Sleeping Helena by Erzebet YellowBoy Read Free Book Online Page B

surrounding it. Around her old women plotted and schemed, but gods never notice their followers’ troubles when they have their own problems to solve.
    So they went, some on the path of devotion and some on the path of fear, guarding Helena, who stayed safe in her temple, trying to feed a hunger that grew larger by the day.

Chapter 9
    The cold finger of suspicion drew its bony tip across Thekla’s brow, spelled out a name in the wrinkles of her skin. Kitty. It had to be some working of her gift. Why else would Helena be having such morbid thoughts? Thekla prayed they were not too late. The sisters had allowed themselves to be lulled by the joy of homecoming and then of watching a child grow. They had forgotten about Kitty’s gift, it seemed, but now they had to do something.
    She had to do something. It was up to her, as usual, to clean up Kitty’s mess.
    Thekla made her announcement in the kitchen, where the sisters had gathered for brunch.
    “The child is getting older. We must clear the house.”
    The kitchens were to be locked when not in use and every mirror removed from the property.
    The sisters were shocked. Their faces aligned like moons around an angry planet. This idea seemed to come out of nowhere and they could not seem to fathom that Thekla would go to such drastic lengths.
    Ingeburg shook her head. “This is absurd, Thekla. You know perfectly well there is no way to prevent Kitty’s gift from manifesting. Nothing we do will make a difference. Nothing. I do not understand why we must engage in such futility.”
    “She is right, you know. Thekla, you must realize how senseless this is. Will we shave the jagged bark from every tree? Lock her in her room? We cannot keep her prisoner here forever.” Eva’s eyes were wide with concern.
    Thekla could not help herself. She was driven by fear, but pride had an even louder voice. She would not let Kitty win this battle. She resented her sister and the way she so smugly played with their lives, doing whatever she so desired and at whatever whim.
    No, Kitty would not have her way in this, no matter the cost.
    “I hear you, sisters, but I have decided. Tomorrow the mirrors come down. We must take no chances.”
    It was only the beginning; Thekla had not revealed the full shape of her plan. Her sisters did not know how devious Kitty could be, but Thekla remembered. Helena’s questions had brought it all back in awful detail.
    It had happened just after their brother died. Katza had hid in her room, coming out only to eat, but even then she’d been a pale shade at the table, hardly tasting her food.
    Thekla had felt sorry for her sister and had attempted to fold Katza under her small, protective wing. Katza had been as unresponsive as their father, though she had no illness to blame. They had all watched Papa decay into depression. All of his aspirations were dead with Louis, his firstborn and only son, and there was no Dream King to lead him out of the dark.
    After a time, Thekla had given up on Katza. There had still been the smaller sisters to tend and Thekla had felt it her duty to help her mother see to their needs. It had been a great burden for such a young girl, but she had taken it on willingly because she knew no one else was able. And she still had the joy of her music to balance the weight.
    She had allowed herself no time to grieve for her brother. There were moments, most often in the kitchen, when she’d thought she’d seen him stride in—rifle over his shoulder and a smile on his face—and she felt her own smile begin to form in return. And then the vision would fade, and she’d remember: Louis was gone — not gone like Katza, who was still there but not present, but well and truly gone to a place none could follow. Thekla had been lonely, and in her loneliness, had begun to talk to Louis’ ghost.
    “Why did you leave?” she had asked him one day as he appeared at dawn.
    Thekla had been standing at her bedroom window to watch the sun