The Solstice Cup by Rachel Muller

Author:Rachel Muller
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: book, JUV000000
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2010-09-30T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Breanne was sitting cross-legged on the bed when Nuala brought Mackenzie back from the courtyard.

“I have to leave you for a while,” Nuala said from the doorway. “I’ll have some food sent in while I’m gone. Eat up while you can—there’s no banquet tonight. Tonight we ride.”

“What is that supposed to mean, ‘Tonight we ride’?” Breanne asked after Nuala was gone. “And where were you?”

“Where were you?” said Mackenzie.

“Looking for a way out of here. Where did you think I was?” Breanne punched the pillow in her lap. “She’s delusional if she thinks she can keep me in here forever.”

“We need to talk,” Mackenzie said.

“I’m serious, I’m not going to be anyone’s prisoner.”

Mackenzie yanked her sister’s pillow away. “Listen to me, Breanne!”

“What?” Breanne asked angrily.

Mackenzie took a breath. “I would never leave you behind,” she said through gritted teeth. “But you keep taking off on me, your sister, your twin sister.”

Breanne shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re getting so excited about. You were asleep. Besides, you’re too chicken to go anywhere anyway.”

“What I’m getting excited about?” Mackenzie threw up her hands angrily. “Sisters are supposed to stick together, Breanne! That’s why I’m here in the first place, because I came with you! Because I wouldn’t let you go off by yourself and get lost!”

“So you shouldn’t have followed me then,” Breanne said with contempt. “Your mistake.”

“My mistake? I fell into a river trying to save your life, Breanne! And it’s not the first time.”

“Not the first time that you fell into a river?”

“That I saved your life, you moron!” Mackenzie stomped across the room and sat down hard on the canopy bed. “Remember that night at the stones five years ago? There was something there—a Pooka! It shot you with a dart, in the ankle. If I hadn’t been there to drag you down the hill, it would have caught you for sure!”

“I was there,” said Breanne. “There was no Pooka. You’re the one who wrecked my ankle when you yanked me so hard!”

“That’s not what happened,” said Mackenzie. “Nuala showed me, in the pool.”

Breanne snorted. “What pool?”

“A pool of solstice fire—the stuff from the solstice cup. I saw everything that happened that night.”

“Oh, really?” Breanne said sarcastically.

“Yes, really! It was like watching a movie. Plus the solstice fire has healing properties. Nuala said if you drank it, your leg would be back to normal.”

Breanne’s eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. “Are you kidding me? Last night we couldn’t drink from the solstice cup because the piper guy said we’d turn into zombie slaves. Now Nuala says ‘drink up,’ and suddenly you want to do what she says. Which is it, Mackenzie? Too bad we can’t call Mom and ask her opinion, since you can’t seem to think for yourself.”

“That’s not fair,” Mackenzie said angrily. “I saw the bird get healed! It had a broken wing, and Nuala put it in the pool and the wing was fixed, just like that. There was no more blood or anything!”

“Just like that,” Breanne repeated in a mocking voice.

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