Complications and Confessions

"What does home mean to you?" Eon looked confused as he asked the question.

"I've never had a good home. Home means nothing to me." There was much hatred in my voice.

"We've had a talk about living here, but I want to discuss something else."

"I do, too."

Eon nodded a bit, like he expected I had something to say.

"You haven't been telling me the whole truth," I accused Eon.

"Neither have you."

I crossed my arms in frustration.

"Why didn't you tell me I was your pet?" I asked in disgust.

"Why didn't you tell me vinegar made you sick?" Eon took a step towards me.

"Isabelle told you?" My expression softened for a moment, but hardened the next.

"You didn't want to eat the meat, so I knew something was wrong. Isabelle confirmed that before she left."

Eon shook his head and sighed, "Why didn't you tell me? I asked if you had allergies. What if I fed you too much vinegar by mistake?"

"I wasn't focused at the time."

"Then learn to focus. Nothing can happen to you."

"Why not? Do you care so much about your pet that it's death would be unbearable."

Eon put his hand to his forehead and said, "Lumine, all that talk about you being a pet was fake."

"It's insulting. I'm a human, just like you."

"That's the thing. You're not just like me. You have special abilities. That's why you need to stay here, safe. What was I supposed to tell my relatives? That I'm currently letting a girl who can pick up a million-pound hammer with healing powers stay here until I uncover what magic is inside the hammer?"

Eon was almost yelling. I wasn't going to point that out, of course.

"Why did you have me come to the dinner at all? I could have just stayed in my room? You could have even just pretended I was a servant. I looked at Eon, sure I had him beat.

"I need to be with you at all times, Lumine. Why would my relatives think if I decided to bring a servant to the theater?" Eon opened his mouth to continue, but I cut him off.

"Why is it so important that I'm safe and with you? Are you not telling me something?" I asked suspiciously.

"I can't answer that for many reasons."

"Can you at least tell me how you survived multiple bullets to the chest?"

"What?"

"A servant told me that on the day your father died, the man I killed shot you multiple times. You lived and no bullet wounds could be found. I guess that man really did kill Eon Diablo!"

"You're making no sense!" Eon slapped me across the face and continued, "I'm alive now. Whoever told you that story is a liar."

"How can I be sure you're not the liar?"

Eon turned around and headed for the door. I headed after him, but he slammed the door in my face. Just before it closed, Eon pulled a gun out of his shirt.

I took a panicked step back. There was only one person Ron could be after: the man I spoke to earlier.

Suddenly, I was very cold. That man was going to die, and it was all my fault.

I ran to my bed and hid under its covers. All I could hear was my heavy breathing.

If Eon was right about me being the daughter of the former rulers of Suvilla, that meant I didn't belong trapped in my own room and hiding under my covers, waiting for a gunshot. Eon sure didn't treat me like royalty.

Maybe he was lying. About everything. Maybe I wasn't special in any way. The hammer was special. I'd just found it. Maybe I was Eon's pet, and he didn't want me to know it. Maybe Eon wanted the hammer for himself.

I was starting to feel warm under the covers. Slowly, I pulled the covers off me and felt a rush of cool air.

Gunshot.

I pulled the covers back over me and shrieked. Maybe Eon was just trying to scare me. He probably didn't shoot anyone.

It was only seven o'clock. I could go find Eon and apologize. The less time I waited, the less tension there would be between us.

I walked to the door. Locked. If only I could get it open. Eon would likely wait until tomorrow. Sleep would calm both of us down.

It didn't take long for me to wash up and change into a nightgown. Afterwards, I found myself sitting on my bed with the amethyst necklace. Part of me wanted to throw it away, and part of me wanted to set it aside. I had to wear it tomorrow when I went to the theater with the Diablos.

Would I still be going? Or would Eon make up an excuse for me so that I could stay at the manor locked up in my room all day?

Only three hours until I would normally go to bed. What was I supposed to do until then? There were plenty of books in my room, but I needed something that would completely take my mind off the current situation.

I walked around the room in search of something to keep me occupied. A large map covered the wall, along with other pictures. The mysterious hammer looked out of place. I put it in the bottom of the small nightstand near my bed. The desk contained a few pens and some paper. All the other drawers were empty.

I grabbed a pen and the paper from the desk and sat down at it. The chair was extremely comfortable. As mad as Eon was, why would he lock me in such a comfortable room? With the shameful attitude I'd displayed, Eon had every right to lock me someplace that inspired nightmares.

Now that I think about it, drawing was the only thing Auntie ever complimented me for.