Faire Exchange: Chapter 34

Rina wishes she weren't alone.

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The afternoon sunlight brought bright reds and whites out of the domes of the city of Frangont. A breeze drew locks of Rina's hair over her face. She sat on the north terrace of her home, watching the ripples treading in the river and the carriages flying over the highway. Bugs and pixies chirped duets on the riverbed. The buildings across the river gleamed like chrysalises.

Rina was alone.

She'd finally managed to clean all the food off. With this stupid Bangle on her wrist, she couldn't use her magic to burn it away, so she had to take a bath. And who was it that had to find her favorite soaps and lotions and perfumes, or find a change of clothes? Rina, that's who, and all by herself, too. That was always Lewro's job, and he wasn't here.

Nobody was. Mother and Father weren't home, and all the help were on vacation except for Lettie, the cleaning lady. All Lettie could do was dust and sweep and break the news that Rina's parents were all the way on the other side of the continent, at some conference or other with some diplomat. Lettie was able to help her contact Mother and Father through the hallway mirror, but they were only free to talk for a few minutes. Rina barely had enough time to tell them who did this to her.

Today was the worst day of Rina's life. Nadia betrayed her. Her whole class attacked her. Nobody at the Roth House liked her. Her parents abandoned her.

Well, she didn't care what anybody thought. She was just going to stay here, in her own home, with the Bangle on until Mother and Father came to their senses and returned to Frangont.

She could wait as long as she needed.

She hoped Lettie could cook.

All she'd wanted to do ever since they dragged her to the Roth house was come back here. She'd thought somebody would catch her when she swiped the first Bangle, or when she tossed it into the river the week before school. She'd thought that without it she had a fast ticket to expulsion. Turned out those human teachers were more easily frightened than she expected. Or needed.

Then there was Nadia.

Nadia, who had told Rina, assured her she just needed to play nice. And Rina had tried, she'd really tried, all for Nadia's sake. Then as soon as Rina lost her power, Nadia turned out to be just as worthless as all the rest.

Rina had gotten away from that awful world and that awful school and those awful children, and what did she have to show for it? An empty mansion and a Bangle.

If only Nadia were here, then Rina could really show her…

"Excuse me, Duchess?" Lettie said from the back door.

Rina rubbed her face and turned around. "What is it, Lettie?"

"Some human children are here to see you. It seems Mr. Bellagera Dugn brought them."

"Tell them I refuse to see anybody."

"Are you sure, Duchess? He says it's urgent."

"I am not repeating myself, Lettie. Tell them to leave."

"As you wish." Lettie sank back through the door and closed it behind her.

Rina turned back toward the river and took out her compact. She stared at her reflection, waiting with some sliver of hope for the Bangle to somehow fall off so she could use the mirror to call her mother again. But right now it was just a plain old mirror.

Why would human kids want to come all the way here? To make fun of her? To tell everyone back home how miserable Rina was? Which kids, anyway? The third graders liked her, but who cared about them? They only followed her around for the magic tricks. And who ever heard of grading someone based on their age? Humans were weird.

"There she is."

Rina jumped up and whirled toward the voice. Just as Lottie said, there was Galen's dull mannequin of an errand boy, Bellagera, standing at the end of the garden path. And it wasn't just human kids with him. It was the very same human kids who'd driven her back here! Nadia, Gregg, Zoe, Jeremy, Martin, and Papu, all crowding at the side of the terrace! They must have ignored Lottie's orders and come around back—Papu knew her way around. Who forgot to lock that gate? And who was it that couldn't take no for an answer: them or Lottie?

"All right," Bellagera said to the others, "I'll leave the rest to you."

He turned meggle and vanished.

Rina backed up along the railing. The only other way out was through the back door, and it was too far. "What do you want? What are you doing here?"

"Take it easy, Rina," Papu said. "They're—"

"Papu! We're not at the Roth House anymore! Here, you call me 'Lady' or 'Duchess.'"

