Once upon a time, she had welcomed them into her mind. They’d been a guiding light, the angel on her shoulder, a tangible connection to her father’s family when the curiosity about her mother’s threatened to overwhelm her.
Now, she mostly consider them a nuisance. It would take way more than an angel on her shoulder for her to live up to their expectations.
The thing is, even Bethanie has to admit that nothing Kellyn has done has ever come close to the misdeeds of her mother and grandfather, despite her constant air of disapproval. But it’s Sorenson’s vague air of disappointed resignation that gets to Kellyn; she’s always had a rather antagonistic relationship with the ghost of her aunt, who has never expected much from Elite’s daughter, but her uncle’s judgement almost means something to her.
That’s why she’s here. It’s not out of pure maternal instinct to check on her daughter, because if anyone is being honest she has the maternal instincts of a bored chicken – never actively doing anything to harm them, but doing very little to raise them, either. But her uncle’s ghost had convinced her that trying to reach out to her spawn was the right thing to do and that it’s what her father and grandfather would do; so here is she is. The waves lap at her hooves and she wrinkles her red nose in distaste at the thought of swimming to the island beyond. Instead, she simply tugs and shifts the web of time around her until the path is at its driest, and trots across the sandbar.
She has to admit the view is nice – and it’s warm, if a little noisy. There’s some sort of bird life in the trees ahead and they aren’t doing anything to conceal themselves. For someone who mostly spends her time in isolation (except the ghosts) and who grew up in the Tundra, it’s a Lot of Noise. ‘Could you be any more critical?’ comes the annoyed voice of her aunt, and Kellyn snorts aloud. ‘I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you,’ is the soothing warm voice of her uncle in contrast, and the little pink mare can almost SEE him glaring at Bethanie in the afterlife. They seem to agree on just about everything except Kellyn.
You know full well ‘glad’ isn’t the right word, she thinks back at him, but looks around for her blue daughter anyway.
daughter of cagney and elite