That was when the tears started.”He doesn’t want me either.”
Tori set her phone to block all the numbers of the so-called “family” that made Rhy’din their home, including her twin, and she burst out of Betty’s home. She felt guilt about lying to the woman who was always kind, but she felt like she could not stay! She needed to be away from all the people who made her feel as though she did not belong anywhere. It was easier to give her a head start by telling the middle-aged woman that she was heading back to watch the last match of the tournament and then leave.”You forfeit your right to tell me what to do when you gave me up.”
She had never felt like she belonged before. Indigo and Coehn were terrible to her and, because of the trauma, her shyness made it difficult for those at school to get to know her. When she went, that is. She never finished high school because of her mental health and constant black eyes.
Then, when she finally killed Coehn, escaping to Rhy’din with a burst of anxious powers she realized she could find her sibling! Those brief moments with Mik at first were like a puzzle piece fitting together and, yet, as time went on Tori started to feel as if it wasn’t quite right. Like her piece belonged somewhere else.
Then she spent some time with her dad and that puzzle piece started to fit again.
… and two days after that, he shattered her heart by telling her he never wanted to see her again.
“What is the point?!” She cried out to herself as she sat with her back to the Eastbridge, her small body hidden in the shadows there so any driving car would not see her hiding. “Why would I even try to stay?”
“Where else would you go?” Her oldest brother’s voice asked her, the haunting sound ringing out to her. There was no form to see, yet Tori knew the voice well.
“Felix! Mystaria, maybe? Meet our sister? Become a princess?” She sounded so sad, so lost.
“Unfortunately, Tori, the nature of what you are prevents you from ever going there. The same happened to our mother when she became what she is. Besides, given what you wear around your neck, you would create danger for her!” The ghostly voice held so much warning and admonishment for the little demon girl. “You cannot retrieve your past, but you can make the best of your future. You need to make the choice to do so.”
Tori did not understand and she did not have a chance to ask him about it. His comforting presence was gone as a set of lights flashed near the entrance to the bridge. The crunching of the ground beneath the tires came to a halt and the sound of a door opening could be heard over the engine of the car and shoes could now be heard clicking to the edge and then jumping down to the ground where Tori sat.
It was her mother.
Tori winced, hiding into herself, waiting for a blow to come that never would.
“Sweetheart?” The accented alto voice asked and Tori could feel the power of that voice. “Avitoria, darling, please talk to me?”
The errant child pulled her knees tighter to her chest and rested a chin on them. “There is nothing to say, mom. Dad doesn’t want me, Mathian doesn’t want me, you have baby me, and Mik, and Mari! Why do you need me?”
“I need you and I want you in my life.” She took a slow half-step forward that immediately halted when she saw Tori flinch. “I planned for you, Tori. I was healed to ensure Viktor and I could create you and your sibling was a bonus effect of that healing. Mathian and I treasure Marishka just as much as Viktor and I treasure you.” With a pause, she glanced out toward the water that separated the two districts of the city. “He is frantically worried about you.”
A snort! “Yeah, right, whatever you say,” the sass was thick with her pain. “He told me he was done with me.”
Sylista moved to kneel on the ground the distance away, and started drawing out the map that she used to make at Seaside when the weather was warmer. There were no names on this one, though a single spot had a question mark in the air. “You blocked his number... you blocked all of us. How would you know?”
“I… I guess?” A beat. “You didn’t see what he said!”
Sylista chuckled, shrugging. “I did, actually. He sent me the images he saved from your conversation. You come by your overreaction and theatrics naturally, believe me. I may have done a similar thing to Mathian once and he had to sniff me out.”
“You really mean it, mom?”
“I do, Tori. I truly do. Will you come home now? Mik and Haru are at Betty’s drinking coffee and eating cookies.” The Flameweaver sounded hopeful and it broke Tori’s heart.
“I can’t. Not yet. I need to think…” Tori moved her chin from her knees and rested her forehead there instead.
“I understand,” Sylista replied before making a sharp whistle sound. The door of the Ford Grenada that sat on the bridge opened and then slammed shut. Shoes crunching turned to silence immediately before a brown wolf padded to where Tori sat, flopping down on the ground beside her. “I cannot force you to come home in my current state, though I do not believe myself capable of forcing you to do anything, anyway. Either way, Tori, Edward is going to stay with you until you are prepared to return.” Tori looked up to watch her return to standing. “Be safe, my dear. Consider removing the restrictions from who can contact you, please.”
Tori made a noise of agreement as she watched her mother walk away toward the bridge and then sighed, looking at the wolf. “I guess I better, huh?” The wolf just snorted at her and watched her with his golden eyes. “Fiiiiiiiiiine.” She moved to stand. “Let’s go find Betty, Spot! Coffee and cookies doesn’t sound terrible right now. I can think while we walk.” A beat. “Please don’t tell mom I call you that. She won’t let us hang out anymore and I’ll get the grumpy one. Fido!”