"Or else what? We've been sharing the same home for a week and a half, Rina. Even if you still had your magic, nothing you do can frighten me. It's not like you ever frightened me before. I swear, you can be such a—" Papu stopped, took a deep breath. "Look, your classmates have come all this way to see you, and they have something they would like to say."

"And you have the gall to bring them here? After what they did to me?"

"That's why we're here, Rina." Nadia stepped forward. "We're sorry."

"Ha."

"No, she's serious." This time it was Jeremy. "Everybody's sorry."

"And why should I believe you?" Rina said. "How do I know you aren't going to do something even worse when I return?"

Gregg said, "Look, we didn't—"

"Look, you stuck up fairy queen," Zoe said. "Your dad's gonna put a curse on us if we don't say we're sorry, so accept our apology already so we can go home."

The other boys and girls slapped their heads.

"My father?" Rina said. "He's cursing you?"

"Well, he's cursing me and Zoe and Martin," Jeremy said. "I don't know about Nadia or Gregg."

They both shook their heads.

Rina almost wanted to dance. When she spoke with her father, she'd managed to name exactly who had wronged her this morning, only stalling at naming Nadia, and forgetting about Gregg. She didn't even think Father had listened. She should have known! Of course a silly little diplomatic trip wouldn't stop him from caring about his only daughter! "Good."

"What?!"

"Go and be cursed! I don't intend to go back there, and I don't intend to accept anyone's apology."

"Rina, will you stop thinking about yourself for one second?" Papu said. "We've come all this way. These kids' lives are about to be ruined."

"They should have thought of that before they attacked a duchess."

"I knew it," Zoe said. "This whole thing was a waste of time. I'm probably gonna wake up with my hands and feet switched or scales on my face or something. We're not gonna reason with her."

"Wait," Martin said. "Come on, Rina, what do we need to do to make things right? You name it."

That pooka didn't even deserve an answer. But there was one thing Rina wanted. She fixed her eyes on Nadia and marched toward her. "How could you pretend to be my friend?"

"I—I didn't?"

"Was it all so you could throw it back at me? Make me look like a fool?"

"No, that isn't what I was doing at all!"

"Then what? You said you didn't like me. So why pretend?"

Nadia slid her foot back. "Well… I don't… I wouldn't say I was pretending."

Rina thrust her hand out at Nadia, but there was no glow. With the Bangle on, it was easy to forget she couldn't cast magic.

She wiped tears onto her arm.

"Rina, listen," Nadia said. "Maybe it's true I didn't like you at first. I thought you were terrifying. I was worried about what you'd do to me."

"So it's true," Rina said.

"Almost. But the important thing," Nadia said, "was that you treated me like a friend. I learned you could be kind and gentle, and I didn't have to be afraid of you. I just wanted you to realize you didn't have to be everybody's enemy."

"That's what you were saying yesterday," Rina said. "But I didn't want to be there. I didn't want any other friends besides you. I belong right here."

"All by yourself?" Nadia said. "I'd probably go a little crazy."

"Mother and Father will be back."

"But why do you think they sent you to Earth in the first place?" Papu said.

"I don't know. Probably to punish me for something."

"What if that wasn't it, thought? What if they did it so you could make friends?"

Rina felt a clamp inside her chest. Mother and Father wouldn't have had such a mundane goal… would they? "But Nadia… Why did you say those things to me?"

Nadia began to rub her arm and shift her weight from side to side. "When you started hanging around with me, two really good friends started avoiding me. I… thought I wanted them back more than I wanted to hang out with you. But I don't. I hurt you too much. Rina, I'm so, so sorry."

"It's the same thing with me," Gregg said. "Jeremy and Martin are my best friends in the world, and they thought you were putting all that in my mouth. I guess I… I wanted them to keep thinking that. The truth is… I didn't mean a single word I said yesterday. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I know everybody thinks I'm crazy, but it's true. I'm sorry, Rina."

"Yeah, look…" Jeremy scratched his head through his floppy hair. "We have a saying on earth… 'Do unto others what you would want done to you.' That's not how I treated you. I'm sorry."

