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That was awesome! 😂

 

They were gone. All gone, finally. Jade was torn between dropping to the floor in uncharacteristic hysterics or… “Well, Castle, what next?” she asked.

Rosemary laughed at her sour expression. Nothing ever threw Rosemary. Not even the eccentric group around them. Jade had seen moderately dyed hair before, but never anything the likes of the insect-girl’s green skin or Cal’s vibrant indigo hair. And strange enough, it didn’t bug her like Mara’s obnoxious pink cornrows. The colors looked right on these people, not like they were showing off.

A few more introductions swirled around the group, and Jade filed them all away in her mind. Who knew how long this would be her life, and these people her city?

While the rest chatted (or argued. Lorcan still didn’t seem convinced to accept Ku), Rosemary pulled Jade off to the side. Thankfully the insects hadn’t hurt her too badly.

“Jade,” she said, “this isn’t Benevola Haven.”

“I kinda guessed that.” Jade smirked.

“That’s not what I mean. None of these people are enemies. They can’t take anything from you.”

“Other than my life,” said Jade.

Rosemary’s face went stern. Uh oh. Whenever she was this focused, someone would be in for it. “I heard what you said to the other dancer, Ophelia. It was unnecessary. She isn’t your enemy. She’s not Mara. I know it’s a force of habit for you, but maybe you could be a bit nicer. No one here can hurt your plans back home. ”

“Unless they kill me.”

It was Rosemary’s turn to be the eye-roller. “Like Ophelia’s going to kill you. How about you try an apology to prevent the murder?”

Jade rolled her own eyes but couldn’t stop from laughing. Rosemary playfully shoved her back to the group.

“Oh, fine.” Rosemary was right, after all. She was right more often than Jade liked to admit.

Before she knew it, Jade stood behind Ophelia, squashing useless pride. Useless in this situation at least.

“Um, excuse me, Ophelia?”

The young lady turned around away from Ehud. If she expected another insult, Jade could hardly blame her. “Yes?”

“Well, I was rather too harsh back when those bugs came out. I’m — sorry.” Why was that so hard to get out?

Ophelia smiled. “It’s ok! Those bugs would probably put anyone on edge.”

Rosemary patted Jade’s back and left. Then Jade realized she’d have to have a conversation. Alone. Well, almost. Without Rosemary anyway.

“You’re a dancer, too, right?” asked Jade, throwing around for a topic they both might know.

“Yes, and I know you’re one, too. Did you know from my feet?” Ophelia gestured toward them, slightly outturned . “That’s how I knew you’re one.”

“Uh, yes. I suppose I’ve practiced so much it’s stuck.” Jade laughed. This was a little better than she’d expected.

Ophelia laughed like the warbling birds that alone could penetrate Benevola Haven. “I go to a ballet academy. Do you?”

Jade didn’t know what a ballet academy was. “No, but I’m in the Haven’s dance program, and I practiced all summer to keep my spot… well, I did when I wasn’t helping out at the fish farm.” She wrinkled her nose at the memory.

@rose-colored-fancy  I’m not certain if that’s how Ophelia would react, so just let me know how I did. Change whatever you like 🙂

Now I’ll follow Rosemary:

Rosemary walked down the dim passageway, seeking quiet. The others were nice, but she couldn’t keep up with them long. People were exhausting. She ran her fingers along the cool granite walls and savored not having to be anywhere. No schedules, no drudgery, no looming doom to distract her from her thoughts. Thoughts of her little brother and how to save him.

Absentminded, she walked toward the light ahead in the hall. Once she drew close, it blinded her eyes so long now used to the dark. As they adjusted, both dread and joy settled on her. The rickety desk and repurposed bottles full of desperate concoctions were all too familiar. This was home, her very own bed and desk and bottles. The voices of her own parents and Jade’s wafted from the common space to meet her. Rosemary turned around. No tunnel.

Where’s Jade?!

 

Ah, yes. I sent Rosemary home. Her performance in the Castle pleased me, so it’s rather ungrateful of me to send the poor girl off to her doom. However, there is another person I need to experiment with in the Castle more than she. Therefore, I introduce:

Isaias!

He’s way nicer than Jade, so I’m not sure why the rude girl fascinates him, other than his nigh-fatal curiosity. He’s very artsy and has a strong sense of justice and mercy, which makes him very rebellious toward the cruel Benevolents. He pretty much does everything they forbid every day. His MBTI is ENFP (Ehud will have company). He loves to personally help people.

Appearance: Dark hair and eyes, olive skin, about 5’10” since he’s a little shorter than Rosemary. Isaias usually carries very illegal things like notebooks and food (Benevola Haven is nuts. Be glad you don’t live there.).

 

Isaias pulled the curtain shut a little tighter, keeping out traitorous prying eyes. He unlocked the hidden compartment his father had fashioned when Isaias’ gift became apparent, and needed to be hidden. Isaias slipped out the stack of papers all covered with charcoal figures. He smiled at the flowers and mutant wolves and Bible story depictions. Laying out a fresh sheet, his mind time traveled to last week and this morning at the same time.

As he considered the injustice done to that Rosemary Andersen, another ghastly wolf took shape, bristling its hackles. He tilted his head. Was the wolf the Haven, or him angry at it? Who knew. Morbid analogy, anyway. Isaias shook himself, willing the taint of the dreadful Haven to leave his mind, and focused on the other memory at the forefront of his mind. A charcoal ballerina twirling in a gray mist emerged on the page. Jade. What had she been doing in the Culled district?

Isaias laughed aloud, and a thump came from the wall next to him. Oops. Miriam was probably trying to sleep. He glanced at the clock: 12:00 a.m. He continued chuckling quietly, for he might as well ask what he’d been doing in the Culled district.

Everything dissolved before him in a charcoal fog. Had he spilled something? But no, the ground was strange, and he sat on stone. Though he knew everyone, voices he didn’t know reached his ears, as well as one he knew: Jade’s.

What am I doing here?