She hadn’t seen her own face in sixteen years. She hadn’t aged a day. The fairy had left her with clean clothes and makeup. After a long shower, she wrapped herself in a red silk robe. Now, Ashlyn stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, trying to feel like herself again. Someone knocked on the bedroom door and Ashlyn exited the bathroom in time to see the fairy entering the room. She carried a tray of food, which she placed on a tall bureau.
“You should try to eat something,” the fairy said.
Ashlyn had tried to eat. Her body hadn’t processed food in sixteen years. Reintroducing it to her system didn’t go well.
“Where’s my brother?” Her voice was scratchy. The yelling she’d done the first time she could use her vocal cords hadn’t helped.
The fairy took a seat at the foot of the four-poster bed. “He’s in his room. You two have shared space for so long, I thought you’d each like having your own room.”
“I do. I’m just… I want to see him.”
“You will. He’s not taking to his re-entry as well as you are, I’m afraid.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. I was always stronger.” Ashlyn frowned at the malice in her voice. It came out of nowhere.
“You are stronger, Ashlyn. That’s why I want to show you this now.” The fairy retrieved a folder that had been under the dinner plate, and handed it to Ashlyn. Inside was a series of photos. The first showed a young woman with long wavy hair and brown skin. She was wearing a red coat and standing outside of a brick building. Ashlyn’s mind was suddenly flooded with memories: this girl’s first day of school, birthday parties, her parents’ funeral. This was the girl who’d stolen her life. She said this to the fairy.
“And your mother. This is the girl who killed your mother.”
Ashlyn looked at the photo again. “This… child?”
“Well, she had help.” The fairy shook her head and stared at Ashlyn with concern in her blue eyes. “I want to help you and your brother get strong again. I want to help you avenge your mother and everything else they took from you.”
“Why?” Ashlyn asked suspiciously. “Why did you bring us back? Why do you want to help us?”
“Because you are going to help bring forth the world as it should be.”
As the fairy spoke, Ashlyn looked at the picture once more. “I know she’s a bit younger and she’s black, but… she kind of looks like me, doesn’t she?”
The fairy nodded. “She does. She has your strong spirit as well.”
Ashlyn shuffled through the remaining photos before coming to rest on another with the girl, but she wasn’t alone. The fairy leaned forward to get a better look.
“Ah, yes. That. I believe they think they’re in love. Destined to be together.”
In the photo, Ashriel looked as he had the last time Ashlyn had seen him. People had called them The A-Team because they were always together. Now, he was kissing the girl, his hands on the folds of her coat, pulling her to him.
Without taking her eyes from the photograph Ashlyn said, “I’m going to crush that spirit of hers. I’m going to destroy her and everything she cares about. And then I’m going to kill her.”
The fairy smiled. “That’s my girl.”