Chapter 7

Lemira lowered her head, coughing violently, her slender back hunched. Caspian snapped, “Don’t think playing sick will excuse you. I asked you to care for Eve—fetch her water, get her lunch. Instead, you had her, sick as she was, get your lunch! And you tripped her. Have you no conscience?”

Lemira, struggling to control her cough, whispered, “I didn’t push her.”

“Oh, so Eve just fell? That’s a weak excuse. Are you admitting you did it on purpose?”

Tears welled in Lemira’s eyes as she straightened. “I don’t admit to that.”

A sharp slap stung her face. The physical pain was nothing compared to the hurt inside; it almost numbed her.

Lucian strode in, seizing Caspian. “Caspian, what are you doing?”

“Lucian, she committed a vile act and won’t admit it! I can’t stand such a malicious, impenitent sister!”

Evelina stood in the doorway, her hands bandaged, looking pitiful. Through tears, she said, “Caspian, I said it was my fault. It has nothing to do with Lemmy.”

“Eve, you’re too kind. I must discipline Lemira!”

As Caspian raised his hand again, Orion pushed back his chair with a screech. Lemira looked up. Orion, expressionless, leaned against the table, his gaze icy. “You’re her family?”

Lucian nodded. “Yes, we’re her brothers.”

“She has a high fever, possibly an infection, and needs examination. And she’s showing signs of malnutrition!”

Caspian recoiled. “She’s actually sick?” He’d assumed she was faking.

Orion’s voice was calm. “Perhaps you need an eye exam if you couldn’t see that.”

Caspian was momentarily speechless. “What do you mean?”

Orion frowned. “Exactly what I said. She may be your adopted stepsister, but if you’ve taken her in, you should take responsibility.”

Lemira’s eyes flashed at the term “stepsister.”

Lucian quickly corrected, “She’s our biological sister.”

Orion raised an eyebrow. “Hard to tell. If you hadn’t said you were her family, I’d be calling the police for child abuse!”

Seeing Lemira’s swollen face, Caspian remained stiff. “None of your business. I’m disciplining her!”

Lucian was speechless. He’d assumed Lemira was healthy, unlike Evelina, who’d fallen ill from a simple cold.

Caspian looked at Orion with disdain. “You have no idea. Lemira always fakes illness. This time, she even hurt Eve. Eve’s father died saving her. Sometimes, I wonder if her heart is black!”

A burning pain flared in Lemira’s throat. She wanted to defend herself, but remained silent. It was pointless. They wouldn’t believe her.

Evelina bit her lip. “It’s my fault. I’m clumsy and shouldn’t have gotten Lemmy’s lunch.”

“It is your fault,” Orion said coldly. “If you were sick, you shouldn’t have gone to class. Knowing you were ill and still causing trouble isn't right. Stop playing the victim.”