When Lightning Burns [COMPLETED]

Chapter 10: Thanksgiving

           

The Thanksgiving meal was not eventful. For the Fey, it was an excuse to have family over, not really a holiday. Seelie Island wasn't technically part of the Unites States. But Julie and Jamie had grown up celebrating it, so it still felt like a family tradition. Lir still wasn't talking to his parents, but Andromeda's parents and Muriel came. It was nice having grandparents around, something she hadn't had in years.

The conversations at dinner were short and tense, Jamie's sullen demeanor overshadowing everything. While he looked better showered and changed, he was quiet, too quiet for Jamie. And he more picked at his food than ate it. Julie caught their dad frowning at her brother a lot.

For once this wasn't about her; it was about him and Melissande. She should feel more relieved that for once she wasn't the main problem. But she was worried about Jamie. Something was wrong.

"So the Academy is treating you well then?" Muriel asked, her eyes flitting to Jamie as he stabbed a piece of turkey. It had been stabbed several times already.

Julie put down the glass of wine her parents had given her. They expected her to burn it off as she ate the meal to keep up her practice. Luke must have mentioned this training to Lir, but not the real reason why. If her parents knew she was determined to track down A.R.S.E., they would pull her back to Seelie in a heartbeat. And she didn't feel like getting in a big argument. She could have asked how they knew, but she figured that Lir had Luke reporting to him. She was sure Rory was reporting to his family.

"Yes, except the whole numbers thing." Julie took a bite of her mom's squash casserole. She loved this stuff. If nothing else, it made it worth the travel, even with the awkwardness of owing Rory because he'd arranged their flight on his parents' plane.

"What's that?" her grandmother asked.

"The way they rate us throughout the process. The lower the number, the better chance of being picked for premium spots in the recitals, where recruiters for professional dance troupes will see me."

"Where are you?" Andromeda asked.

"Number five."

"Huh." Muriel did not look pleased.

Julie rolled her eyes. "I know. I know, okay? You want me to be number one. But I started dead last at thirty–five."

Muriel just raised her eyebrows. Her great–grandmother, with glossy, brown hair and the same grey eyes as her father, didn't look much older than somewhere in her forties. She would bother Julie like crazy now to see that she moved up, when where she was now was already the top of a really competitive class.

Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted to be number one too.

It was quiet for a time again, the scraping on the plates the main sound in the room. Was Jamie dampening any excitement somehow? Wasn't he supposed to have better control if he was? Damn Melissande.

Julie sighed and picked up her roll, taking a bite and wishing she had time to zap Melissande in the face instead. She was going back to New York tomorrow. She could survive this a few more hours.

"So how are Rory and Luke?" Muriel asked, picking up another subject.

Julie choked. Seriously, her great–grandmother knew she had to be pushing to be number one. She glared at Muriel, who smirked.

"They're fine."

"Not distracting you from your goal or anything?"

Julie shook her head, opening her mouth to speak—

But before she could, the windows and the doors flew open. Julie blinked up her other sight, biting back a scream as swirls of blue formed into fairies. They buzzed the table, knocking over drinks, food flying up and pelting them all and the furniture in the dining room. The utensils flew around in a threatening way and made her think of poltergeists, even if she knew it was the minor Fey.

"No!" Andromeda screamed staring at her bright orange wall dripping with food.

A rush of fear swamped Julie. It felt weird. She looked at Jamie. His eyes were wide. She pushed it away, realizing that it was coming from him. If he lost it, he could make all of them lose it. She went over to him, taking his arms and shaking him. "Stop it! Stop. Jamie!"

His eyes stayed wide, almost blank in fear. Julie pushed some of her warm energy into him, jolting him, splitting open the cold barrier around him. She blinked. She thought she had pierced it before, but it was back again. What was going on?

Jamie's gaze changed, and he focused on her then slumped back into his chair.

"Sorry, I thought it was..." He trailed off, then got up running upstairs.

She got up to go after him.

"Enough!" Lir yelled as the fairies flew about the room. They stilled, starting to melt away, with a final one grinning as it plopped red cranberry directly on Julie's face.

She grunted, wiping off the red sauce. "What the hell was that?"

Andromeda handed her a napkin then twisted the ring on her finger. But all she said was, "My walls."

"A warning," Lir stated. He looked at Julie. "I'm not sure what you're doing in New York, but it's clearly for you."

"But how could A.R.S.E. follow me here? No humans, right?"

Muriel gave Lir a significant look.

"What am I missing?" Julie crossed her arms staring between them all.

"What makes you think that A.R.S.E. is run by humans?" Lir said, lifting an eyebrow.

Julie grimaced. "Wait, what?"

Muriel nodded. "Yes. It may have started out that way, but I guarantee there are Fey involved now."

"But they capture and experiment on Fey!" Julie shook her head. It couldn't be. They were experimenting on themselves?

Her face twisted into a bitter smile. No, just duds and wizards—the trash. And their own family. If so, the Fey were even more messed up than she thought. She didn't even know that was possible.

"But, they're family..." Julie's words faded as she looked at Andromeda and Lir. "No. I can't believe that."

"Believe it," Andromeda said. "Honey, I've tried to explain this to you. The Fey don't consider duds as Fey. They're only a step above wizards. That's it. We're expendable, encouraged, even, to leave the island."

"But to do this...It's another level of...I don't even know what."

Lir raised an eyebrow at her. "It wasn't just because I loved your mother that we fought so hard to be together. I was concerned about her safety if she left. And if we had decided to not be together, she would have. She would've been a prime target."