Page 471 of Once Upon a Fable
“Okay, so...what’s wrong?” My head ached again, trying to figure out yet more complicated stuff in this complicated world.
“Nothing’s wrong. In fact, they want to host a dinner.”
“A dinner?”
She shrugged. “Actually, it’s more like a black-tie gala. In your honor.”
“What?” My forehead furrowed.
“They’re doing a showcase on survivors of sexual abuse. They’ve noticed that more and more people are being open about past hardships and trauma on the YouTube network and want to highlight certain channels where others can seek help, find others like them, and generally start a community.”
“That doesn’t explain how they know about me.”
“Apparently, they saw your appearance in my video when we first returned from the valley. People are beyond intrigued about your story, Kas. The comments on my last video were asking all about you—you have buzz. Couple that with the news report that the police shared—that you’re a missing person come back to life, that you were trapped for most of your childhood and forced to endure years of abuse—along with the intrigue of not knowing who you truly are?” Gem shrugged. “You’re clickbait, I guess. They want to help.”
“Clickbait?”
“Marketable.”
“Help how?” Goosebumps shot down my arms.
“They want to host a charity gala, to gather donations and put it toward the rehabilitation of other trafficked minors who make it out of such horrors. Right now, there are no services for people who were stolen so young. Who don’t have an education or home to return to. They mentioned a potential documentary if this initiative takes off, but for now, they just want other YouTubers to find safe places online. To know they’re not alone. To try to give them back their lives.”
I shook my head. “I-I don’t understand.”
Gemma walked into my arms. “They want to help, Kas. I guess you’re unique in a way because you’re big and strong, hairy and scary looking. If someone like you could be touched against your will...well, it takes away the stigma that it only happens to women. It happens to everyone. Big, small, male, female. You endured more pain than anyone should ever have to feel, and apart from the first few weeks of our meeting, you’ve been nothing but kind, honorable, and protective. You proved that a part of your mind was broken enough to repeat what was done to you. But...through a connection that grew between us, love that sprung regardless of how we met, you healed enough to stop the cycle.”
Gem shivered as her voice grew passionate. “You have the potential to bring light onto a very serious subject, Kas. YouTube sees that. The news anchors who share your story see that. The last time I was invited to a dinner was to celebrate my one-millionth subscriber. It seems such a silly milestone now, compared to everything you lived through, but I can say that that night increased my reach and doubled my bottom line.” Her eyes met mine, huge and glistening. “You’ll be the main event, Kas. If you share your past, your story could help thousands. And the donations you could earn?” She smiled and kissed me softly. “You could gather enough to put that money to use. You could find your real family, find your Fable family. You could find every slave and victim who weren’t lucky enough to have you there with them in the darkness.”
She let me go, her eyes on fire with green and gold. “You could also use that money to help Jareth kill every last one of those raping bastards who are a member of Fables. You could finally get revenge for every kid they dared hurt.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
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IT TOOK A COUPLE OF days for Kas to agree to the YouTube gala.
I didn’t push him or convince him either way.
This was his choice.
He couldn’t have any doubts or regrets—regardless of what decision he made.
I knew how hard it would be to share everything he’d endured. He’d hated me talking about his past with the doctor when we first arrived from the valley. He’d not opened up to Josh, his therapist, or anyone else apart from me, even though Joshua popped round regularly, and his therapist was there for that exact purpose.
Josh and I had always been quite close for siblings, but ever since I’d returned home, he’d been a regular overstayer. Often bringing around takeaways to share, just swinging by to chat, and other lame excuses that involved him hanging out for a bit.
He said it was because he’d missed me so much that he was making up for all the lost visits while I was gone. But I knew the truth. He still wasn’t sure about Kas. I’d catch him watching Kas with narrowed eyes, his thoughts turbulent about his sister shacking up with a wild man.
But anyone who had eyes could see that Kas was a gruff, dangerous-looking package wrapped around a gentle, kind-hearted soul. The man who’d thrown me in the basement, locked a chain around my ankle, and tried to strangle me more times than I wanted to remember was now as dead as the corpses left behind in the valley.
Every day that passed, I saw more and more of the boy who’d offeredhimself up for a sacrifice to protect his Fable brothers and sisters. He had a quiet, watchful side. A large guardian who could become violent in a second if he believed I was threatened but also be so vigilant and protective.
He lived to make me happy. His vegetable garden flourished. My house had never been so clean and tidy. And even though he preferred to stay inside than venture with me into the large world he still found overwhelming, he was happy.
He kept himself busy.
Most of the time, I found him in the kitchen, using ingredients he’d long since run out of and trying new spices that he’d never heard of. He didn’t sit around in self-pity or nurse a blackened soul full of hatred. He was truly awe-inspiring, reminding me to always be grateful because I had itsoincredibly lucky. He taught me to always be present and enjoy the little things. Things I’d taken for granted before I met Kas. Things like a comfy couch to snuggle up on, a fireplace to keep us warm, and the touch of a man who still wore scars and ghosts but could somehow touch me with such reverence and passion.
