Queen of Nothing

Chapter 4

Three more days seemed the least I could give Vivi to grief before talking to her about my plan. Three days I tried to comfort her as best as I could. Now on day four I sat next to her on the cough. I studied her. She had lost a lot of weight. There were shadows under her cat eyes that gave her a haunted expression. I again recalled the death of our parents. Lost was a heavy burden. I wondered if Vivi was ready to hear what I had found out, ready to help me in this battle she never asked for. But I had to try. It was only a matter of time before whoever did this would strike again. I cleared my throat. "Vivi." I began. Her eyes slowly slid to me. "Vivi, I have to tell you something. And it's going to be horrible. But I need you to listen to the whole thing before objecting to it, okay?" Something sparked in Vivi's eyes for a brief moment. There was still fight in her and she would listen. "Alright." She told me. "What is it?" I took a deep breath. "Well-" I begin as I take the pen out of my pocket. "Remember this pen?" Vivi looks at it then nods. "I know who it belongs to." Vivi's eyes spark fire and she wants to open her mouth to speak but I cut her of. "Please listen to the whole thing." She reluctantly closes her mouth again and I continue. "I've worn a dress with this motive before. It was Locke's mothers." There was shock written on Vivi's face. "Remember when you found me wounded on the night before Taryn's wedding?" Vivi connected the dots fast in her head. "It was Locke who hurt you wasn't it?" I nod. "He ambushed me with his friends in the woods. Two of his man I killed in self defense. He took the wedding gift I had for Taryn, so I knew the next day when Taryn had the earrings it was Locke who ambushed me and tried to kill me." I twist the pen in my hands. "I didn't get the chance to call him out on Taryn's wedding as I was called away and then trapped under the sea..." I trail off. Vivi puts a hand on my shoulder. Her comfort feels good and wrong at the some time. She had lost a lot because of Jude's actions. "Anyway." I force myself to continue. "Taryn also Played me for Madoc again later after all that. And Locke having a hand in our death would not please Madoc or Taryn. So I am not sure what his bigger game play is in this. Or who he is working for or with. But I can say for sure this pen-" I hold it up. "Belongs to him. And it makes him a part of this assassination. And we need to act now before he gets another chance to strike at us again." I look deep into Vivi's eyes. They are on fire with a burning rage I have never seen before and it frightens me. "I have a plan to get the answers and revenge. But it also means we have to use Taryn. She doesn't know what Locke has done and she doesn't know that he might turn against her when it is most convenient for him. We need to protect her from danger she can't see. Whatever it takes." My words a tactfully phrased. But we both know what they are. A betrayal of sisters once again. I feel my heartbeat increase as I wait for Vivi's responds. Everything depends on her. Without her this will never work. Vivi holds my gaze for a very long time. "You are sure this pen belongs to Locke?" I nod. "Yes, I am sure." Vivi's responds is faster than I thought it would be. "How are we going to do this?" Despite the situation I smile. I explain my plan to Vivi and she has some good things to add to it. We end up staying up all night planning. I notice that a spark has returned to Vivi's eyes. A purpose, something to fight for. And even though revenge is a horrible thing to want I want it to give my sister the strength to fight again and move on. The next day we catch up on sleep. But the day after that we get to work. 

Vivi leave in the morning for Faerie. She's going to see Taryn and tell her some lie about why she needs to come to mortal world and fast. My part in this is the horrible waiting part. Oak sits on the couch watching TV as I pace the room. A hour goes by and another one. Until I hear the apartment door open. I whirl to face to door. "How bad is she?" Taryn's panicked voice calls from the hallway. "Bad." Is all the responds Vivi gives her as they enter the living room. Oak beams. "Taryn!" But Taryn's wide eyes are on Jude. They look her up and down searching for something. I raise an eyebrow as Vivi guides us into the kitchen closing the door behind us. "You don't look hurt." Taryn looks at me judgingly. "I am not." I say. "Anymore." Taryn turns on her heel for the door but Vivi blocks her way out. "I didn't lie about Jude being hurt Taryn. She was hurt just a view days ago. In an assassination attempt on Oak." I scowl. Vivi had agreed on my plan on one condition. We would explain the situation to Taryn and try to reason with her. I had objected this idea. I doubted she would listen. "What?" Taryn looked stunned for a moment. "We didn't you send for us? For Madoc? For anyone for help?" I lean against the kitchen table. "Because we didn't know who send the assassins." Taryn turned to me. "You think we would do that?" There was resentment in her voice. It makes me glare at her. " I don't know. It seems you keep betraying me. Why not kill me too?" Taryn's face turns into anger but Vivi cuts her off before she can speak. "Heather is dead." Taryn whirls back to Vivi. "Vivi I'm so sorry-" She begins. "She died in the assassinations attempt." Vivi continues. "The assassins had gold on them and a pen." Vivi pauses for a moment as she takes the pen from her pocket. She had wanted the pen after I told her who it belonged to. Why I don't quit understand but I had handed it to her. Vivi turned the pen over to show it to Taryn. "Does it look in anyway familiar?" Taryn looks at it for a long while. Then swallows shaking her head. "It's not him. He wouldn't do this. This is some misunderstanding-" I cut her off. "Locke tried to kill me the night before your wedding. He stole my wedding gift to you and gave it to you instead." Taryn turned for to face me. There were tears in her eyes about also anger and denial. "You can't prove that. Locke would never do that." I give her a bitter smile. "I never thought that you would betray me too." At that Taryn looks hurt. "I'm sorry but I had to." I scowl. "No you didn't." We stare at each other for a long moment. Than Vivi sighs. "We are all being played here, can't you see? We need to stand together." Taryn straightens. "I am really sorry about Heather Vivi but Locke had nothing to do with this and I would like to go home now." Vivi looks pained. I step away from the table and catch her eye. My lips form silent words but Vivi understands anyway. We have to do this. Vivi looks at Taryn. "I am sorry." Taryn takes a step away from us her eyes wide. "What is this?!" Vivi steps up to her her voice becomes a song. "You will not return to Faerie. You will not want to return to Locke. You will stay here with Oak in the human world and you will find it everything you ever wanted in life. Furthermore, you are going to tell us everything about your relationship with Locke. What you two do everyday, layouts of his castle, everything." Taryn's eyes are void. Vivi most have told her to leave her charms in Faerie for this reason. I swallow. This was still the easy part. After Taryn tells us everything we need to know we change clothes. She takes mine and I take her dress. I braid my hair like hers. A braid crown with flowers. Then I go to my room and take the box that I had prepared for this trip. It contains my sword and more tools I will need again very soon. I look at the box for a long moment. I was about to go back to Faerie and I was about to lie to everyone. I would return as my twin sister. I would be a lie and I would find a way to make them all pay. Vivi appeared in the doorway. "Are you ready?" I take a last look at my desk and take the ruby ring off my desk then turn to my sister. "Yes." My eyes were probably a blazing fire like Vivi's. Revenge drove us both. And together we would make them pay.