April Witch - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Stella
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 10

There was nothin’ livin’ in the house but flame, but there were no bodies either. Never knew it was possible ta be happy an’ sad at the same time. Figured then that the least Ah could do was put out the fire. Bein’ near the river made it easy an’ Julien helped, movin’ almost faster than Ah could see.

“You a mutant too?” Ah panted once we were done. For the first time since Ah’d gotten the powers Ah felt exhausted, like Ah could lie down an’ sleep for a year, no problem.

“Not exactly,” he said. Ah looked at him, expectin’ him ta elaborate, but he looked away.

“Sorry, Ah know how it can be a sensitive issue. If ya don’t wanna talk ‘bout it...”

Julien shook his head violently. “Dat’s not it. De powers are complicated...family. Y’ should ask Remy...ask him ‘bout Candra. Mebbe he’ll explain. I can’t. It’s not my place.”

“When I was a little girl, my friend’s house burned down. We were living on the far side of the island then and my whole family slept in the rubble to keep looters away. Her family was there too and we all sat on top of the ashes that used to be her house and cooked beans in a can and tried to pretend like everything was going to be okay. My mom was still alive then and she stayed up all night and sang that song I loved about the cannibal king and the dusty maid. All night long so I wouldn’t be scared.” The words came over a long distance an’ when Ah was done Ah couldn’t remember what Ah’d said.

Julien looked concerned, like he wanted ta touch me, ta snap me out of it, because that’s what people do ta show each other they care, don’t they? They touch. In little ways, the brush o’ hands or a tap on the cheek. The memory wasn’t mine, but Ah could smell the wet ashes an’ taste the metallic bite o’ the canned beans. “The cannibal king with the big brass ring fell in love with the dusty maid, and every night by the pale moonlight across the lake he came.” Jenny was in my head, but it wasn’t like before. How could anyone live inside another person’s head, really? She was becomin’ less distinct. Her memories were lyin’ on top o’ mine like a blanket. Maybe it was only a matter o’ time before Ah couldn’t tell which were hers and which were mine. Maybe they were all mine.

Ah looked at the house. Only part o’ it was ruined. “Who was your father talkin’ to on the phone the other night?”

“Don’t know.”

“I do.”

Julien seemed t’ jump a foot in de air. “How long y’ been dere, Bella?”

My ears pricked at the name. Ah turned ta look, only ta find myself bein’ scrutinized. “Long ‘nough t’ know you two are up a creek. Dey took dem away, y’know. Two men.”

Julien seemed ta back away from Bella. He was openin’ and closin’ his fists as if his hands were itchin ta do somethin’. Ah remembered what he’d told me ‘bout lovin’ her and Ah shivered. Poor Bella. Poor Julien. “An’ y’ didn’t try t’ stop dem?”

“What d’you expect me t’ do, Julien? I’m one person an’ dere were two of dem. Dey put dem all into a van and drove east.” Then she seemed ta get over her anger. She reached out an’ patted Julien on the cheek. He started back as if he’d been stung. “Discretion’s de better part of valor, right?” That’s when she set her sights on me again. She was a lovely thing, small and strong with thick blonde hair an’ bright blue eyes. Her skin seemed ta glow in the last embers of the fire. It was as if all the beauty in the city had concentrated ta make this one girl. Ah’ll be honest an’ say that my heart sank a little ta meet her. Ah’d been hopin’ Ah could hate her, but she seemed friendly. The eyes that met mine weren’t evil, they weren’t even mean. “Y’ must be Rogue.”

Ah smoothed my hands over my hips. “Lucky guess?”

Bella laughed, white teeth flashin’. “Remy told me ‘bout you. I was hoping t’ meet you, under better circumstances, of course. Did you get de presents?” My mouth fell open. Embarassin’ ta admit that it mighta stayed that way for a while. Ah tried ta talk, but nothin’ came out. “Hope y’ don’t mind.” Ah think she was blushin’ a little. “It’s not that Remy wasn’t thinkin’ ‘bout you, just dat he had a lot t’ do wit Etienne’s Tilling an’ Jean-Luc.” She’d lost me at Etienne, but Ah didn’t want ta admit it. Didn’t want ta seem like a small part o’ Remy’s life in front o’ this girl who obviously knew him so well. That’s because they were engaged. Ah was able ta ignore the nagging voice in the back o’ my head. Ah could see how everyone down here seemed ta be trapped inside family obligations like bugs in amber. Bella forged ahead. “We had a long talk at the café when he first got back. He kept talkin’ ‘bout where he’d take you if you were here. Not fawning or anything, but I kept wishin’ he’d taken de time wit’ me.” She sighed. “Remy’s not one t’ make idle plans. I was just helping.”

“Ah don’t mind,” Ah assured her. The thing was, Ah did mind, but there was no way ta tell Bella that and not hurt her feelin’s. Words an’ deeds aren’t the same thing by a long shot. Ah returned my attention ta the mangled house. “Ah’ve got an idea that the person who did this is the same one your father was talkin’ to.”

“How you figure dat?” Bella asked.

Ah ticked the points off on my fingers. “Julien said that your father was negotiating for the future o’ the Guilds, that he wanted you an’ Remy ta get married.”

“Remy an’ I aren’t interested in being married.”

“Right. Scare tactics. This is another way for that person ta get power.”

Bella shuddered. “Even de Assassins t’ink twice ‘bout messin’ wit’ de Pig.”

“Ah don’t wanna think twice. Once ya show me where he is, Ah’ll go by myself if Ah have ta.” Ah looked over ta find Bella watchin’ me with a cryptic look on her face. “What?”

“Now I see it.”

“See what?”

“Why Remy loves you so much.”

His hands, his lips, his eyes. His skin. My skin. The sheets tangled. Which thoughts were mine an’ which were Jenny’s? How could Ah know if Ah loved him if Ah couldn’t even keep him straight in my own mind? “He said that?” Ah whispered.

“Doesn’t have t’.”

Ah wondered ‘bout that. “Who was the other man?”

Bella wrinkled her forehead. “He seemed familiar too. Mebbe...I only ever saw him once and dat was only for a second...he looked almost like De Antiquary.” She directed the last part o’ this at Julien who turned pale.

“You okay?” Ah asked him.

“No,” he said honestly. Then he shook his head. “Rogue, I hope y’ won’t take dis de wrong way, but I t’ink you’d better just go home.”