Page 57 of Hair, She Bears
“The wedding?” Mother snorted and lifted her chin. A cloud passed across his face, and his eyes narrowed. “Did Moira tell you she had a vision?”
“I don’t understand.” Zenna pushed to a sitting position and frowned.
“Moira sees images, snatches of a potential future. Her talent was quite unreliable. She would go months without seeing anything, and even when she did, half the time, she got it wrong. Unless… she lied.” Mother rose and paced the room, muttering to himself. Zenna’s gaze followed his path, from the sofa to the window and back again. After three passes, he turned, his eyes landing on Zenna. “The only option is to relocate you.”
A hard pit formed in Zenna’s stomach. If Mother moved her before Malik caused the explosion, no one would ever find her again.
“You’ll need time to regrow your hair, and that time shouldn’t be interrupted with trivial distractions.”
“Malik is dead, what other distraction would there be?” She climbed to her feet and wiped her palms on her apron.
“If Moira’s vision has not corrected itself, then Malik must still be alive.” Mother closed the distance between them. His hand whipped out and locked around her throat. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know.” She forced her tone to remain even, despite the frantic racing of her heart. “He’s wherever you left him… You promised you’d let me save him.”
“I assumed he succumbed to his injuries.” Mother lowered his hand.
“Did you even look for him?” Zenna asked, wincing as she touched her fingers to the bruises forming along her neck.
“You can’t produce any Votras Alute, so what would you do with a half-dead raven?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Escape! A prisoner has escaped!” Jax’s voice rang through the compound. “Sound the alarm!”
Mother yanked a glowing mirror from his pocket. “Speak to me.”
“Carlyle’s gone.” Jax paused. “As are all the birds.”
“All the birds?” Mother’s face purpled, and his anger rolled toward Zenna. “How did he manage to break loose from his chains, free the other prisoners, and escape with two broken legs, without anyone seeing him?”
“He had to have help,” Jax replied, his gruff voice wavered, tinged with a whisper of fear. “Who would have turned against you?”
A motorcycle revved, the rumbling sound vibrating in Zenna’s bones. Mother’s gaze flicked to the window, his face darkened.
“Either you find him, or you take his place in irons.”
“I’ll bring him back.”
“Alive!” Mother snapped the mirror shut and shoved it into his pocket. One thick finger stabbed Zenna’s chest. “If I find out you had anything to do with this—”
“You’ll kill me?” Zenna tilted her head. “How could I have helped him? I’ve been standing in front of you this whole time.”
“Someone gave Carlyle a vial of Votras Alute, it’s the only way he could have walked out of that prison.” Mother’s eyes narrowed.
“You took my hair,”—Zenna rubbed her hand over her bald head—“and the entire batch. How could I have healed him?”
Mother frowned, his frustration evident. “How did you intend to save Malik?”
“I was going to pull out my eyebrows. I’m not certain if it would work the same, but I hoped it would save his life.”
“My prisoners escaped, Malik and Carlyle betrayed me, and a woman I thought was dead these past ten years suddenly reappeared, alive and well. The time has come to abandon this tower.” He marched to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. One hand pushed her forehead back, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “We’re leaving right now.”
Her mind raced. She needed to stall Mother.
“Can I pack?” she asked and twisted her fingers together in an exaggerated nervous gesture.
“Pack?” Mother’s brayed laughter echoed around the room. “What could you possibly want from this place?”
“It’s been my home for twenty years,” Zenna replied. “I’d like to say goodbye.”
