Page 17 of Magic Forsaken
All true. Also very misleading.
One of Draven’s eyebrows quirked, as if he wasn’t quite buying it. “You can’t expect us to believe this is the first time you’ve done this. Have you never lost control before?”
“Nope.” Again, technically true. You couldn’t lose control if you simply refused to use magic at all. “I’ve played around a little, but the humans don’t really like it if you show off.”
The censure disappeared from Seamus’ expression. If anything, he was looking almost sympathetic. “Then I guess it makes sense. You had no one to tell you what to expect.”
Well that didn’t sound sinister at all. “What should I have expected?”
“It might be that you’re only half elemental,” he said thoughtfully. “Normally I would say that means your power is weaker, but for some—like Draven here—you get a full dose of magic from each parent. Since no one ever taught you how touse that power, you probably buried it deep. And when magic is suppressed, it ends up being triggered by strong emotions, like fear or panic. Tends to break free in pretty destructive and dangerous ways.”
I happened to glance over at Kira, and the look of compassion on her face was almost more than I could bear.
None of this was my fault. I knew that. But if only she knew the truth—if only any of them knew—they would be feeling anything but compassion.
It was pure frustration that prompted my next question. “So, did I do something wrong?”
The others exchanged glances.
“Not necessarily,” Kira hedged, as she accepted her own glass of ginger ale from Seamus. “If you were in the elemental court, it would be a pretty serious offense to attack the queen and publicly demonstrate that you’re stronger than her—and with her own element, too. But we’re separate from the other courts, so you’ve probably just painted a target on your back.”
Whoa. “What does that mean?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“If anyone hears about it, they might try to test you. Find out whether you’re as strong as the rumors claim. The good news is,”—Kira placed a friendly hand on my arm and leaned in to speak more quietly—“Talia isn’t going to be eager to talk about this, and none of us are gossips, so you’ll probably be safe.”
I didn’t like the sound ofprobably. But what choice did I have?
I’d tried so hard to keep my magic hidden. But now that I’d officially failed—now that others knew a bit of what I could do—did I even have the same choices? What if someone attacked me in an attempt to prove something? What if they threatened the kids?
Worse, what if Seamus was right, and I was actually a danger to those around me?
But who could I ask? There was no one I could trust with the truth. No one who might understand the struggle that raged within me on a daily basis. No one who wouldn’t hate me first and never bother to ask questions.
“I hope you’re right,” I murmured quietly. “And I’m truly sorry if I caused any problems.”
“It’s never a good idea to deny your magic.” Kira’s tone suggested that perhaps she knew this from personal experience. “But no one is mad at you. Not even Callum, though he probably looks that way. He’s always just a little bit irritated when he’s stuck in the city.”
My unspoken question must have shown on my face.
“It’s a dragon thing,” she explained with a shrug. “Talia was right—most of the time, it’s too dangerous for him to shift while we’re here. He can’t go full dragon indoors without breaking everything, and we’re too close to a major airport for him to fly freely.” She leaned in and grinned conspiratorially. “Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t exaggerating when he said he was our mother’s last line of defense. He trains hard in both forms and can be plenty dangerous without any need for his dragon. But he really hates that he can’t just roar at people when they irritate him.”
Draven actually laughed at that, but it was quick and rueful. As if he had personal experience with that particular aspect of Callum’s character.
“Plus this Symposium…” Kira shook her head and her expression took on a hint of worry. “It’s got him more on edge than usual. Hosting so many delegates is going to be a nightmare, between keeping them safe, keeping them away from each other’s throats,andkeeping them on task. They would only agree to four days, so we don’t have long to arrive at a solution.”
I couldn’t help but voice my curiosity. “Why are the shapeshifters in charge of this gathering?”
“Because it was Callum who called for it,” Kira confided. “Basically, he kept nagging everyone else until they agreed. And he’s very strict about rules, so he’s a great person for the job, but he’s also a black dragon, so it’s really messing with his protective instincts.”
Black dragon… protective instincts… So many things I should already know, but I’d probably revealed enough of my own ignorance for the day.
However, one more question was still nagging me.
“A solution to what? What is it that everyone needs to agree on?” What kind of problem could possibly bring all the courts together in one place like this, when they clearly struggled to get along?
Something about my question seemed to stuff a metaphorical sock in the conversation, because all three of them looked like they’d forgotten an important appointment. Seamus started wiping at a nonexistent spot on the bar, Draven pulled out one of his daggers and began inspecting the blade, while Kira brushed aside my query with an airy wave of her hand.
“Oh, there are always issues to discuss. Personally, I think we’ve needed something like this for a long time.” Her cheery voice grew more fake and desperate by the second. “They used to have these in Idria, but now it’s ridiculous how no one talks to each other and everyone acts as if the other courts are a threat instead of a potential ally. I know I was raised more like a human than an Idrian, so there’s a lot I don’t understand, but it seems like being refugees would have brought everyone closer together rather than split them further apart, wouldn’t you agree?”