Clara bit her lip and continued, staring into the distance, “even before starting high school, everyone of importance was already aware of Evelyn’s presence, of her family’s power, status, wealth. The real problem though was Evelyn herself. When she started high school she was already so powerful, and then her intelligence and creative thinking spurred her to greater heights.”

Clara turned to Sharna, “you would have heard all the drama about heredity?” Sharna nodded, face tight, and Clara noted her expression and sighed, “her parents tried to protect her but once your grandfather's family noticed her there was nothing that they could do.”

Sharna looked down at her hands which had clenched into fists. “I hate the entire setup, it makes me feel so powerless and small. My grandmother primarily kept me separated from the rest of our family in order to protect me from their whims. She gave me this chance to study under Myra and Anna, but I know that all of my choices could be taken away from me at any moment.”

Clara shook her head, “I wish I could tell you otherwise but this is the world that we belong to and I can’t picture it ever changing.”

Sharna looked at the dejected woman sitting beside her and then turned to look up at the sky. “That’s why I want to keep working and growing. I want to become really strong, stronger than even my grandmother. My hope is that before anyone can notice me, I can become powerful enough that no one else can possibly take control of my life. Like my grandmother, I want there to be no choice other than to kill me.”

Although Sharna didn't back look at Clara, in her peripheral vision, she saw the woman stiffen beside her. “I suppose I can take my meaning from that.” Clara’s body slumped, “it's not as though I didn't have my suspicions. It is wise of you to speak obliquely.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

They sat in silence again, both lost in their own thoughts when Sharna suddenly felt dizzy and a headache started to spread between her eyes. She swayed and Clara steadied her shoulder, “Sharna, are you okay?”

Sharna nodded, “I’m fine, I think there just may be a storm coming.” She touched a hand to her temple, looking at the blue sky above, “I thought it was supposed to stay fine.”

“What do you mean?” Clara asked, tilting her head.

“Oh, it’s nothing, really,” Sharna replied, “I tend to have some physical symptoms when a weather change is coming. I kept regularly becoming unwell when I was a little girl, grandmother had so many people come and look at me. It took her such a long time to connect the symptoms with the weather.” She smiled at Clara as she remembered her grandmother’s giddiness when she had finally figured out the link between Sharna’s headaches and the change in atmospheric pressure.

Clara stared back at her wide-eyed, mouth open with shock.

“What’s wrong?” Sharna asked slowly, but before Clara could answer, a smooth voice called over to them from the opposite direction that Sharna had come.

“What a lucky surprise to find two such beautiful women on such a beautiful day.” Clara’s face froze, she shot a warning look at Sharna and then turned to the stranger with a carefully crafted smile.

The stranger was probably a similar height to Sharna, with a full beard and twinkling eyes. He smiled kindly at them both and Sharna felt a wave of foreboding.

“Kevin, hello.” Clara stood, stepping to partially shield Sharna from sight, and Sharna knew that her instincts must be correct. “I’m so pleased to see you, I needed to ask your advice on my new garden wall,” she grabbed his arm in a friendly manner and started walking him back the way he had come.

“But.. but..” Kevin stuttered, looking back over his shoulder as Clara marched him onward.

“I’ll see you later dear, you head home and have a nice rest,” Clara called merrily to Sharna, then continued speaking to Kevin, “she’s got a headache, too much sun you know.”

“But who is she?” Kevin asked, trying but failing to resist as Clara bore him inexorably on.

Sharna could still hear Clara prattling cheerfully as they got further away, Kevin having ceased his futile resistance. “I didn’t catch her name, she’s a student at Myra and Anna’s. Anyway, I desperately need your advice on my new wall, you always know so much about..”

Although Sharna’s head was starting to throb, she still managed to grin at Clara’s masterful handling of the situation, and she stood and headed slowly back home.