Reflections Of Angels

Family rifts

"Are... you alright?"

"No!" Alysha wailed, shaking as she sobbed.

Slowly, Jayson drew close, cautiously taking a seat on the sofa beside her, and veeerrry carefully put his arms around his sister. He tensed immediately, waiting for her to wriggle and yell and shove him away and smack him in the face or upside the head- instead, she melted into him, sobbing loudly into his shoulder.

Wow, she must be really upset.

Awkwardly, he sort of patted her hair, not quite sure what he was meant to do; he wasn't used to this.

Standing beside the sofa, Luci looked on in equal confusion.

"... Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Jayson enquired of Alysha softly, after a moment.

"No." Alysha said, turning her head so she was looking up sideways at him from her shoulder; from where he was looking down, he saw her eyes flick back to Luci once. The implication in her voice was clear; It's a secret.

"Would you tell me if I sent her out?"

"Hey!" Luci objected.

"...Maybe." Alysha pulled out of his hold, and settled back against the chair; completely boneless, looking sallow and exhausted. Still, she lolled her head to look at Luci, giving her a lazy smile. "But don't send her out on my account."

"Luci?" Jayson spoke, catching Luci's eye. He gestured with his head. "Could you possibly...?"

"Seriously?!" Luci exclaimed.

"I'm sure our guest would appreciate some tea and cake." He said pointedly.

Luci huffed and stomped her foot, but with a flounce, turned and left.

As soon as she'd closed the door, Alysha turned to Jayson. "You have to help me. I... might have lied."

"Lied?" Jayson queried with a puzzled brow.

"To our father." Alysha nodded. Jayson raised both brows.
"Well, not really a lie-lie!" She defended. "I don't think I could even do that! I didn't say anything that wasn't technically true. More... a lie of omission."

Jayson was looking at her intently now, intrigued; where could this be going?

Finally, she explained. "I might have...
lead him to believe someone was dead who wasn't. And that was fine... until he escaped."