giant snake with an open mouth, scaly skin, and venomous fangs, waiting outside to swallow her. She leapt back and slammed the door shut. After that, she retreated into the corner of the living room, cowering behind the sofa. That’s when the banging started, like she’s trying to bang the images out of her head.
I feel sort of bad for her. I know from my own personal experience that it’s terrifying to see snakes everywhere and to have my mind invaded. Nevertheless, I need to know why Helena wanted the pendant. Besides, I think I’m starting to lose my mind a little bit, maybe because of my grief or maybe it’s from the hate I feel toward Helena, but for some bizarre reason, pity, guilt, and shame just aren’t working for me at the moment, like I’ve completely disconnected from the world and reality.
Snapping my fingers, I make the crawling snakes vanish from Nalina’s thoughts and walk over to the sofa.
She’s trembling from head-to-toe and tears stream down her cheeks, soaking her face and the collar of her shirt. “Please, Gemma,” she begs me. “Please, don’t torture me anymore. I can’t take it… it’s hurting my head.”
I squat down beside her, wanting to feel bad—searching for it deep inside me—but I’m numb. “Okay, I’ll stop, on one condition. You have to tell me the truth. No more bull crap lies about not knowing anything.” My voice does not sound like it belongs to me; it sounds strong and confident.
She takes a breath through her nose and releases it from her quivering lips. “Okay, I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” She wipes the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand, then stands up, running her fingers through her hair, trying to compose herself. “I just need to sit down for a moment.”
Nodding, I follow her to the sofa in the middle of the room and we have a seat on opposing sides. It’s quiet for a minute and I can hear the tick of the clock, the song of the wind, the shouting of some dude nearby who really wants to, “Chillax.”
“What happened to you, Gemma? You have become quite ruthless.” Her eyes are full of animosity. “If I didn’t know better, I would think that Helena might still be inside of you.”
“She’s not,” I tell her, crossing my legs and studying the window across from us. It’s getting dark, the stars are out. The day’s coming to an end. The day everything came to an end. “This is just who I am now, I guess.” Shaking my head, I clear the thoughts and shoot her an impatient look. “Start talking.”
She sits up straight and, covering her mouth with her hand, she clears her throat. “I was telling the truth when I said the Cornu Lepore was given to me by Luna when I was a child, I just left out a few of the details. I promise that my intent with all this has always been to protect you, even though it may not seem like it.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Sure, whatever you say.”
She glares at me. “My mother taking me to see Luna was a one-time event. It was the only time I was allowed to go to the Fairie Realm. My mother told me I was never supposed to go back—that it was too much of a risk and that the Empress could end up being discovered.
“Even though our meeting was short, Luna managed to pull me aside while my mother was distracted by some Sprites. Luna told me that I was special and I deserved something special. She told me to hide the pendant from my mother and that she was never supposed to find out I had it. I did what I was told and I don’t even know why. Luna didn’t know I’d never be allowed to return to the Fey Realm and she became bitter toward Nalini. Honestly, she just became bitter towards everything.” She crosses her legs and adjusts her skirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. “I think it’s one of the reasons why she wants to conquer the world… because the Cornu Lepore proves that I’m from royal blood and, if I were to go to the Faerie Realm, the Fey would have to respect that I could rule over them, even though I’m not full Fey.”
Reaching into my pocket, I take out the Cornu Lepore. I thread it through my fingers and hold it up