching us carefully. Wick's merry dancers showed the agitation he was experiencing, glowing between red and green. Pen and Taro had looks that I knew reflected what Wick was feeling. We all knew each other for far longer to pretend that everything was alright.
We found one of the few tables with no one sitting at. Once we sat, two Hobs appeared, placing a flute of pink champagne and a plate piled with fruit. Silver grapes topped my plate and I gleefully popped one in my mouth. A sweet delicious part of the Summerlands that wasn't addicting like goblin fruit.
Topaz took a deep swallow of his drink before sighing. "Mom left the party."
"Did you two get into a fight?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No, not this time. It was between her and Dad. Dad stayed home to watch over Garnet. She's too young to be at one of these parties. But. . . I do feel responsible."
I waited patiently for Topaz to tell me. He's had a complicated life with my sister. Opal wasn't the most open minded person. She took too much from the mortal world. Too much prejudice. So, when her little girl no longer felt like a little girl, she reacted poorly. When Topaz came to Jasper and I for help, that was the only time we had ever fought. Topaz stayed with me in a spare bedroom. I begged Jasper to help Topaz. He didn't originally know how. Jasper wasn't the best alchemist, but a few phone calls and some exchanges of spells and magical help, Topaz was no longer a she.
Opal still didn't like that I allowed that. Topaz feels better in his skin, though. Opal can yell as much as she wants at me, but I will never take back what I told Jasper to do.
"Mom went to see Grandma," said Topaz. "Said that she would feel better and that she needed to be at the party anyway."
"What did her and Birch fight about this time?"
"Opal wants Garnet to go into a fosterage," he said, frowning as he thought about his little sister. "Not a blind one, one that would allow interaction with her. Since Opal doesn't have a title, Garnet won't really get far. But Mom wants Garnet away from your influence."
That comment made me hurt. "My influence?"
"That's when I started fighting her. Dad likes you." Topaz rubbed his face. "Mom and Dad never officially got married. They just got lucky with Garnet and I."
I gave his hand a pat. "Want me to go find her?"
"Not alone," he said, sharply. "The Shadow Roads are available to go through here to stop any challenge of a fight."
Over his shoulder, I could see Taro speaking with his mother. "I don't think the Prince will allow me to go alone, anyway. Do you want to come with me?"
He shook his head. "I'm going to try and enjoy this party. Queen Mira is going to have some fire breathers from the Fire Kingdom here soon. They are supposed to do some cool tricks that I want to see."
"Just remember that your magic resides in flower magic." I gave his hands a pat before standing. Taro was now behind Topaz.
"Hey, ready to go where you need to go?" he asked. I watched Topaz stiffen.
"Opal is with my mom, and she is apparently still at her knowe," I said. "Let's go get them."
Eyes watched us until we disappeared around a corner, leaving the knowe in a different way than what we came in from. The exit led us down some passageways that were surrounded by doors. The swinging doors to the kitchen were propped open and I could see the kids sitting at their own table, eating at everything that was being set in front of them.
"I hope they will be okay," I whispered in a very hushed tone.
Taro looked to see what I was talking about before smiling. "Of course they will. They have the best mom."
I gave him a small smile before rushing after him. This dress wasn't made for long trips.
"Hold on," I said through gritted teeth. Taro let go of me as I gave a wave of my hand. "Double double toil and trouble. Fires burn and this dress is too troublesome." He chuckled as I grabbed at my magic forming around me and allowing me to change the bottom part of my dress into a pair of flared out jogging pants. I was already wearing flats so I didn't care so much about those, but I did add some fur and insulation so I could go trudging through the snow.
Another spring garden enveloped us as we continued out the door. There was water flowing into a small pond that moved lily pads around. We were outside not too long after. The snow made me shiver, but I was glad that I had dressed warm tonight. Our breath swirled around us as we moved through the Summerlands to my mother's knowe.
My mother had some great tastes in my opinion. It was easy to tell where the boundaries were because the snow came down in fat flakes, like the lake effect snow. Summerland flowers bloomed all around us. White and mimicking snowflakes in their odd shapes as they twirled by some unseen wind. There was some tittering from the evergreen trees and Faeries idea of what evergreens are, wide spiked branches that glowed green beneath the layer of snow.
The Hobs greeted me when I walked in, some of them wanting to stop me and talk to me about something. A Brownie gave me a small wave from behind the large load of blankets and curtains I'm sure they were going off to wash.
"You're popular," whispered Taro with a small laugh.
"My mother keeps wanting to give her staff to me," I said. "Which, now with the knowe fully opened, I really should get more people to work for me, but I think my mom just wants me to allow her to move in one day when she no longer wants her knowe."
"Hasn't she thought of giving up her knowe to your sister? Or Jasper?"
"She tried. Opal failed miserably. Almost sunk this place into a shallowing again. Jasper doesn't want any responsibility that doesn't allow him to be at a chemistry set every day, which is why he stays with me."
"Because you let him," added Taro.
"Because I let him," I agreed.
One of the Hobs, Durk who was at my place earlier, spotted me and came over to me. He gave me a large smile.
"Hey, Durk," I said. "Have you seen my mother or my sister?"
"Countess Diamond was getting ready for the party up in her room with your father," said Durk. "Opal went up there a few minutes ago." He frowned. "She didn't look so happy."
"Yeah, I know that reason," I said. "Thank you."
My mother had a spiral staircase that led up to her room. It was the only room up on the second floor. My bedroom used to be up there back when I was a child. It was empty now. I'm not even sure if it still exists. The knowe works in some strange ways, so I wouldn't be surprised if the bedroom was moved downstairs in order to be with the other spare rooms.
The door to my parents' bedroom was slightly ajar.
"Mom? Dad? Opal?" I called out.
Something didn't feel right. No one was answering me. Taro held on to my arm tightly as I approached the door. I called out once more. No answer again. I wasn't sure what to do now. So, I pushed the door open all the way.
Taro tried to pull me away before I saw, but the image burned in my mind before he could. Bloody footprints leading from the bed. My father's throat slit. An iron knife shoved deep into my mother's back. I did the only thing I could think of doing.
I screamed.