3 Chapter 3

The sun is setting in the distance and I wonder how I managed to waste a whole day. My water bottle is nearly empty, only a few swallows left.

I took a few detours on the way home, the fifteen minute run turning into a few hours. Or half a day.

My stomach rumbles louder than before with hunger, reminding me that I'm a human who needs to eat. If it wasn't for that, I may run all day everyday. No one would be able to stop me. Alas, all dreams can't come true. That's not how the world works apparently. Pshh, says who? I roll my eyes before realizing people can see me and may think I'm weird since I rolled my eyes at myself. But I do it all of the time so who cares?

Nature whispers to me a moment before I hear the message on the wind.

Lena, come home. My mother's voice is urgent, nearly desperate.

"Is something wrong?" I ask aloud, knowing she'll hear my words. My gut twists into itself as I wait for her reply, my legs already working themselves into a run.

Your father and I have something very important to discuss with you. Please, hurry. Her voice doesn't sound panicked or rushed anymore but a part of me can't help but wonder if something bad happened.

I begin to run, pushing myself to go as fast as I can. After ten minutes, I make it home. I stop in front of the front door, hunched over with my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath.

I spare only a moment before I rush inside. My parents are sitting in the living room adjacent to the door. Both of them have heavy expressions on their faces as if whatever they have to say is horrible to even think about.

"Mom, Dad. I'm home." I say by way of greeting.

"Lena." My mom smiles, her hazel eyes sparkling.

"Surprise!" I jump as people appear in the room. They pop up from behind the couch and any other hiding places they could find.

"What?" I stumble as I'm dragged into the house. Someone shuts the door behind me. I instantly wish I hadn't run home. I'm sticky with sweat and I imagine I don't smell too good.

"Did you forget about your birthday?" Someone asks me as an elbow nudges my ribs.

"Probably! She was too concerned with the race and beating Hestia!" I instantly recognize the voice as Jacob, one of my brothers. He appears before me and smiles as he envelops me in his arms. "Happy birthday kid."

"Kid? I'm a year younger than you!"

"Exactly, that makes you a kid." My other brother Carter grins as he appears by Jacob's side. Where one goes, the other follows.

I smile and hug him. As he's pulling away, I grab one of both his and Jacob's ears and yank them towards me. They're both taller than me so it puts them in an uncomfortable position as they hunch over. "Call me a kid again and you'll lose the ear."

"I thought I was the feisty one in the family." Hestia laughs, her dark eyes shining.

"I have my moments." I reply to my sister. "How's it feel to finally lose?"

"Who said I lost? I could have just let you win since it's your birthday." She shrugs.

"You wouldn't." I glare at her.

"Oh but she would." Jacob shudders.

"She's despicable. Pure evil." Carter shivers with his twin as he rubs his left ear. "But nothing compared to you. My ear hurts."

Hestia glares at them and they instantly walk away, probably going to annoy someone else.

Hestia stays by my side as our cousins come up to me to wish me a happy birthday and good luck with my new year. I fidget the whole time, wishing to get it over with.

I've always been nervous around large crowds and having people stare at me and celebrating my birth sure doesn't make it any easier.

"Let the party begin!" My mother yells and comes out of the kitchen with cake. "To Lena. Happy birthday and may the new year be filled with wonder!"

"Wonder!" Everyone cheers as plates of cake appear before everyone. My dad, a Magi, cut the cake with his mind in seconds. He always makes the kids happy when he does that. It takes forever to get a piece of cake otherwise. I grin when I notice how big my piece is.

"Thanks, Dad." I kiss his cheek when I near him. I notice Canto a few feet away talking to his wife, Alora.

"Of course, I hope today was good." He smiles.

"You know it was. But at the race-"

"We'll talk about that later." He smiles a crooked smile, one he gets when he doesn't want someone to know something is bothering him.

"Alright." It bothers me but I brush it off. "Where's Jax?"

"Your boyfriend had to work so he wasn't able to come." Hestia smirks as she comes up to us with an ice cream cone in her hand. I don't question it as I glare at her.

Dad looks like a bird just pooped on him as he turns to me. "Since when are you two dating?"

"We aren't." I reply calmly.

"You might as well be, you're always together." My sister shrugs.

I feel my face heating up and I wish I wasn't surrounded by people. "Whatever."

She laughs. "You're so easily embarrassed. That makes messing with you so much more fun."

