Free These Lying Eyes by Amanda A. Allen Page B

in.
    What Mom didn’t say hovered at the back of her mind. She didn’t say Mina was her fourth child.
    “What I understand is that your daughter needs help. Do you? Do you understand that? Your excuses are the reason your daughter suffers.”
    “I…” her mom’s voice caught on tears.
    The whole of Mina’s consciousness focused on her mother. Willing her for an explanation…
    “I need to talk to Lucas.”
    Mina heard Zizi’s disgruntled huff. Mina squeezed her eyes tighter, grit teeth to keep in the demand for an explanation. I need to talk to Lucas. Flipping typical Mom. Why didn’t she counter the doctor with Mina’s placement in the family? What did it matter anyway?
    What was happening?
    Mina wanted to yank out her IV and throw something at them. How about some concrete terms? Something to google? Some name so Mina could show up on the doorstep with dramatic tears in her eyes. She’d break her own finger to make those tears come through. But Mina knew it wouldn’t do any good. Her mom might be soft-spoken and mild, but Mom was intractable whenever she and Dad had a pact.
    “Feel free to quote me.” The man’s voice cut into Mina’s surge of frustration. There was a slam at the end of her bed, and Mina cracked her eyes just enough to see that a doctor had slapped a clipboard into its slot on her bed.
    Mom hiccupped, and with a glance towards Mina, slipped into the bathroom where the sound of her sobs leaked into Mina’s room.
    Mina and Zizi stared at each other, shot a scoff at the bathroom door, and Mina sat up.
    “Seventh of a seventh?” Mina whispered.
    Zizi cocked her head, licked her lips, and stared, unblinkingly, at Mina.
    “How is it my parent’s fault I’m dehydrated?”
    Zizi shrugged.
    “Why are there laws that keep that dude from saying anything? Do they keep you?”
    “Pfft,” Zizi snapped her wings open to dagger points.
    “No?” Mina asked, and then she grinned at the sneer on Zizi’s face.
    “Why are you smiling?” Zizi asked, butterfly wings relaxing. Her bright blue eyes sparkled.
    “Because I have someplace better to start than an out of print book.”
    “They did not say much.” Zizi words were contradictory; her face challenging. She flicked her wings open.
    “They didn’t have to.” Mina’s mouth spread into a wicked smile.
    Zizi rubbed her palms together with an evil chuckle.
    “Exactly. I only need to know that there is something to know. ” Mina lay back as she heard water splashing in the bathroom. Her eyes snapped closed as the bathroom door opened, but she felt Zizi return to her spot on the pillow next to Mina’s face.
    Through their lashes mischievous eye met mischievous eye, and they both fell asleep with a curve to their lips.
    * * *
     
    When she woke again, it was dark. Her room was empty except for Zizi. But Mina’s jerky yawn woke the sprite who stretched next to Mina.
    Mina grinned; Zizi echoed it.
    “Is Poppy ok?” But Mina knew Poppy must be. Otherwise Zizi wouldn’t be here.
    Zizi nodded, placing a gentle hand on Mina’s cheek. “She will be.”
    “What happened?”
    “I do not know. That girl was,” Zizi’s voice faded.
    Mina waited, but it was her who finished.
    “She wasn’t right. She wasn’t…”
    “She had to be a kid from your school. She smelled…familiar. But I couldn’t find her.” Zeez scrunched her nose.
    “Since when do you have a super powered nose?” Mina sat up, pulling her legs to her chest, and resting her chin on them.
    “I’m not talking about that.” Zizi shrugged before saying, “Her magic smelled familiar. But, sprites aren’t the same as the fae.”
    “What?” Mina said.
    “Whoops.” Zizi said dryly.
    “There were fae in some of those books.” Mina said.
    Zizi shrugged.
    “You’re starting to bug me.” Mina slid off the bed to pull the blinds open. The sunlight flooded the room, bathing Mina and Zizi in its warmth.
    Mina sat down on the window ledge. The two of them looked out,