18

“No.” I shook my head in denial. There was no way that this could be true. But on the other hand, why would my best friend lie to me about something like this?

“Isla, believe me I am telling you the truth.” She placed both hands on my shoulders and looked me dead in the eyes.

I was mad.

How could my father lie to me and say that my own mother was dead? Pembroke was full of lies and deserved nothing but bad luck! How dare they lie to me and make me think that my mother had died.

And what about my sister?

Oh, my goddess!

Did she know?

Was she in on this too?

“Where is she?” I growled.

“Isla, you cannot tell them that you know. Just as your best friend I cannot keep something like this from you. Please.” Zara begged me quietly as we spotted my uncle and a couple of others walking over to us.

“Isla, in my office now.” My uncle ordered and I glanced over my shoulder at my best friend.

“Please.” She mouthed at me, and I nodded. I would not say a word about t