Twin's Luck by Kelsey Hunsdon (great novels txt) 📕

entered. A group of fey dressed in suits were behind her. She could not hide all of her shock when she saw me and one of the suited men whispered in her ear. She sat on the throne an they surrounded me poking and prodding at me. They touched my head but I didn't feel any of it. I had to force my eyes to stay open. Then out of nowhere a voice came into the room.
" Mother the-." It cut of short as Ash stopped a few steps into the room. "I'll come back." Then he realized who I was and he stopped again.
" No stay, we are almost done here." His face was agony but he forced himself to stay composed. He went and stood by her throne. When they were done they left the room after one whispered in her ear again.
" You are not healthy enough for the implant Destiny, not quite as healthy as your brother was." She sighed in what appeared to be irritation. "Either you start eating again or die. The choice is yours." It took me several times to clear my throat and I watched the back of Ash's head as he was refusing to look at me.
" I would rather die." I coughed it out and Ash's eyes snapped to my face. They were intense and wide with fear, almost panic.
" Hmm. I can see why, such a waste." She thought for a moment.
" But not yet, you will serve one last purpose before you are gone." She waved her hand and the guards took me away and I met Ash's eyes one last time before the doors closed. They brought me back to the dungeon, and the next morning they were there again. They brought me to a wash room where a fey washed my boney body. I couldn't look at myself without being sick and I never let go of the sword. They brushed my hair out but that only made the rest fall out. I glanced in the mirror and was shocked. My grey eyes were still the same but the skin around them was wrinkled and sagged. I had purple bags under my eyes and my head as completely bald now. They put me in a dress that would have fit a 5 year old, but with my new body it fit loosely. They scrubbed the dried blood from my knees until they were nearly raw. Then they placed me in a wheelchair in a dark room, the sword across my lap. I heard the music for the ball and after what seemed like forever a guard was there. The ball was almost over and no one was dancing. Oberon was not looking my way until they dumped my body in the middle of the empty dance floor. I didn't have the energy to stand so I merely hung onto my sword.
" Your daughter Oberon." I heard Mab say behind me. I raised my head for a moment to take in their expressions. Oberon's was hard, but Tatiana's seemed almost in shock, she hid it well. The last set of eyes that I found were Puck's. He was standing in his usual spot but he seemed lost, like an empty shell. He met my eyes and I saw him girp a table to stay standing. His knees wobbled uncontrollably and I let my head drop back to the ground.
" That is no child of mine." Oberon's voice rang out and I used the last of my strength to glance up again. "Both of my children died that day." He said it alittle quieter but he met my eyes this time. He motioned to his council and they dissapeared without a backwards glance. They dragged Puck along. I let my head hit the floor and I saw stars for a moment. That may have stung if I had any feeling left in my body. I was kicked as people exited the room and I felt things being spilt and poured on me. Then cool hand gently grabbed me. I was lifted into strong arms but I couldn't open my eyes. I felt cool air blowing my face and then a strange sensation. I smelt horse and then I felt myself being jostled as if I was on one. I wished I could have opened my eyes to know what had been happening. I could feel someone holding me from behind but I eventually lost all of the energy and fell unconcious.
I was warmer when I woke. I slowly peeled my eyes back and waited for the fuzziness to leave. I was covered in a blue blanket and I was laying on a bed. It made my bones feel diffrent to lay on something soft. The door cracked open slightly. A head poked in.
" Good your up." Ash came in the door but he was diffrent than what I was used to. He was wearing a white polo, and normal pants. There were no weapons and no armor. It was strange to see him out of his ways. He pulled the blanket back and picked me up. He nudged the door open with his boot and then swung me out. I looked around in amazement. We were in what appeared to be a cabin. He set me down on a couch and propped me up with pillows. He dissapeared from my vision but I couldn't turn my head. I heard his boot steps and then he reappeared. He was holding a bowl and a spoon. He sat next to me and held the spoon up to me. It appeared to be applesauce and I looked at him strangely.
" I'm sorry, but it's all you can eat right now." I slowly forced my mouth open and he put it in. I choked at first but after a few times I could swallow fine. He spooned me some more until I was too tired to open my mouth anymore. He put the bowl away and laid me down on the couch. Then he pulled up a stool.
" I know your probably wondering quite a bit, and I'm sorry that you don't know everything. All that really happened was that I took you from the castle and snuck you out. I'm sure that I am exhiled from the Winter Court and so I brought you here. It's a place I found when I was young, it's located in the Inbetwen so were alittle bit safer." He ranted for a while and his eyes looked like they were lost far away.I swallowed and then opened my mouth as far as possible.
" Why?" It was so low I'm surprised he heard it but he looked at me alittle funny.
" Because I couldn't live without you, even if you do hate me. You have to live. It may be selfish but it's because I love you Destiny." The last part shocked my brain and I forced my eyes to bore into his. After a while he sighed and sat me up. He parted my lips and slowly poured a stream of water in. My body felt heavy with the food and after a moment he picked me back up and brought me back into the room. I was already tired and so I passed out quickly. After that I lost track of day and night. It was the constant feeding and eventually I got so the I could sit up by my own. I kept the sword on my bed and I still curled around it when I slept. Finally the applesauce was gone. He had sat me down and I could hold myself up now.
" So now that your getting stronger, you can eat some solid food." I heard him behind me in the kitchen. He walked over and sat in front of me. He had a plate of fruit in front of him. He slowly fed them to me, and he continued to make me drink water. I now had a layer of peachfuzz covering my head. My nails had grown back and my skin had started to gain some more color. He fed me it all and then put me in my wheelchair.
" I think we should go outside today." He said it from behind me, as he pushed me towards the door. I hadn't seen the outside since Oliver's death. The gust of air hit my face and I was pushed out. The ground was soft and a few inches of grass covered everything. Flowers grew around and I let the sweet air fill my lungs. It was so diffrent to being in the house. Unfortunatly I could barely raise my arms and I still couldn't walk so Ash had to accompany me everywhere. I breathed deep and let the freshness fill me. I sighed in contempment and then he walked around to my front. He kneeled next to me.
" I'm gonna go wash your clothes, will you be ok for a minute?" I nodded and then he was gone. I closed my eyes and let the sun warm my skin. It was almost too good, like it couldn't be possible. I wasen't used to that sort of joy, something so simple that meant so much more than I could have ever imagined. He hung the pants and shorts he had stolen for me on the line, along with his clothes. He didn't have his shirt on and I watched his beautiful white skin in the sun. He was so amazing it seemed impossible. A tear slipped down my face and he came over worried.
" What's wrong?" He craddled my face in his hands and wiped the tear away with his thumb.
" What happens after this? Are you going to leave me again?" His expression became soothing.
" Of course not, we never have to leave." He kissed the top of my head and then dissapeared to grab more laundry. He wheeled me back inside later and fed me again, but now I felt that I would always worry about how much time we had left here. How much longer it could be peaceful before someone found us. Before someone brought me back to reality, a place where I didn't deserve or have any of this.
Happiness is Not Forever

I woke up to light streaming in through my window. I listened for a moment but I couldn't hear Ash anywhere. I had grown impatient and I pulled myself up against the headboard. I threw the covers off and starred down at my white legs. My hair was thankfully almost shoulder length now. It grew so much faster here. I tucked it behind on ear and the swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I took a deep breath and pushed off of the frame. My knees wobbled and threatened to buckle but I just gritted my teeth. I grabbed the headboard and took a few deep breaths. I wiggled my toes and stuck one small leg out. I had gained weight again but I still far smaller than what I should have been.