"Not today Hestia." Mom walks up to us, her normal smile on her face. My heart instantly warms and I relax where I am. Her red hair, so similar to mine in everything except length, is pulled back into a messy bun that allows her hazel eyes to be seen clearly. The green in them are as vibrant as a leaf in the middle of summer while the brown is the color of honey I like on my toast in the morning.

"Sorry, Mom." Hestia grumbles. If I didn't know she was adopted, I'd be confused by her appearance. She looks nothing like the rest of my family, her features standing out against the rest of us. Despite that, she's treated as if she's related to us by blood.

The twins both take after our father as they have brown hair and green eyes. Carter's hair is darker than Jacob's but the latter is taller. Dad's green eyes, the exact same shade as the twins', are usually full of mischief. Mom's a ginger like me, her hair so bright Dad sometimes claims it's on fire.

Mom and I look the most alike. Her hair stops at her shoulder blades but mine falls to the middle of my back. The biggest difference between us are our eyes. My best friend Jax always compares mine to the moon since they're grey. Freckles are splattered across my nose as if someone took a paint brush and splatted them there when I was a child. Mom's are all over her face.

Hestia is dark compared to us. Her hair is the same color as the night sky and her eyes are that of a bottomless pit. They're terrifying when she's angry. Sometimes it seems as if you can fall into them and be swallowed whole.

"Lena, what are you thinking about?' Hestia asks me.

