Empire's Legacy

Chapter 17: History

Amy woke in the morning feeling completely disoriented. She was surrounded by giant pillows, with a squishy comforter drawn up to her chin, and it took several minutes before she realized that she was in Cam's bed, in the Manor, on Idylla.

"Oh, god," she muttered, dragging the covers over her head. She'd fallen asleep on the floor. She hadn't done that since she was a teenager—and certainly not since Cam started getting into trouble.

With a sigh, she flipped the comforter back off her head and looked around. Despite the fact that the room oozed sophistication, there were still elements that Amy recognized from their childhood. On the sleek desk opposite the bed sat one of her model ships, the one she'd given Cam for his tenth birthday, even though he hated space and everything that happened in it. The painting over his bed was a Jacui, from their mother's collection. And, poking out of the wardrobe, was the sleeve of a flightsuit Amy recognized as having belonged to their father.

"Good morning," Cam said cheerfully, batting aside the strands of glass fish that dangled across the doorway. He peered at her. "You must be feeling more rested. The dark bags under your eyes look more like circles now."

"Thanks," Amy said, and patted the bed. Cam jumped up and bounced twice before scooting up to lean against the headboard. "Why do you still have Dad's old flightsuit?"

Cam looked embarrassed. "I don't know," he said. "I'd say nostalgia, but that's a pretty shite term for anything involving Dad, isn't it?"

"Not to mention disingenuous," Amy muttered, sliding out of bed and walking to the wardrobe. "Nostalgia is not something one associates with our father." She opened the door and pulled out the flightsuit, holding it up and considering it with a funny expression on her face.

"What's up?" Cam asked.

She glanced back at him over her shoulder. "Dad was wearing this that day," she said. "The day I hid in the closet."

Cam's mouth twisted. "Do you want me to get rid of it? I didn't know."

"No." She put it back. "Keep it. For the memories."

"I don't want to remember Mom like that," he said.

"Then get rid of it." She shrugged and drifted to the window. "I certainly don't care."

Cam watched her for a moment and then sighed. "Yes, you do."

She rested her head against the window. "It doesn't matter. Is Grey awake?"

"He's been up for two hours and is somewhere out on the grounds," He joined her at the window and considered the acres of land that unfolded below the Manor. "I think he'd like to get out of here. I make him uncomfortable."

"Hah," Amy said. "You make everyone uncomfortable."

"Except you," he replied, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Come on, let's get you some breakfast."

She trailed after him into the sitting room. "Do you think you'll ever change, Cam? Give up on your profligate ways?"

"And give Dad the satisfaction? Hah." He picked up a fluted silver jug from the table by the sofa and poured a stream of dark liquid into a cup. "Maddie brought up coffee and muffins while you were asleep. Do you want chocolate or blueberry?"

"Ooh. Chocolate. No. I should be good. Blueberry."

Cam handed her the cup and a muffin. "Please eat them," he said, licking blue off his fingers, "because if you don't I'll have to and then I'll get fat and that would be really bad for my image. I've already had four this morning."