Gifted

6: The Truth

Charles

I paced my room anxiously as a storm built outside. I stared out the window at the darkening sky, lost in thought.

Lightning cracked, making me jump. I was high strung, and I sighed. Maybe I could go down the hall to Hera's room and keep her company.

I shook that thought out of my head. She probably didn't want to see me right now. I turned my attention back to the storm. The clouds were rolling down the mountain like smoke from a piece of damp wood, and I felt uneasy, like something was following the storm, using it to herald its arrival.

I spun around as the door creaked open, hands balling into defensive fists. Hera looked at them in surprise, and I cleared my throat and let them fall.

"Hera," I said, hearing the strain in my voice.

"Are you all right?" she asked. "You sound sick." I coughed, running a hand through my hair.

"I'm just uneasy," I said. "I haven't been able to sleep."

"Me, either." She came in, her silk dressing gown sweeping the floor because it was a bit too long. She sat on the bed, pulling her knees up.

"How are you?" I asked. My stomach was turning just looking at her.

"Fine," she murmured. She started twisting her long golden hair between her fingers. "You?"

"Tired," I replied. "I keep waiting for something bad to happen." She smiled a soft, closed-lipped smile, turning her grey eyes to the storm outside. Rain was staring to patter on the windowpane. Finally I lifted my lead feet and walked over to the bed to sit down next to her. There was a long silence.

"I was thinking," she said suddenly.

"Good for you." She slugged my arm as I chuckled.

"But, seriously, what happened in your past that your cousin hates you?" My face fell, I could feel it.

"Why does it matter?" I snapped a little too harshly.

"Because maybe we can work this out," she said. "I don't want anything to happen to you," she added, more quietly. I looked down at her, watching her eyelashes when she blinked. I brushed back her long golden hair, and she smiled a little at my touch. "But, of course, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to," she said quickly. "If it's too personal, I don't want you to think you have to tell me anything..." Her voice faded away as I slid my hand into her hair, turning her face up to me. Her grey eyes were big and innocent, and I scanned her whole face. Her whole beautiful face. I felt her nose touch mine, then her forehead, then her hand on my chest.

"Charles... I don't think..." She sighed. "No."

"Why?" I asked, almost desperately.

"Your father--"

"No. He's not a part of this," I said, remembering the other night and the things my father said. "Don't think about him." I stroked her cheekbone with my thumb.

"Oh, I want..." She stopped. "But, I..." I leaned forward, and our lips were almost touching. She sucked in a sharp breath.

"Are you afraid of something?" I whispered.

"I... Yes, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of heartbreak," she replied. I put my arm around her waist.

"I won't give you any heartbreak," I breathed. "I promise." Then, slowly, I pressed my lips to hers.

She was stiff at first, almost wanting to pull back, but she started to relax, returning it. I felt her hands slide up my chest and over my shoulders, around my neck. I kissed her deeper, and I felt my heart leap as she leaned on me, returning it wholeheartedly. I pulled back for only a moment, and I heard her sigh blissfully before kissing her again.

Hera

I looked between my eyelashes at Charles, my heart pounding. I brushed back some of his hair, and I felt his breath on my cheeks. My back was pressed against the bedpost, and his lips shifted from mine to my cheek, then to my throat. I exhaled heavily, breathless. Finally I lifted his head.

"Charles," I breathed.

"Hm?" His lips met mine again. I pushed him back a little, and he kissed my cheek.

"Oh, stop," I gasped.

"Am I hurting you?" He sounded confused.

"No, you're not," I replied. "I just... I wasn't expecting..." He smiled a lopsided smile, and my heart thudded so hard against my chest I was sure he could hear it. He kissed me again, and I gave up. He wasn't listening to me. I stopped kissing back, turning my face.

"Hera," he whispered.

"Stop it," I said softly. "We have a real problem to solve." He leaned back. "Will you answer my question? Why does your cousin want to kill you?" He looked away. "Charles?" He looked down at his hands, and I slid my fingers between his, pulling him closer to me. Now that I had him I didn't want him to be too far away.

"There was a girl..." My stomach lurched a little. He smiled halfheartedly. "It always starts with a girl, doesn't it? Well, Gerard loved her with all his heart, but she was mine." His voice was sad. "I loved her so much, Hera." He looked up at me with glassy eyes. I ran my hand over his hair, leaning my forehead on his.

"Go on," I urged gently.

"We were riding in the rain one day..." His voice grew even slower. "We shouldn't have been... It was all an accident..." He started shaking, and I frowned in worry. "Her horse slipped and she fell... into the river..." Charles sniffed and quickly rubbed his eyes. It was hurting me to see him cry. "When I found her, it was too late..." He bit down a sob, biting the side of his wrist. I wanted to stop him from telling any more, but I couldn't open my mouth. "Gerard was there when I carried her home. He blamed me for killing her, that it was my fault she fell... Then everything just fell apart around him. His parents died of the fever, then he lost his home because of gambling, then his brother went to prison for murder, his sister died in childbirth when she was eighteen, and he became a drunk and homeless. He blames me for it all. The worst was when our grandfather was on his deathbed, and Gerard was late, and came in right as the old man was telling me and my father, his only family left besides my cousin, that we were inheriting everything he had. Gerard got nothing. He knelt down by my grandfather and asked why, and Grandfather just looked at him and said, 'Why should I give my possessions to a stranger?' It was the last straw, and he ran out threatening to kill me as Grandfather died. I haven't seen him since." He looked up at me again. "All because Lillian died in an accident."

He started to cry again, and I pulled him into my arms, trying to hush him. I stroked his hair, whispering gently to him. He squeezed me tightly.

"Don't do anything that I'd lose you, too," he whispered.

"I won't," I promised. "I'll always be here for you. I'll never leave you alone." He buried his face in my hair.

"I love you," he choked.

"I love you, too," I whispered. The words tasted so sweet. I gently wiped his eyes, kissing his forehead. "Don't you do anything that I'd lose you, either." He smiled at me, our noses touching again.

"I won't," he said softly, leaning over and kissing me gently again.

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