Читать книгу The Falling of the Stars - Lina Fischer - Страница 13

Clarity

“What do you mean they still exist?»

“Don’t you understand? Why he came to get you? Why you were able to scare him off?”

“But how?” I was getting more and more confused.

“You have special powers. You are not ordinary,” he said with proud eyes.

“Dad what are you implying?” I asked, trying to get everything sorted out in my head.

“Tell me, Astoria, have you noticed anything strange in the last few days?” he questioned.

I remembered the headaches I had, the strange feeling in my chest and the change of colour in my eyes. “Yes, I have,” I answered.

“Now tell me, what colour did your eyes change to?” he asked.

I only remembered snippets of the moment that I noticed the change. The only thing I saw was my eyes having the same colour of the night sky with stars.

“They were like the night sky, with sparkles like stars,” I answered him. His eyebrows shot up.

I saw him looking over at Eden, remembering that he was in the room as well. They exchanged a glance, and I could tell that Dad had given him a signal.

“Dad, what does that mean?” I asked.

“Don’t worry honey, you’re safe here. Please go rest in your room, I’m sure you have much to process,” and with that said, he left the room after Eden.

I wasn’t ready to leave my mother and I took her hand in mine and just sat there for a few minutes trying to find a real explanation for what just had happened.

“Mom, I wish you were here. I feel so alone. I wish you would’ve told me the truth; that’s what I deserved as your daughter. Why did you lie to me?” I whispered into her cold hair as the tears came streaming down my face as I got more and more frustrated.

I stayed next to her until morning came, and with it people to move her. I took one last glance at the woman who raised me.

On the way to my room, I came across some portraits of my mother and me. It had been our tradition to take a picture on my birthday every year. Suddenly a memory came flooding back:

“Astoria! Hurry up, before we take the photo I’d like to give you something,” she said joyfully, handing me a beautiful necklace with a star on it.

“Mom, it’s absolutely breath-taking, where did you get it?” I asked as I put the necklace on.

“Let’s say it belonged to a very special person that wanted me to give you this on your sixteenth birthday,” she said.

“Well, tell that person that I absolutely love this necklace and I will never take it off,” I said happily.

“Now ladies, are you ready for your big photoshoot?” the photographer asked with a big smile on his face.

“Yes, we are,” we both said, and laughed.

“Now say Happy Birthday Astoria!” he exclaimed as he took a photo.

The flash brought me back to reality as I realised that I instinctively held onto my necklace, which felt cold against my skin.

I heard footsteps approaching and saw that Eden was walking towards me. “Did you know?” I asked him, furious.

“What do you mean?” he said with a questioning look on his face.

“Did you know that I’m a lighter?” I exclaimed.

“I am sorry Astor–”

“So you knew the whole time and you never told me?” I interrupted him angrily.

“I wasn’t allowed to, it was for your own safety,” he said.

“Well look where that got us! I just can’t believe you lied to my face like that for so long,” I said, shaking my head. I felt the exhaustion in my eyes as I looked at the person I once knew best. “I feel like I don’t know who you are anymore. Why are you always on their side and never on mine?”

“I care about you, that’s why, and because I know what risks come with knowing the truth!”

I felt like I was on the edge of discovering another secret. “Eden…are you a lighter as well?” I asked him, intrigued.

He sighed. “Yes, I am, and that’s why we’re going to the academy in the north; they’ll teach you how to use your power and everything you need to know about it.”

“When do we leave?” I asked.

“Right now, the staff already packed everything you need, come on.” He dragged me to the giant front door which led to the palace garden.

I shivered at the cold breeze on my skin and wished I had my cardigan with me. Lost in thought, I laid my eyes on the car that was waiting at the front gate.

We made our way through the garden that I had spent so many afternoons reading books in, and soon we came to a stop as we arrived at the front gate.

I saw Dad talking with the driver and mentally prepared to say goodbye to him.

“Astoria, never forget, I love you more than anything, and you can always come back if you want to,” he said as he hugged me tight.

“I love you too Dad, may we meet again.”

He took a step back and opened the door for me.

I stepped into the car and Eden joined me soon after. The chauffeur started driving as I tried to get my head around everything that happened.

Not soon after we left our kingdom, with so many questions left unanswered.