Page 13 of Shattered Stars
The smile on Ellie’s face fades to something sadder, an expression I see far too often these days. I’ve asked her a million times to come and live with me, away from the family – fuck, I’ve begged her. But she won’t do it. She has an unerring ability to see the good in people – even when there’s practically none there to see – and she is clinging desperately to the need to keep our family together, to have some kind of positive influence on their actions.
“If you talked to our uncle, if you took Rhianna to meet him–”
“I’m not taking Rhianna anywhere near him,” I say firmly. “Come on, the two of you can get to know each other. I’ll make us all a coffee.”
“Herbal tea for me,” Ellie reminds me.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And a cookie,” she adds. I roll my eyes at her. “Oh, yes, I’m sorry, I forgot Mr. Muscle-man only eats raw eggs, grilled chicken and steamed vegetables.”
Rhi giggles, obviously enjoying the way Ellie teases me.
“I’m very happy to serve you both cakes and cookies. You could both do with fattening up.”
That shuts the two of them up and they follow me through to the lounge. I leave them perching on opposite sofas, grinning at each other a little nervously and go search the cupboards for something vaguely sweet, finding a slab of chocolate I think Rhi left here after her stay at the hospital. It’s not cookies but I hope it will do.
When I return to them, I find Ellie’s slipped off her sandals and tucked her feet underneath her as she recounts tales of our childhood, much to Rhi’s obvious delight. My sister is much younger than me, closer really in age to Tristan than me, but we’ve always been close. Losing your mother at such a young age will do that to you. It’s the other reason she won’t wrench herself from our family. She lost one parent, she can’t bear to lose another. It would break her heart. Doesn’t seem to matter that he torments that heart on a daily fucking basis.
“Don’t believe a word she says,” I tell Rhi, smiling at my little sister fondly as I pass her a cup of some floral-smelling tea. “She has a very vivid imagination and a lousy memory.”
“Lies.” She laughs, swatting at my shoulder as I sink onto the sofa beside her.
Rhi takes her own cup from my outstretched hand and sips at the rim. “Well, that’s a shame. My opinion of you was taking a serious upward tick. Eleanor was just telling me what a devoted, protective older brother you were. But if it’s all lies …”
“It’s not,” Ellie says, resting her head on my shoulder. “I couldn’t ask for a better brother. You’re fortunate to have him as a fated mate.”
“Not as fortunate as I am to have Rhianna,” I say, meeting Rhi’s gaze. She flushes with pleasure, the emotion clear in herbond. I make a note of it. The girl likes compliments and I intend to flood her with them. I haven’t spoiled her nearly enough.
Tears form in the corners of Ellie’s eyes. “I’m so happy for you both,” she says, wiping at her face. “I’ve been so worried about him all alone. He’s not meant for that. He deserves love, family, companionship.”
“I think we all do,” Rhi says quietly.
“Yes, I think we do.” Ellie sniffs, another wet smile forming on her lips. “How did you meet?”
I open my mouth. Close it. Open it again.
Ellie swings her gaze from me to Rhianna.
“He was sent to capture me. I was an unregistered on the run,” Rhianna says, plain and simple. She’s not ashamed of who she is. She never has been and it’s one of the things I love about the girl – her fiery, unwavering doggedness and resilience.
“Oh, I know that bit,” Ellie says, blushing slightly and tucking her feet further underneath her. “But I wanted, you know, all the gory details. He never tells me anything,” she adds in a whisper.
“I did tell you everything,” I insist.
Ellie tsks. “Yes, all the facts. The date, the weather, the GPS location, blah, blah, blah. Rhianna, tell me what actually happened? Was it love at first sight? Was there an instant connection?” She claps her palms together and brings them to her chest.
I expect Rhi to pull a face and tell my sister about how I fired magical bolts at her.
Instead, she glances towards the window, the light catching on the bright green plants growing the other side of the glass.
“It will probably sound stupid, but … it wasn’t love at first sight … but the moment I laid eyes on him, that very first time, I felt like I already knew him, that I’d seen the scene that unfolded already in another time and another place. He was familiar to me, likedéjà vu.”
“You probably saw my face. On posters and–”
“No,” she insists. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Maybe youhadseen him before,” my sister says.
