In the Shadows (10 page)

              “Just call her when we get to the Castle and explain that you hurt yourself.”

              “It won’t matter.” I feel like I might start to cry, “It’s probably already too late. She’s never going to forgive me and –oh crap! I’m such an idiot! I’m late for work too! Oh my God.” And I thought getting my head split open was enough adventure for this lousy day, but no, apparently my crappy day was just going to get worse.

              “This is my fault. I’m sorry, Lark. I shouldn’t have asked you to come.”

              “I didn’t have to say yes…”

              I wonder if he hadn’t texted me in the middle of the night when I was half-asleep and disoriented if I would’ve made better choices. Too late now I suppose and I don’t want to be mad at Jacoby on top of everything else.

              “I just need to get the theater as soon as possible. Maybe the day doesn’t have to be a total bust.”

              When I walk into the theater full of reasonably believable excuses, and the seven staples in my head to prove it, for being over three hours late and with every intention of begging my manager’s forgiveness, I’m immediately summoned into David’s office and fired on the spot. Apparently, a trip to the Emergency Room isn’t a valid enough excuse for being a ‘no-call, no show’, especially when there are stacks of applications from people willing to work through the pain and blood for any opportunity of working at this
fine establishment
.

              I never thought that turning in my popcorn-smelling ugly maroon vest would be so depressing.

              I’m honestly surprised I didn’t cry.

              “I don’t really want to go home yet,” I tell Jacoby. “Let’s just go to the castle.”

              “Okay,” he agrees. I think he still feels guilty for everything that happened today and I’m not really doing or saying anything to make him feel better. I’m too lost in my own thoughts to really bother with anything else. I just want to curl up and go to sleep and hope that tomorrow is a better day.

              I send a text to my mom telling her I was staying at Hannah’s. She doesn’t know that Hannah isn’t speaking to me.  

              When we get to the castle, Freya is waiting in my room. “Are you okay, Mia?”

              Despite the crappiness that has been my day, it makes me smile to hear her call me Mia instead of princess. It only took four months.

              “Yeah, I’ll be okay. Just ready for this day to be over,” I tell her.

              “Your father asked me to inform him as soon as you arrived here. I’ll go let him know and I’ll be right back with some food for you.” She curtsies and before she can close the door, Grey walks in.

              Jacoby fills him in on everything while I lay down on my bed. I have to lie on my side since the back of my head’s still tender.

              “It’s not so bad,” Grey tries to reassure me,               “Though I wonder if David will regret his decision when he discovers I will not be returning to work either.”

              “Eh, the movie theater always has a stack of applications. It probably won’t even faze him.”

              “It’s still not right,” Jacoby says scowling. “You still had your wrist band on from the ER, he knew you weren’t lying. He didn’t have to be such an asshole.”

              “Honestly, it’s not like I’d be able to continue working there much longer anyway, you know?”

              “Still. It’s not fair.” Jacoby stares out the balcony window with an uncharacteristic scowl on his face, which is the last thing I see before drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Twelve

             
I
wake up to the sun streaming in through the window of my room at Álfheimr, the memory of the day before still fresh in my mind. I dress for the day in a casual dress that is suitable for breakfast with Alberico but that isn’t too formal to wear back home so that I can leave right after breakfast. Mom will probably expect me home before noon.

              I use a hand mirror and the large vanity in my bathroom to examine the seven staples on the back of my skull. The line is jagged, the silver staples standing out among the darkness of the dried blood. It’s still tender to the touch so I leave my hair down and loose, just carefully brushing the ends to get the tangles out.

              When I make it down to the dining room, the mile-long mahogany wood table is occupied by only Alberico and a handful of other Light Elves, including Grey, all of whom I recognize from his council.

              “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I tell Alberico.

              “Don’t apologize,” he reassures me. “You have every right to be a part of this.”

              He gestures for me to sit down.

              “Are you sure?” I ask. Being around the council still makes me a little nervous. “I can always eat at home.”

              “Nonsense. I’ve seen the kind of breakfast food you consume when at home. Please, join us.”

              “Okay.”

              “Make room for the princess,” Finnegan tells one of the Light Elves, who I think is called Regan, who obliges by offering up his seat. Finnegan smiles at me and I’m kind of shocked since I don’t think he’s ever done that before. Usually all I get from him are curt nods, the occasional glare, and of course, avoidance. But now that I think about it, he has seemed to warm up to me since that night I unknowingly led an impromptu attack on the Dark Elves. It was his idea after all to provide more protection for me while in the mortal world.

              When I first met him, I really thought he despised me. But here he is smiling at me in a reassuring way that makes me think that maybe he approves of me being here after all, as though eating breakfast with the council members is proof that I’m willing to take a more active interest in the running of the castle and that nothing would make him happier. Perhaps he just needed to get to know me better. Maybe he finally realizes that I’m not planning to take the throne away from him and Isobel. Who knows? Whatever the reasoning behind his change of heart, at least he’s being nice to me now. 

              I have little desire to be responsible for an entire kingdom. I can’t manage to keep a plant alive which is why my mom has never even allowed me to have a pet goldfish. There’s no way I’d ever be able to keep an entire group of people alive and thriving.

              Not to mention the fact that my father will probably outlive me and even if he doesn’t, Isobel is a million times more suitable for the throne than I am and everyone knows it.

              “Should we at least make an effort to form an alliance with the Móh'rhím? If the Dökkálfar attack, having the extra reinforcement would prove beneficial,” Finnegan offers.

              “Yes, but you know how impossible they are. I can’t recall the last time we were able to get into contact with Herdis.”

              “Princess, what do you think?”

