Unbound (Bound To You sequel)

EIGHTEEN - *Lucy*

*Lucy* 

Her mother was finger-combing her hair. She did it all the time, especially when Lucy had trouble sleeping because they were in a new place.

She blinked because she couldn't remember the place she'd been last. Where they in America? Yes. They'd been on the boat. Then there had been a train and the forest.

They were going somewhere.

"Morning my golden one," Mama said in Russian and Lucy smiled at her. She looked nice, much better than she had in a long time.

"Mama," Lucy cried, overcome as she threw herself into her arms. Because it had been so long since she saw her. So long.

Why had it been so long?

She stiffed as she saw it. Saw her mama's lifeless eyes, watching with horror as he carried her away, telling her not to look. Tommy. Megan.

Her mother had been dead for three years.

"Oh," said the woman who was not her mama. "I had hoped I could give you a bit more of your mother. But I must admit my Russian would probably have given it away before too long."

Lucy scrambled away from the woman. Her face melted and reformed and it was the face of someone else. Someone while not beautiful, at least very striking. With familiar eyes.

"I helped you once. Do you remember me?" she said in English, her voice gentle in a way that didn't match her face. "I helped your mother-your mama- with the silence spell."

"Star," Lucy said. She remembered Star. A little. She'd never known she had been to one to craft the magic that kept her hidden as long as she kept silent.

"That's right," the woman said. "I'm Nova. I want to help you."

Lucy tilted her head.

The woman was not Star. Or Nova as was said in English. But she wanted Lucy to believe she was. Wonder why. What did it gain her, other than Lucy's trust? Probably nothing. Probably Lucy's trust was what she wanted.

She wouldn't have it. But after some quick mental deliberations, Lucy decided it was best to play along. To let the witch believe she had tricked her. 

"Help?"

"Yes." She smiled.

"I don't need help. I need to leave," Lucy said, looking around. She seemed to be in a normal bedroom, a little old fashioned, but she was used to that. The manor was all old things, except for Megan's hangout room. But there was something strange. There was no door where there should have been one. Only a spot of empty wall, pink and white wallpaper. "Want to."

"Not just yet," the witch said.