The Daughter of Death- *RAYOR*

Chapter 9: Who I Am

Aster came that day, just after we finished packing.

"Mamma mia!" exclaimed Aster. "What happened to you?"

"She got into a fight. With a drunkard," said Arielle, so sweetly and innocently, but I wished I hadn't told her anything. I glared at her, but she wasn't looking at me.

I didn't like the way Aster looked at me, like a child that he told to stay put but had wandered to the Congo. "Arielle, let's go. I want to talk to you."

"Huh?" Arielle looked scared.

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her upstairs. "Which one's your room?"

She pointed. "That one."

I let myself in, sitting on the bed. The room was sunshine-yellow, with a maple bed and coverlets the colour of buttermilk. I searched her face. She looked as innocent as a nine-year-old, even though she looked sixteen. "What can you do, angel?"

"I don't know," she said promptly, looking relieved that I wasn't chewing her out. I heard the mumble of voices below, remembering that Willow was here. Probably talking to Aster.

"How did you do it?" I asked.

"I honestly don't know," she said earnestly. "It just happens!"

"Can you undo the things you do?"

She scrunched up her face. "Uhh..." she closed her eyes. "...uhh..." She opened them. "No."

I let out a breath, but, despite myself, felt concerned. "What happened to you, Arielle?"

"Nothing happened to me. This is who I am."

***

"What's wrong with Arielle, Willow?" I asked. He, Aster and I were picking up a map and some weapons.

He stiffened. "Nothing."

"Can we do this quickly?" asked Aster as Willow looked through maps. "I have reaping!"

"Do your precious reaping!" I glared. The worst thing about being mortal was the odd mood swings, one day perky, the next sullen. Most of the time, sullen.

Aster disappeared in a flash and a glint. No one noticed except for me.

"I think I'll pick this one," said Willow, picking up a map of the entire area including the Cave of the Lost. "The cave's closer than I thought."

"How long will the journey be?" I asked, suddenly hopeful.

"To and back?" Willow laughed, not unkindly. "Two months. Not counting the impossible amount of time it will take to look for your powers."

"Worrywart," I muttered. "But it's only land travel, right?"

"Yes," said Willow. "We'll have to rent ponies."

"Oh." In my old days, I would be able to make this journey in the blink of an eye. However, this wasn't my old days anymore. I was constantly being reminded that.

"Brighten up. You're always so gloomy."

"Who said it was a long way?"

Willow walked to the counter and paid. "That's a lot," he muttered.

"It's vellum, of course it's a lot," I muttered back. "By the way, where's your mum?"

"I don't have a mum."

"You must have, once! Who raised you? How do you get your money?"

"I have a part time job," said Willow imperiously. "Arielle and I don't need a mum."