Fairest Read Free Page B

silent.
    A sob got out.
    She sat up. “I’m sorry.” She patted my shoulder. “I should have guessed.”
    I raised myself on one elbow. My tears were flowing now. “It’s not your fault.”
    â€œI despise them.”
    â€œThey think I don’t have feelings.” I wiped my eyes on our quilt.
    â€œCan a dragon judge ostumo?”
    It was what she always said. It meant that louts had no idea of the finest things.
    She added, “You have the most beautiful voice.”
    â€œYou do, too.”
    â€œNot like yours. And you always smell nice. Like fennel seeds.”
    â€œFennel?”
    â€œFennel. Warm and savory. And your eyes are gorgeous.”
    â€œThank you.” My eyes were my only acceptable feature.
    â€œAnd I wish I was as tall as you. You look like a statue.”
    I’d have given anything to be as neatly and daintily made as Areida.
    â€œBesides—” Her voice took on an adult tone I disliked. “Besides, how one looks isn’t important. You’re proof of that.”
    I was proof looks were important. Areida could say they weren’t only because she was pretty. But I didn’t want to quarrel with her twice in five minutes.
    We were quiet.
    She said, “I love you.”
    I touched her arm. “I know.”
    She settled back down. “Good night.”
    â€œGood night.” But I wanted to make amends. I illused a tiny mouse voice, coming from the floor near the bed. “I love you, too.” I illused a wet fishy voice, coming from the washbasin. “I love you, too.”
    She popped up. “What …”
    I illused a dry raspy voice coming from the fireplace. “I love you, too.”
    â€œWhat’s making—”
    I put her hand on my throat so she could feel the vibration. I illused a chirpy voice above our heads: “I love you, too.”
    â€œTell me what you’re doing. Don’t just keep doing it.”
    â€œAll right.” I told her about illusing. I put one of her hands back on my throat and one on my stomach while I tried to explain how I did it.
    A quarter hour later, I went to sleep, and she stayed up the rest of the night, trying to illuse.
    She kept trying for the following week, with no success. At the end of the week, I showed the technique to the rest of the family. None of them could do it, either, although each of them tried to learn.
    Mother and Father urged me to illuse at the next village Sing. They were proud of my voice, and they wanted me to stand out, this once, in a way that was to my advantage.
    But I decided to keep my illusing secret. If I revealed it, the villagers would try to learn, too. I’d have to explain how I flung the sound out. I’d have to address them all. Singing to them was easy. Speaking was hard. Worst of all, I’d have to show them how I moved my belly.
    It was too mortifying to consider.

CHAPTER FOUR

    A FEW MONTHS AFTER I discovered illusing, Mother and Father sent Areida to finishing school in the Kyrrian town of Jenn. Their notion was that a refined young woman would raise the tone of the inn.
    I understood. Why spend money on the ugly sister, who stayed out of sight as much as possible? Why spend money on the ugly sister when no amount of finishing would alter her face?
    I felt hurt anyway. For a day and a half I hated my family and everyone else. And myself most of all.
    Then I forgave them. But I didn’t forgive myself.
    Areida didn’t want to go. She wept as she packed.
    I was folding her hose. I sang, “Everything will be mildewed by the time you get there.”
    She laughed and mopped her tears with a table napkin. She sang back, “I can’t help it. I’ll miss you. Nobody hugs the way you do.”
    â€œYou’ll have too many new friends to miss anybody.” I illused a succession of creatures from different parts of the room, singing, “Have fun at finishing school,” and