Sixteen Years Waiting, Still Below the Dog Chapter 04

Sixteen Years Waiting, Still Below the Dog Chapter 04

Silas pointed at me first.

She took them!

She grew up poor in the countryside. She sees coin and can’t keep her hands off it!

Brielle chimed in right away.

That’s right! No one else would steal!

My head snapped up. I shook it hard, my voice shaky but firm.

I didn’t. I didn’t steal anything!

But my mother didn’t want to hear it.

She turned to me, her eyes full of disappointment and disgust.

Bring me your bag. We’re searching it.

I tried to explain, but my father lost patience.

He walked into the sunroom, grabbed my backpack, and dumped everything out onto the floor.

Several gold coins clattered out.

Exactly a thousand marks.

Not a penny more, not a penny less.

My mother slammed the table.

What do you have to say for yourself now

I choked back tears and tried to explain.

Gran gave me that money. I didn’t steal it.

She’d given it to me the night before they came to Brackenfield.

She’d saved it for months selling herbs she’d foraged and doing odd jobs around town. She was afraid I’d be mistreated in Everden, afraid I’d run out of coin. So she gave it all to me.

But my mother didn’t believe me. She laughed coldly, her eyes icy.

Your grandmother already threw you out. She was cold enough to kick you away. Why would she secretly give you coin

Sunny, you’re so young, and you already lie as naturally as you breathe.

My father raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

My wolf was caught off guard. I took the blow full-on.

My ears rang. Half my face burned instantly.

We raised you, and this is what you become A thief. A liar.

Confess!

Say you took it. Say you lied. Swear you’ll never do it again, and I’ll let it go.

My wolf thrashed inside me, snarling, desperate to break free and tear everything apart.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, just to keep her down.

I said coldly, I didn’t steal. And I didn’t lie.

My father’s face went red with rage.

Still won’t admit it

Fine. Your grandmother didn’t teach you right. Today I’ll make sure you remember what stealing costs.

He rolled up his sleeves and looked around for something to hit me with.

Silas immediately handed him an iron rod wrapped in silver wire.

Dad, use this!

My father took it, weighed it in his hand, and swung it down hard on me.

I covered my head and tried to dodge.

But there was nowhere to go.

The rod came down again and again. The silver wire cut into my skin. The burning pain was so bad I couldn’t even scream.

He kept going until the rod itself bent. Then he stopped, panting.

Are you going to admit you were wrong now

I gritted my teeth and refused to confess.

My mother looked at my stubborn face and lost all patience.

She grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to the front door.

Get out!

You’re not coming back until you admit what you did!

The door slammed shut behind me.

From inside came my mother’s furious voice.

Nobody let her in. She stays out there all night. Let her learn her lesson.

I stood alone on the unfamiliar street, covered in wounds—the silver wire cuts wouldn’t close, and blood beaded across my arms.

The last thread that had held me together for sixteen years finally snapped.

Slowly, I straightened up. I turned. And I walked away.

If there was no room for me in that house, I didn’t need it.

The next morning, my parents thought I’d still be at the door, reflecting on my sins.

My mother opened the door with a stern face, ready to continue the lecture.

But the doorstep was empty.

She stood there blinking, looking around. No one.

She frowned and muttered.

Where did she go

She’s supposed to be reflecting, and she dares to run off She’s getting bolder.

My father came out, his face long.

Where could she go She doesn’t have a single coin, doesn’t know Everden at all. She’s probably hiding in some corner.

He put his shoes on slowly.

We’ll go find her. Drag her back and straighten her out.

They combed the neighborhood.

Lawns. Mailbox corner. The parking garage. They checked everywhere.

Nothing.

My mother started to panic and turned to my father.

You don’t think she’s actually lost, do you

My father’s face was grim. Before he could answer, their neighbor Mrs. Tamsin passed by and saw them.

You looking for that girl you brought home I saw her get on a county carriage early this morning.

She said she wasn’t coming back.