He finally registered what she was saying and pulled away from her. ‘Aldebaran is your father?’
‘That’s what he claims. However under all that facial hair I couldn’t really tell except for the eyes: they were familiar. He took me to warn me to stay home and keep out of the battle.’
‘And what did you tell him?’ Kayden asked, letting her go and backing away to listen.
‘I threw the same words back at him.’
By this stage, Kayden was gazing through her as if she were a stranger. He was frowning and dropped his hand, not holding on to her at all anymore so she quickly told him everything that they had discussed, trying to ease his mind. Kayden continued to slowly back away from Cassie. He acted as if she was an alien, not really believing anything she was telling him. He even scoffed at her when she said she wasn’t sure if he was really her father. It was almost as if she had been keeping a deep, dark secret that maybe only now, thinking he had caught her out, she had revealed.
Woody, Conor, Ethan and Jason were also acting weird and had the same expressions of disbelief on their faces.
‘I … I’m not sure. None of us having known her long enough … maybe …’ Woody stumbled with his words as he looked from the guys back to Cassie.
‘What, so you all think this was just a setup? That I knew about him and he has planted me in your group to expose you? Well if that’s how you want it, fine, but just remember I made a new life for myself. You came and got me, remember. I can’t believe you all would think that,’ she said, beginning to get ruffled at their reaction to her news that the wizard was possibly her dad.
‘This doesn’t look good, K,’ Jason said, frowning. ‘She didn’t even have a birth certificate, no passport, nothing. We organised all new papers for her and really only had her word on who she really is. Data fed into a computer could have easily been forged to make her story legitimate. Maybe her so-called family overseas aren’t real. We should have checked more thoroughly.’
The Cross boys came out in the middle of their dispute. Seeing the men rattled for the first time ever and knowing it had something to do with Cassie, they broke it up by offering the men a drink. As if she was a poison they couldn’t wait to get away from, they followed the Cross brothers, turning their backs on Cassie and not even gesturing for her to follow. Cassie figured a little time on their own to discuss it privately was all they needed. Then they would come to their senses and apologise. She stayed with Starburst and waited. She doubted if any of them even noticed or cared that she was still outside on her own.
This is ridiculous. How can they believe me to be a spy?
After a very long time, the tall Cross boy came out, handing her a drink. ‘Sometimes saving your friends’ can be a thankless job, hey?’ He sat with her.
‘It’s okay, I’ve been treated like this all my life and there’s no reason for it to stop now.’
‘Your friends think you’re untrustworthy but you see, I read minds and know that isn’t true. Is there something I can do to help?’
Cassie gulped the drink down and passed back the empty glass. ‘Thanks, but like my dad said, what am I doing hanging out with thugs? You know, now I’m not sure either. Sorry to sound ungrateful but only I can fix this,’ she said, standing up and noticing he looked a little dejected. ‘Hey, thanks for the drink and the offer of support but if you don’t mind I’d prefer to be by myself for a while. Honestly, I’m fine. Go back with the others and enjoy the night.’
He stood and left without an argument and Cassie was thankful for that. She watched him go back inside, feeling sad that the others all thought of her as treacherous. She patted Starburst. ‘Do you know the way home, boy?’
He nodded and stomped his hoof on the ground.
Sticking her foot in the stirrup, she settled into the saddle and relaxed so he could find his way home. As they flew, Cassie felt as if she didn’t care anymore. She had tried to live a new life and thought she had finally found friends but she had not. What a joke my life is. She could only hope that sometime in the future she might find a little heaven to make up for all the hurt that life had thrown at her so far.
Aldebaran’s Plan Thwarted
‘Ald, where are you, old man?’ Aldebaran heard Conom call out. ‘I know you’re here so you might as well come out and face me.’
‘Piss off, Conom. I’m not in the mood,’ Aldebaran grumbled at him as he tossed down his second full glass of ale. ‘I tried to do it politely but now she’s gone back to earth and it’s all your fault.’