"Right," Martin said. "All this happened today because of me. I thought I could get some of the glory, but… Well, I became something I hate. Even if I didn't get a curse, I'd still be here, because I can't look my Granny in the eye until I fix things. I humiliated you, and that wasn't right. I'm sorry."

Zoe crossed her arms. "Look, I really did honestly try to make friends with you. I've been the new kid in a new town before, so I know what it's like to be alone in a strange place. I'm still mad for what you got my brother to do… But on the other hand, now that I'm here… I really am sorry. Actually, I kinda feel sorry for you."

"You?" Rina stepped closer. "Dare to pity me?"

"Yeah, I kinda do. I mean, just look at this place! It's so big! And so empty! Nobody's here! Would you really rather stay here all alone and feel miserable, when you could be going to school with a whole bunch of kids who can play with you at recess? I know what I'd pick!"

"Honestly!" Rina whirled around and marched toward the door.

But she stopped just as she was about to open it.

She had no idea where she was supposed to go. Where, in this mansion, so big and grand… and empty, like Zoe said? So empty she felt like an intruder in her own home? Into her bedroom, where the only thing to do was sleep? Into her mother's library, or her father's gallery, which were now locked tight? Her bath, which she'd have to prepare herself, and hope she found all the right perfumes?

Or perhaps her private drawing room, full of her toys and dolls and games, her instruments, her fine dresses that made her feel more divine than Queen Titania? The same toys and musical instruments and dresses she'd hoped to show Nadia? Rina had fantasized about it all week, about bringing Nadia and letting her treat the house as her palace, when Rina had previously kept these things entirely for herself. Nadia had shown her the electronic phone. It would have been a small thing for Lady Tsarina Algruent to return the favor.

Now, looking back, Rina wondered what reason she'd ever given Nadia to even want it. By the time they met, Rina had already put the flower on the fat kid's nose, flung the ball around the gym, and gotten Halley to shock that other girl. Who'd want to be friends with her? Why wouldn't Nadia have been afraid?

And yet Nadia had come all the way here, together with Gregg, and all the others, without even the threat of a curse, to apologize for the cruel things they'd done.

As for Jeremy and Zoe and Martin… Something told her this was farther than either of them expected to go.

All for her.

They'd said something about doing what you'd want others to do. Well, what did Rina want?

Whatever it was, it wasn't behind that door.

But even when Rina spoke to Father, she still couldn't bring herself to name Nadia.

More tears pooled up in Rina's eyes. Her hand came up and wiped them and pulled her hair back. She found a piece of tomato behind her ear.

"I… I think I could use another bath. Papu, you think Galen could get one ready for me at the Roth House?"

Papu said, "I think so. It's not as luxurious, but the water will be just as hot."

"All right." Rina stood and faced the others, then bowed low from the waist. "All of you, please forgive me. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'll accept your apology, and come back, and I'll even keep the Bangle on, if…" Tears began to pour faster than Rina could wipe them away. "If it means Nadia will be my friend again."

Nadia came forward and pulled Rina into a tight hug. "Sure, Rina. Sure. Of course I can."

"Thank you. I'm sorry. Thank you." Rina squeezed as hard as she could. How could she have gone so long without the joy of having a friend?

"So… You mean it?" Jeremy said. "If Martin takes the Bangle off, you're not going to cast any spells on us?"

"No. I promise," Rina said. "It didn't do me a lot of good before."

"You're really not going to do anything?" Zoe said.

"I said I promise, didn't I?" Rina noticed Papu crooking her head. "What, you think I'm lying?"

"I just never thought I'd ever see you apologize," Papu said.

"Why? What have I ever had to apologize to you for?"

Papu looked like she was about to shout something, but nothing came out. Instead she gritted her teeth. "Never mind," she said. "We need to get going. Bellagera's waiting out front."

"All right. Let me just tell Lottie I'm leaving."

"One thing I still wonder, though," Papu said. "Whatever happened to your original Bangle?"

"Who knows?" Rina said as she pulled the door open. "Probably got lost in the mail."