The Sleeping Girl

Chapter Eighteen

"Hello, Sleeping Girl," says Ebony, a gleeful sneer spreading across her porcelain face. "Keela, is it? I've been expecting that you would come for my darling Chloe for quite some time. But you wouldn't be so mean as to separate the poor dear from her mother, now would you?"

I roll my eyes at her. "You're a despicable monster, Ebony. And furthermore, Chloe is a human, and you're a faery. Of course you're not her mother. So what you said doesn't really apply."

She shakes her head. "So naive. Did you not just hear sweet Chloe call me her mama?"

I don't want to believe it, but it's right in front of me. Chloe did call Ebony her mother, she must really trust her, yet be oblivious at the same time. But how? 

Looking at her, Ebony is really the perfect picture of innocence, a young, hardworking business woman who clearly values her appearance and would never do a single bad thing. It's not hard to imagine why someone could be fooled. Especially Chloe, who had no intelligence of this whole thing beforehand, who was constantly attacked by dark fey, and needed someone strong and supportive to hold on to. Ebony is really a master of casting glamours. But to believe someone else is their mother?

And then, suddenly, comprehension dawns on me. My eyes widen and my mouth parts slightly as I stare at the beautiful monster who masterminded all of the pain and misery that Chloe, and all of society has been going through. Seeing my expression, Ebony smirks and places one hand on her hip.

A couple days ago in the woods, when the werewolf first brought her up, he said that Ebony, their leader, was close to the Sleeping Girl. In our council meeting, it was suggested that the leader, again Ebony, was family. The werewolf said that the Sleeping Girl trusted Ebony, trusted her like she would trust her family. She was her family. 

Ebony is Chloe's mother.

But it can't be. Obviously, since she was trying to kill Chloe as the Sleeping Girl and all. Somehow, someway, Ebony managed to convince Chloe, and everyone else who knew them, close family friends and such, that Ebony was Chloe's mother.

"Her mother," I say. "I must say, I'm impressed. I guess you dark evil monsters have been getting smarter since five hundred years ago, when all you did was run around and butt heads with each other." The snide comment is meant to be a jab at Ebony, but she doesn't even blink, her coiffed smile only growing.

"But of course."

"Just out of curiosity, how did you pull it off?" I continue, mind still whirling from the shock of it all, and from trying to process. "Are you using a mind control or something?"

"No," she replies, eyes twinkling with laughter. "I'm actually quite put out that you would think such a thing of me. I am, as I'm sure you've gathered, no amature. I actually am little Chloe's mother. I've been so for the past couple years. After her mother, let's just say, mysteriously passed away, I must say that her father became quite enamored with my dearest self. After all, I was there to offer condolences during the time of grief, and soon both father and daughter realized what a kind, sweet, loving soul I am. 

"The marriage came quickly, and everyone forgot their grief and mourning almost instantly. I mean, who could be sad when I'm around? And then when his plane crashed over the mountains and his body was never found, there was nobody left for Chloe but her beloved stepmother. We have such a close bond, the two of us, since we've been so much of this tragedy together."

"It's like Cinderella," breathes Carmela from next to me, her eyes narrowing. Face turning red, she draws herself up to her full height, pursing her lips and looking ready to explode. I've never seen her so angry. "And you're the wicked stepmother, and you've put us all through this hell for your own selfish purposes. And all your little minions are her step sisters, only the difference between this and the fairy tale is that you're worse, you're a monster, you're pure black evil, you've actually been trying to murder her all along!"