Free Anathema - The Song of Eloh Saga, Book 2 by Megg Jensen Page B

me. But those
weren’t the only things about her that irritated me today. Even
though I managed to stay quiet about it most of the day, I still
couldn’t understand why she said those things about me in front of
Mark. We had always been best friends and I never felt like she was
judging me – at least I didn’t before today.
    Ivy had changed since we left Tania’s house
yesterday. Her natural smile was gone, replaced by a thin smirk.
The biggest change was in her eyes. I could easily see the spark of
gift in her blue eyes, but the real spark, the one that lit her
entire face up when she smiled had gone and was replaced by a thin
veneer. It didn’t seem real.
    “Are you okay?” I asked.
    “What do you mean?”
    “I’m just worried about you.”
    “Me?” Ivy laughed. “You’re worried about me?
After all these years you are worried about me? I’ve spent most of
my time with you worrying about how you feel.”
    She sat up and faced me, a pout evident and
her eyes narrowed.
    “How’s Reychel feeling? Is she going to be
upset that I went outside today? I feel so bad for her, stuck in
the castle all by herself.” Ivy flailed her arms around in the air
and moved her head from side to side. Her mocking tone hit me in
the gut. She stopped moving, bent over, and looked me in the eyes.
“Reychel, we’re free now. Get over yourself and stop acting like
such a baby. Pretty soon you’ll be able to go outside whenever you
want, talk to whoever you want, and do whatever you want.”
    I rolled over and looked away as tears
welled up in my eyes. Where did my friend go and who was the girl
in the room with me?
    “Everyone is still so worried about you,”
Ivy continued. “Johna worries because you don’t know your gift. You
worry because it’s going to be a few more days until you can go
outside. Kandek is worried because his little friend is missing.
Even Mark is worried about you.”
    Ivy jumped out of the bed and began
pacing.
    “What about me? When is it time for someone
to worry about me?” she asked.
    “But everyone loves you,” I insisted,
sitting up. “They always have. Johna let you stand behind the
counter and told me to hide.”
    “That’s because they’re looking for you,”
she countered, her hands planted on her hips.
    I had to change the topic and quick. This
conversation wasn’t headed anywhere good and I couldn’t stand
fighting with my only real friend. Time to change tactics.
    “Mark wanted to know more about you,” I
ventured.
    Ivy stared at me, her eyes unfocused as she
stared into the dimly lit room. That was it. Ivy was interested in
Mark. Usually the guys were interested in Ivy, not the other way
around. Of course I’d never seen her act this way. She didn’t know
how to handle it anymore than I would.
    “Do you think he likes me?” Ivy asked,
settling back on the cot.
    I relaxed as she snuggled into my shoulder,
sighing. My friend was back.
     
    ***
     
    Over the next few weeks, we settled into a
routine. Each morning Ivy and I studied herbalism with Johna. We
learned poppies should be gathered in the morning because the yield
is higher than at night. We mixed periwinkle tea to ease sore
throats and used aloe to ease the pain of cuts. Ivy was lucky
enough to treat some of the villagers, but I always hid in the back
room or under the counter if time was short. My eye color would
give me away so I had no choice. I could change everything else
about myself in an attempt to blend in, but not my eye color.
    Most afternoons Mark stopped in to visit
with us. His humor took some of the edge off of our situation.
While my confinement had similar rules as my past as a servant, no
visits outside and stay away from the windows, I felt freer than
ever. Only one thing worried me – Kandek’s continuing search.
According to Mark, the whole military was still looking for me.
While they were no longer banging on the doors of unsuspecting
villagers, they still had their eyes focused on the