Read Online Crystal Caves by Kristine Grayson - Free Book Online

told.”
    “Your father monitored. Some of the other women I spoke to who’ve had his children say that he always monitors. He’s rather obsessed with progeny, you know.”
    It would have been nice if he had spoken to his progeny once in a while. But I don’t say that to her. Because we’re not talking about Daddy.
    “He took you the day you were born,” she says. “You know that, right?”
    I can’t manage more than a shallow breath. Even my ribcage hurts. “Yes, I know.”
    “Most people would understand, then, that they’re getting full custody. This pretense at keeping me involved, I’ve never understood it. Especially since the culture you were raised in is so odd.” This time, she shrugs both shoulders. “That’s why I faded out. Owen assures me that custody battles across nations are fraught and complicated, and when the opposing party has a limited view of reality, well, the battles become even more complicated.”
    It takes me a minute to realize that she means Daddy has a limited view of reality, not her.
    “You could have just told him,” I manage to say.
    She gives me a pitying look. “Oh, darling, I did. Repeatedly. But he kept saying a girl needs her mother. Even if a girl only needs her mother for designated times of the year, apparently. Had I known how little he really cared about you or anything else for that matter…”
    She lets her voice trail off, but I desperately want her to finish that sentence. I want her to say, Had I known how little he really cared about you, I would have taken you immediately .
    Instead, she studies my face as if she can see that want, that need . She shrugs a third time.
    “Well, darling, had I known, I would have spoken to someone there to make sure you were properly cared for. I had no idea that you had essentially raised yourself.”
    I have so many retorts. I didn’t raise myself . I have sisters, family, people who love me . But what comes out of my mouth is, “You mean raise myself like your boys are raising themselves?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous, Crystal. We’re raising the boys.” She shakes her head at me.
    “You’re never here,” I say.
    “And you sound like a broken record. You used to say that to me when I came to Greece, and you’re saying it now. You simply do not appreciate what I do for you.”
    I cross my arms. It feels like I’m holding the pain inside so that it won’t crush me. “What do you do for me?”
    She tilts her head, as if I’ve asked her a question in a foreign language. “Look at how you’re dressed,” she says, then raises her eyebrows a little. “Well, that’s probably not a good example, since you clearly haven’t been listening. But you don’t want for anything. You’re in the best school in the country—and believe you me, it cost a fortune to get you in there. Everyone in this city would love to live like you do. Everyone . I don’t even question your expenditures like I question the boys’.”
    (She doesn’t question the boys’ expenditures. I know she doesn’t. I’ve talked about it with E and Danny and Fabe and Gordon.)
    “You are now being raised in complete privilege, instead of some filthy mountaintop with delusional people who procreate like rabbits. Your life is so much better now than it ever was.”
    She crosses her arms too. I know we look alike. Everyone says so, and for once, I can see it in our posture. It makes me want to drop my arms, but I don’t. I want her to see it. I want her to know she’s connected to me, whether she wants to be or not.
    “No, my life isn’t better,” I say. “It’s worse. I want to go home.”
    “I’d love to send you there, but your family doesn’t use modern technology. I can’t call your father and I can’t reach anyone else I’ve met in Greece.” Mother sighs, as if it’s all my fault. “I tried to talk with Megan about this, but she says that we’re not to have contact with those people until the winter holidays. In other words,