The girl is not as self-conscious as she would have once though, and she is a little disappointed by it. It was always more difficult to find a foothold in others like this. But not impossible, she reminds herself. The idea of a challenge perks her up slightly and she straightens, eyes narrowing as if she would be able to spot those weaknesses in the other girl if she looked close enough. If she just tried hard enough.
“Catryn,” she echoes, wondering if playing pretend to earn the friendship would be enough. It would not hurt to have female friends, she knows, thinking of her sister for a moment. She wrinkles her nose again, unsure about what to do next or how she wanted to take the conversation, but content to go forward with this latest idea for now. At least until she has a better one—which was certain to happen eventually.
Her blood runs cold at Catryn’s next sentence though and she struggles to keep the chill from her voice.
“My mother,” she manages between grit teeth. “The earth shook and ate my mother.” It surprises her to know that she could feel angry over Straia’s death, or disappearance, but she decides that it is more the fact that this girl didn’t even know her mother’s name that upsets her than the memory itself. Her mother could be dead so long as her legacy lived on—so long as she remained in infamy.
Rosebay swallows, trying to get her emotions beneath her thumb once more.
“It’s safe though,” a pause, feeling herself shake just slightly. “I think.”
She continues to fight for control, to fight to remain when there is no small piece of her that wants to turn on her heel and run. “Yes, I live her with my sister.” She forces a laugh. “For now at least.”
but in all chaos, there is calculation