Chapter 9
“Well,” Arietta said slowly, hands hovering just above the unconscious girl, “this is new.”
“Is that your professional opinion?” Isabeau asked from behind her.
“My professional opinion is that I was not informed we were collecting mysterious, dramatic, fainting women,” Arietta replied. “I like to be prepared for these things.”
“You blew up a wall this morning,” Bas muttered from somewhere near the door. “Preparation seems optional.”
“That technically wasn’t me,” Arietta said firmly.
Jessica stood near the bed, arms folded tight across her chest, eyes locked on the girl laid out beneath the blankets, still pale. Dave hovered nearby, trying very hard to look calm and failing only slightly.
Maeve and Isabeau lingered closer to the foot of the bed, curiosity radiating off them in waves.
Arietta leaned in, finally placing her hands lightly against the girl’s wrist. Pulse was strong and steady, confirming that it was a simple faint and nothing more serious.
“She’s fine,” Arietta said after a moment. “Physically, anyway, but nothing immediately dangerous.”
Jessica hadn’t moved, had yet to say anything. Her gaze hadn’t left the unconscious girl.
“Jess?” Maeve said gently.
Jessica shook her head once, like she was trying to clear it.
“I don’t…” she started, then stopped. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”
Arietta glanced between them.
“Do you recognise her?” she asked.
Jessica hesitated then shook her head. “No,” she said.
But there was something in her voice, uncertainty and Arietta noticed. To be honest, she always noticed.
“Let’s give her a bit of space,” Dave suggested as he rested his large hands on Jessica’s shoulders. “She’ll come round soon enough.”
“Or explode,” Isabeau added helpfully as she leant against the chests of drawers, her arms folded.
Everyone looked at her.
“That is not helping, Izzy,” Arietta said.
Isabeau shrugged. “It’s a possibility, anything’s game in Krakens Hole.”
Binky fluttered up onto the end of the bed, peering at the girl with narrowed eyes.
“I don’t like this,” he said.
“That’s because you don’t like anything,” Bas replied from his perch next to Isabeau on the chest of drawers, holding his tail against his chest, worried something might happen to it again.
“I like plenty of things,” Binky snapped. “None of which include mysterious naked women.”
Grundlepus sat near the doorway, not in the least worried about the drama but more intent on doing what cats did best, cleaning their fur.
Arietta shifted slightly, reaching to adjust the blanket where it had slipped, and that was when she saw it.
“Wait, what’s this?” she said.
Jessica’s head snapped toward her. “What? What is it?”
Arietta carefully lifted the edge of the blanket just enough to reveal the girl’s left up arm.
There, clear as day, was a crescent moon, a birthmark, the pink mark clear against the pale skin.
Arietta slowly turned and looked at Jessica, waiting for her to step forward.
“What is it?”
Arietta moved aside slightly, letting her see, and Jessica’s breath caught. Because she knew that mark, of course she did. She had seen it before but not on skin, instead on scales, exactly the same shape and placement.
“Oh my goddess,” Jessica whispered.
Jessica’s hands dropped to her sides, her expression shifting rapidly to shock and confusion.
“That’s…” she swallowed. “That’s Edith.” The room was silent for a moment, then a touch of chaos ensued.
“That’s Edith?” Maeve repeated.
“Nooo way ?” Isabeau added.
“But she was tiny?” Bas clarified.
“And a dragon?” Binky said.
“Yes, that Edith,” Jessica snapped, though her voice shook slightly.
Arietta looked back at the unconscious girl, and at the purple hair as well as the unfamiliar yet suddenly very familiar features.
“Well,” she said. “That explains a few things.”
“It does?” Dave asked.
“No,” Arietta admitted. “But it feels like it should.”
Jessica sank down onto the edge of the bed, staring at Edith like she might vanish if she looked away.
“Why didn’t she tell me?” she whispered.
No one had an answer for that. Because there were a lot of reasons someone might keep something like this hidden, and none of them were simple.
Dave placed a hand lightly on Jessica’s shoulder. “Hey, let’s leave her to rest, she’ll explain later, I’m sure.”
Jessica nodded slowly and reluctantly got up, letting Dave lead her from the room.
Arietta straightened, too, then she stepped back and turned to the others.
“Right,” she said gently. “Out. All of you. Give them space.”
There was some grumbling. But soon they all filed out. Binky paused at the door, glancing back at Edith.
“Well,” he said. “That tracks.”
Jessica blinked. “What does?”
Binky tilted his head.
“Only Edith,” he said, “would tell a room full of people to stop screaming because of her headache.”
“True,” Jessica admitted quietly, a tiny chuckle escaping. Only, she didn’t leave, she decide that she would wait for Edith to come around.
“Go on, we will be okay,” she stated, and moved to sit back on the bed by Edith’s still form.
Binky nodded once, satisfied, before slipping out and pulling the door mostly closed behind him.