I look at my family around me, all of them smiling as they enjoy themselves. "How much fun everyone is having without us."

~~~~~

"Never invite our whole family to a birthday party again." I sigh as I pick up a few cups and stuff them in an almost full bag. "They never clean up after themselves."

"Isn't that the truth. I feel like I'm cleaning up after a million clones of your brothers." Mom jokes as the twins shuffle around the room, groaning as if they're in psychical pain.

"Why do we have to help anyway?" Jacob asks. "It wasn't our party."

"You're right. It was Lena's. Go sit down and tell your brothers what to do." Dad smirks as he motions from me to the couch.

I laugh and shake my head. "It wouldn't be fair."

"Why can't all of my children be like you?" Mom asks as she pats my head. "You're so nice."

"Making the twins jealous won't work." I tell her. "Remember last time?"

She shudders. "How could I forget? That will never happen again."

"Right." I nod.

It takes us a few hours to completely clean the house but I don't complain. At least not as much as my brothers.

Hestia goes to her room shortly after we're done. The twins aren't far behind her as they go to theirs.

I stay with my parents in the living room, both of them sharing weird looks as they notice it's just the three of us left.

"Please, sit down," Dad says out of the blue. He motions to the couch across from them. He sighs and rubs his face, a sign he's agitated. "We need to talk to you."

"What is it?" I question them as I sit down. I rub the inside of my thumb, an old nervous habit.

My dad notices my actions. "This is important but doesn't change how we feel about you. . .Rose, maybe it's best if you tell her."

"Whatever you have to say, say it." I try to smile but my nerves get the best of me. Instead I wring my hands in my lap. Even that can't hide how much I'm shaking.

"There's no easy way to say this, Lena," Mom says. She glances at Dad before sighing deeply. Her eyes seem to look at everything except me. She seems so much different from how she was moments ago at the party. She was so open and easygoing but now she's reserved and. . .frightened?

"Rose, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dad interrupts whatever she was about to say. Mom finally looks at me before nodding her head. They rise from their seats at almost the exact same time before disappearing into the kitchen. I'm sure they didn't mean to, but they leave the door cracked slightly.

I can hear every word.

"Rose-"

"No, Kody. She needs to know. We promised her we would tell her everything on her 17th birthday. We hid the truth and gave her a normal life for as long as we could. The truth can't remain hidden forever. Especially not with what this year holds for her." Mom's voice is strained as she cuts off my father.

"We shouldn't do it until we can tell her everything. We don't even know the whole story thanks to the spell she cast that day." He argues. "We need to wait until we're all ready, until Esmera's new year."

"Honey, you know we can't. You heard his words that night, the curse he uttered. Lena must find out most of it for herself. We can only push her in the right direction. Besides, everything changes then. We can't wait that long. She needs to know so she can understand why she already has her powers."

"And you think now is the right time to tell her? We should wait until after tomorrow, before the school year starts." Dad is angry, his usually deep voice even deeper.

"It can't wait. She needs to come to terms with it before she leaves." Mom releases a breath. "Kody, now is our only option. She's seventeen, it may already be too late. I don't want to waste anymore time."

"But how do you even know she'll leave? She may not be accepted." I can imagine Dad clenching his fists at his side, fighting the anger that builds up. Somehow, Mom is the only person who's ever made him truly angry. It usually only happens when it comes to me and my siblings. She's the strict parent out of them.

"Alastor will accept her. He has no choice." Mom sighs. "But even he doesn't know who she really is."

"Then let's just tell her what she really needs to know. She doesn't need the whole story right now. We shouldn't overwhelm her, not with the dreams coming tonight."

I decide I've had enough waiting and leave my spot on the sofa. I try not to let my emotions get the best of me, fighting the urge to run out of the house with every step I take. The heel of my shoes hitting the ground seems to echo as I walk, dooming me the closer I get to the kitchen door.

"Mom, Dad." I push open the door to find them staring at each other. I was right to think Dad was angry, his fists are clenched at his side. Mom's eyebrows are furrowed, her jaw clenched tightly. I really wish I had stayed in the living room, I don't want to know what's got them so angry. "I, um. I heard everything you guys just said. What's going on?"

My parents share a look with each other and before either of them can utter a single word, nature tells me what they're too afraid to say. My legs become jelly beneath me and I struggle to breath as I back out of the kitchen.

"No." I mutter. "It can't be. That's impossible. I- I look just like you!"

Mom shales her head and opens her mouth to speak. My mouth becomes dry, my brain incapable of finding any words to say to them. I shake my head, my mouth quivering as tears well up in my eyes.

"Lena." My dad reaches for me but I turn and run up the stairs.

I spot Hestia standing in the hallway. As always, her face only shows a small portion of her emotions. The little bit she only lets me see.

I don't say anything to my older sister as I rush into my room and slam the door behind me. I don't bother locking it, I know my family won't bother me.

"What's going on?" Hestia demands, her voice being distant the only indication that she went down to the living room where I'm sure my parents now are.

"Are the twins still in their room?" Dad asks. He shouts up the stairs "Jacob, Carter, come here please!"

Footsteps shuffle past my door, stopping momentarily as if my brothers might come in and ask me what's happening. I wouldn't have an answer for them.

I can imagine it now. Mom and Dad are sitting on the sofa where they originally were before they went to the kitchen. Hestia sits where I was on the sofa across from them, Jacob and Carter standing behind her with their arms crossed. They seem as if something may jump out and attack her and they need to be ready to defend her.

"What's got Lena so upset?" Hestia questions the people I've called my parents my whole life.

"She's adopted." The two words that bare so much weight are emotionless, quickly spat out as if that will make it easier to understand.

My whole world comes crashing down as those two words confirm what nature whispered to me. The twins and Hestia gasp as one, Jacob and Carter's green eyes widening. I lean against my door, unable to stop myself from shaking. My knees try to buckle beneath me so I allow myself to slide to the floor, turning so my back is pressed the smooth wood.

"No." Hestia's voice is pained and I know what she's thinking.

My hands start to shake in my lap as tears threaten to break through. They've been lying to me this whole time. It's never been a secret that Hestia was adopted. Her black hair and even darker eyes stand out from mom's light brown hair and dad's red.

But me? I'm the spitting image of the woman I call my mom.

"That can't be true." Jacob looks at both of our parents, his hands falling to grip the back of the couch. "She's our sister."

"She is still your sister although you don't share blood." Mom's voice is strained as if she struggles to get the words out at all. "She's just like Hestia, loved equally."

"Why are you just now telling us this? Why not do like you did with me and let her know from the start?" Hestia demands. I can see in her eyes that she's questioning her importance to our family once again.

"Hestia, we love you." Mom answers her unspoken question. "We always have and we always will. You're our little girl."

"That we do, my love." Dad smiles at her. "No one else in this house is as funny as you when angry."

Her eyes flash at that, fire seeming to blaze through them at his comment.

I'm glad the attention has been taken from me and directed to someone else. I don't like for everyone to focus on me like that, especially when I'm not in the same room to speak for myself. I prefer to be hidden in the shadows, alone and without trouble. Peaceful. I prefer peace.

I stand up from the floor and kick my shoes off as I move towards my bed. I finger the gold rose bracelet before taking the red one off and placing it on my bedside table. I'll give it to my sister another day.

Despite my questions about this morning at the race, I decide it's best for me to stay in my room for the rest of the night. I pull the covers back and lay down on my bed, looking out of my open window to see the sun setting in the distance.

An hour passes before the house becomes quiet. A question Hestia asked about our birth parents ringing in my head, silence echoing as neither Mom nor Dad answer her.

My birthday really did take a turn for the worst, a present I never wanted being the last thing I received.