              I’m so startled that Finnegan is asking my opinion about something that I nearly choke on the chunk of apple scone I just bit off.

              “What do I think about what?” I ask once I’ve stopped coughing. A few of the other Light Elves look just as shocked as I feel, on the other hand, Alberico seems pleased and mildly curious as to how I’m going to answer.

              “Do you think it would be in the best interest of the castle to enlist outside help to aid for the fight against the Dökkálfar?”

              “Like who?”

              A few of the Light Elves exchange an amused look at my obvious ignorance which makes me blush. I’m not used to feeling this idiotic but when it comes to this world, I’m not exactly well-informed. I hate feeling like this so I think about his question for a moment before giving him my answer, “I suppose it would be beneficial to us, but would it be in the other kingdoms’ best interest to get involved in our battles? Wouldn’t it just end up causing them harm? Is that really fair?”

              “Very good point, my dear.” Alberico seems impressed with my answer. “Can we really ask others to put themselves in that position?”

              I eat the rest of my breakfast in silence, listening to the council give updates to Alberico about things I obviously know nothing about before making my excuses to leave.

              I’ll be back later on in the day but first I need to go home and check in with my mom.

              I transport into my bedroom like I always do but something is off. Everything is exactly where I left it but it’s not quite right. It’s as though someone has been rummaging through my room, careful not to really disturb anything but I still pick up on the vague signs of disturbance.

              And that’s when I notice the yellow tape across my open bedroom door.

              What is going on?

              I hear strange voices coming from the living room. Hesitantly, I make my way downstairs.  My mom and Paul are seated on the couch talking to two police officers, a balding man with a potbelly, and an attractive young female with dark brown hair pulled back in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. Worry is etched in every line of their faces and their hands clutched together for support.

              I’m guessing my Mom tried calling me at Hannah’s. Crap.

              “What was she wearing the last time you saw her?”

              “Um,” Mom looks to Paul for support, tears pooling in her eyes. “Pajamas I guess. I saw her Friday night before I went to bed.”

              “So she’s been missing since Friday?”

              “No, I mean. I don’t think so. I didn’t see her when I woke up Saturday but she was supposed to be helping out at cheerleading tryouts so I didn’t think anything of it since she had to be there at 6am. Then I got a text from her later in the day saying she was going to spend the night at her friend Hannah’s.”

              “Has she been having any problems at school?” The bald officer asks, as the pretty female cop continues to write down everything my mom is saying.

              “No, of course not. She’s never even been sent to detention, but, well—”

              “Well what?”

              “She did skip school last week,” Mom answers reluctantly.

              “Has she ever done that before?”

              “No, not that I’m aware of.”

              “Is she romantically involved with someone?”

              “Yes, a boy named Jacoby Dahl.”

              “Mom?” The sound of my voice catches them off guard and after an initial moment of shock she rushes towards me. “What’s going on?”

              “Oh. Mia! We were so worried! Where have you been? I thought that something had happened to you. With the news and everything. Oh thank God you are okay.” She sobs, alternating between squeezing me tightly and holding me at an arm’s length as if to make sure I am really here.

              “Ma’am, I assume this is your daughter?” the female officer asks.

              “Yes,” she answers the cop before turning to me. “Where did you come from?”

              “Um,” I start to explain, but under the watchful eye of the officer I’m a little intimidated.

              “Mia, my name is Officer Drake, this is my partner Officer Knox. We’d like to ask you a few questions,” the bald officer says.

              “Okay.”

              “Are you hurt?”

              I shook my head no.

              “Where have you been?”

              I stare at him silently trying to figure out what I’m going to say because I guarantee if I tell the truth I’ll be locked up immediately in a mental institution but I’ve never been all that great of a liar.

              “I, um,” I start.

              “We know you weren’t at Hannah’s. I tried calling over there this morning to see if you could stop to get some milk on your way home.” Mom looks more concerned than mad that I obviously lied to her. “Just tell us the truth. Were you with Jacoby?”

              And even though I don’t want to give her any reason to distrust him after he worked so hard to win her over, I know that I don’t have any other choice. If I don’t give them an answer pretty quick, it’s just going to end badly for me so I go with it.

              “Yes,” I blow out a gush of air. “I was with Jacoby.”

              Mom sucks a breath in before blurting out, “Are you guys having sex?”

              “No! God, Mom no! Are you serious? No, I’m not having sex,” I stammer in embarrassment. How could she even think that? And why would she ask me that in front of these people I don’t even know?

              “I’m sorry, but I had to ask. It’s okay if you are. I mean, of course I’d prefer that you waited until you were older, preferably married….or at least thirty but I know that’s not realistic. So if you are, I just want to make sure you’re being safe. Are you being safe?”

              “Mom! We are NOT having sex. Oh my God, I seriously cannot believe we are even having this conversation.”

              “What were you doing then?” Officer Drake asks.

              “Nothing, I was late to work and I got fired. I was upset so I went over to his house to hang out because I was too embarrassed to come home and tell you. I knew you’d freak out that we were unsupervised so I lied. I was planning on coming home but I fell asleep. That’s it.” I emphasize the whole ‘that’s it’ part for my mom.

              Officer Drake eyes me closely before whispering something to Officer Knox. Officer Knox nods and puts away her notebook. Officer Drake then reminds me of the importance of communication so that I don’t cause my mother any unnecessary worry resulting in her filing a missing person’s report.

              “Especially these days. We aren’t sure who is responsible, but it seems that they are targeting kids your age. So be careful, okay?”

              I nod and my mom thanks him for his time and Paul walks them to the door. Mom then turns her attention back to me and begins her tirade.