Chapter 21: LUCIEN

She finally gave up trying to coerce me after a while and by that time the sun was up in the sky and I was starting to grow tired. I didn't trust either of them so I stayed put where I was and tucked my head into my chest to take a nap. I'd had way too much sensory overload today and a nice long nap was in order.

***

I put in a few good hours before finally waking up. The first thing I did was send my mind out to find her. She was in the garden with her sisters drinking tea and eating cupcakes; posh! I started to eavesdrop on their conversation before I realized there was something missing from the room.

Where the hell is that damn bird? No sooner had I had the thought than he came flying towards the little table where they sat and landed on the arm of her chair. As she was wont to do, she lifted her hand and started rubbing his crown.

It hadn't bothered me when she did that same thing to the animals in the wild earlier this morning, but somehow seeing