Chapter 83

Chapter 83

It smelled funny in here. Not fishy like the men who took me away from Daddy. But like someone was wearing too much perfume.

And flowers. There were too many flowers.

I sneezed.

Voices were talking around me. Then someone patted me on the head.

“Oh, darling, you’re awake!” a lady said.

I didn’t like her already. She sounded like she didn’t mean what she was saying. Like the governess when I made her a mud pie

“Where’s Daddy? Where’s Mama?” I asked.

“Daddy went on a little trip,” the lying lady said to me, patting my head again. “But Mama is here.”

I swiveled my head, but I did not smell Mama.

“Where?” I asked.

“Right here, pumpkin,” one of the other voices said. The bed tilted, and someone who didn’t smell like Mama took me in her arms.

She sounded a lot like Mama, though.

“Daddy was keeping me away from my real husband. That’s not very nice, is it?” the lady they said was Mama cooed at me. “But don’t worry, I found you a new daddy.”

“Hi, litle one.” A man took my hands. “I’m your new daddy. You can call me Uncle Jasper.”

I scowled. “I don’t want a new daddy. I want MY daddy. And I want him right now!”

“Pumpkin,” the lady who sounded like Mama said, sounding like she was losing her patience. “Daddy was very, very bad. Grandpa will explain.”

“Grandpa?” I echoed, wrinkling my nose. “Grandpa is dead.”

The lady they said was Mama patted my head. Everyone was patting my head. I didn’t like it. “No, no, pumpkin, your other grandpa. My father.”

“Yes, your daddy was very, very bad. He took Mama away from us,” an older man said.

I dodged his hand before he could pat my head, too. “I don’t believe you.”

The one they said was Mama sighed. “Mary-

“Margot,” an older female voice whispered.

-Margot, now, don’t be difficult. We’re telling you the truth now. Your daddy has been lying to you. But we’re so glad you’re home.” She hugged me.

I sneezed again. Lavender. “You’re wearing too much perfume.”

Uncle Jasper snickered.

The one they called Mama took in a sharp breath, her nails digging into me. “Marnie-”

“Margot,” my grandpa coughed.

-Margot, that’s very rude to say,” fake Mama said.

I knew she was fake. “It’s true. Mama would never wear so much perfume. She doesn’t stink.”

Uncle Jasper burst out laughing.

I felt a swish of air near my cheek. “Why, you little-!”

“Hera-er-Isla!” the older woman said.

Something had happened near my face, as there was a smacking sound in the air.

“Don’t hit the brat,” Uncle Jasper said in a low tone.

But I could hear him. “Mama would never hit me. And Daddy would never call me a brat.”

“Then stop being one!” fake Mama snapped.

I folded my arms. “If you’re my mama,” I challenged, “sing me our song.

“Our… what now?” fake mama said.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, just sing her something the older woman grumped.

Fake Mama sighed. “Uh…”

“There once was a prince from Moonrose,

Who had no socks on his toes….

I shook my head vehemently. “That’s not our song. You’re not Mama.”

“My-My memory isn’t good. Let me try another one…” fake Mama said.

I shook my head again. “I want to go home. Take me home.”

“Honey,” the older woman said, and the bed tilted again. Now she was on the other side. “This is your grandma. I promise everything we’re telling you is true. Mama’s got a bad memory, that’s all. Daddy took her away and cursed her and-

I smacked her hand away when she tried patting me again. “I want to go home! I want to go home!”

Margot!” The older man’s voice boomed loudly in my cars.

I stopped yelling. He was really, really loud.

“Now, Uncle Jasper here is supposed to be your daddy. He always was supposed to be your daddy. But your daddy took you away from us. We missed you, and we love you. You’re home now. This is home,” Grandpa said.

“This isn’t home! I want to go home! You’re all liars!” I shouted. I kicked fake Mama and

the older woman.

“An alise, darling, are you alright?” Grandpa asked.

“Ugh. What an awful, ugly little snipe. Only Isla could have produced such a wretched child,” An alise said. ”

“We should just lock her up. I don’t know why we bothered being nice in the first place,”

fake Mama sniffed

I wriggled away from her but fell over the side of the bed. My head knocked against the wall. “Ouch!”

“She’s unbelievably defiant!” fake Mama snickered. “Look at that. Ugh. I can’t believe we’re related.”

I couldn’t help it. The strange place. The strange people. My aching head. I burst into

lears.

“Oh. Goddess! What next?” Uncle Jasper groaned.

Someone grabbed my wrist and hauled me back up onto the bed.

“Listen here!” Grandpa bellowed in my face. His breath smelled like old coffee. “You stop all this crying and carrying on, and you act like a civilized child, or you will get the sp anking of your life. Do I make myself clear?!”

Scared, I just cried harder.

“Ashlar, really,” An alise said. “You’re just upsetting the girl.”

“I’ll give her something to be upset about,” Grandpa replied.

My world tilted, and then I was on my belly across someone’s lap.

I cried and cried, then screamed when someone smacked me hard on the backside.

“Do you want another one?!” Grandpa growled.

I was terrified. My whole b*dy tingled.

“What the hell is happening?” Uncle Jasper asked.

“She’s shifting!” fake Mama gasped.

Suddenly, my eyes could see. At least, I thought this was seeing. There were figures in front of my face, and I knew they were there without touching or smelling them.

I was a lot smaller, too.

“How can she possibly shift? She’s far too young!” An alise said.

I clawed my way off of Grandpa’s lap. He yelped when my new, long nails dug through his pants and into his skin.

“For Goddess’s sake, GRAB her, Jasper!” fake Mama cried, making a grab for me herself.

I ducked her hand and Uncle Jasper’s, weaving my way through people’s legs. There was an open door, and I bolted through it.

Ashlar, Jasper, go after her!” An alise said.

I jumped over crumbling rocks of what I smelled was a castle. At least, it had that same kind of stony smell that home did. Only home was not as strong-smelling of mildew and moss, and it wasn’t falling apart.

Snarls erupted behind me, and I squeaked, my voice unrecognizable in my own ears.

A heavy door was leaning on its side at the bottom of a wide staircase, and I wriggled

under it.

Jaws snapped right by my leg, but I got out before they caught me.

Roars of frustration erupted into the air as I made for the woods. I could hear them trying to move the door.

I dove into the green underbrush of the woods.

“Daddy!” I cried, trying to find him. It came out as a bark, which startled me.

I started to cry again, and it came out as little whimpers. “Daddy!” I shouted again.

But he wasn’t there.