Guilt is a bitter brew

Motif continued to believe the blame resided with her, but she couldn’t have predicted the accident. She didn’t have to leave Abaven, but their mother’s death did not lay at her sister’s paws. Poem didn’t think she believed in a higher power, but wondered briefly if hating such a being for taking their mother would relieve any of the permanent ache in her heart. Likely not even if it did exist.

Motif pawed at her as she tried to curl up closer to her sister. Poem just shook her head as she insisted that she would know what to do. How did she move on? Shaye was supposed to be there for her. To give her advice about her future relationships, to help her with her own kids, she wished she’d trained more with her mother and not just Rhyme.

More tears poured heavily down her cheeks as she remembered vividly the way her mother spoke of their last name. How proud she was to be a Destruction, and how deeply she wanted Poem to keep her name. Now Poem understood. Too late. ”But I don’t, Mo.” she cried with regret. ”There’s so much more I wanted to experience with her.” She whimpered softly into Motif’s coat.