Page 36 (1/2)

"But what about the blue-and-silver lady? Vicky said she was ht she would hit me But she took a visibly deep breath, then another, and shook her head "Just Vicky orto anyone else, you’ll be grounded"

"But why can’t I talk to her?"

Gwen picked up the bread knife and toyed with it, her knuckles white "Because o, when I was a little older than you, I saw that wo"

"What?"

"Gwen, it’s been alo of whatever Mab did to upset you"

Gwen slapped the bread knife on the table, o of it? That wo around her fancy house in Wales Not pushing her way into irl’s dreams" Gwen shoved her chair back and went to the sink She poured herself a glass of water and drank it in three gulps She sla in her eyes "But I never could get anyone to believe what I saw Not Dad, not the police--no one"

She pointed to the side door "Maria, go outside Go to the Henleys’ house, ride your bike, do so I need to talk to Vicky alone"

"But, Mom, you said I could stay You said this conversation concerned me"

"You’re right, it does But you’re still too young to hear what I have to say Maybe later, when you’re older, I’ll explain"

"But--"

"No!"

Maria knehen she was beat She slid froed across the kitchen At the door, she turned around and said reproachfully, "I’ up, you know You can’t treat me like a little kid forever" She tossed her head and went out into the garage

Gwen’s laugh had an hysterical edge to it "She sounds exactly like I did at that age--do you reood ‘little kids’ have it I had to groay too fast, and I wasn’t ready for it Thanks to your precious aunt Mab"

"Ghat happened?"

"That’s why I never told you, you know," she said, ignoring er than Maria when it happened I wanted to protect you, protect your innocence And then later, you were so crazy about Mab and de and Wales that you wouldn’t have believed ly "You won’t believe me now, either"

"Try me I promise I’ll listen, at least"

Gwen didn’t sit down She didn’t look atat a spot on the far wall, seeing into the distant past

"Thirteen I was only thirteen years old A child That summer in Wales, I was so terrified of Mab I felt ine that I was Gretel and she was the witch, getting ready to eatwalks whenever I could escape from the house, and on one of those walks I ht he was the handsomest boy I’d ever seen--black hair, dark eyes, and black eyelashes so long and thick I wished mine were like that

"Eric was fifteen, and I knew Mab would never approve of hiht I was being careful, but one night Mab must have followed me I met Eric at our usual place, a stone here we’d sit and talk It was all so harht, he put his arm aroundlike ainstwarm splashed onto my face I openedfroers His throat had been slashed wide open Mab stood behind hier"

Here eyes locked onto mine like laser beams "She killed him in cold blood, Vicky A fifteen-year-old boy And all because he tried to kiss me"

21