Chapter 4
My aunt sent me away with specific instructions on how to deal with Oscar. She intended to waste no time in confronting the officers herself.
On the way back to Elsie, I stopped at my family’s private dining room. They were just finishing the meal, Lucien having already disappeared. Stellan fixed an anxious look on me, glancing behind me in search of Elsie, but I ignored him.
My eyes focused on my mother, and I licked my lips, trying to think how to start.
“Could I speak to you for a moment, Mother?”
She exchanged the briefest of glances with my father before getting up in a single fluid motion.
“Of course, Verene.”
She joined me out in the corridor, waiting patiently while I tried to work up the courage to pass on my aunt’s suggestion. Finally I gave up on finding a diplomatic way to phrase it and just blurted the words out.
“I need to interrogate someone, and Aunt Lucienne thinks I should ask if I can borrow your power to do it.”
My mother’s eyebrows flew up. “You mean you want me to come and assist you?”
I shook my head, not quite able to meet her eyes. “I mean using my ability. Aunt Lucienne thinks it would be good practice.”
“How very interesting,” Mother murmured. “I didn’t realize she was so invested in your education.”
“I don’t have to if you don’t like the idea,” I said hurriedly. “You could come and do it yourself. You’d just have to stay out of sight.”
“Actually,” Mother said, “I think you should do it.”
When I gave her a shocked look, she chuckled. “I’m as human as anyone else Verene, and I’ve been full of curiosity ever since Darius told us the truth. He said the people you connect with can’t feel it, but it’s hard not to wonder if maybe…”
“You might, actually,” I said. “Tyron could. We think it’s because he’s such an experienced energy mage.”
Mother’s brows lowered slightly. “But Bryony couldn’t feel it?”
I shook my head. “Tyron’s training is far beyond ours, though. And, unlike us, he was trained by actual energy mages.”
“I’m no energy mage, remember,” my mother said.
“No, but you can feel energy.” I shrugged. “That might be enough.”
“It sounds like we need an experiment.” Mother gave me a smile that looked almost excited.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked, unable to believe her attitude after the disapproval I’d been receiving from her all summer.
She sighed. “Verene, you’re my daughter. I want you to train and explore and master your abilities. I’m happy to help you. I just wish you’d given me the opportunity to help you from the beginning.”
I bit my lip. “I know, Mother. And I wish I could have told you and Father. But I didn’t know how to tell you and not Lucien and my aunt. I didn’t want to pass on the burden of my secret to you.”
“Oh Verene.” She wrapped her arms around me. “I’m your mother. I always want to help carry your burdens.”
“I know,” I said, my voice muffled against her robe. “But that doesn’t mean you can. I’m an adult now. I can’t shelter behind you and Father forever.”
She sighed again, pulling back from me. “And I know that. In my head, at least. But it takes some adjustment for your father and me. To us, you’re still our little girl.”
It felt good to talk to my mother like I always used to do, and to feel her strong arms around me. It reminded me of the love I had always received from my parents, and it filled me with hope.
“Does this mean you’re going to give Darius your blessing?” I asked, unable to keep the question from spilling out.
She stiffened. “You may be an adult—just—but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to lose you to Kallorway. You’ve never envied your brother his future crown. You know what a burden it can be. And that’s the Ardannian crown. Your father and I want a better future for you than being bound to the Kallorwegian one.”
“You’re right I have no interest in a crown,” I said. “But I believe in Darius completely and in the vision he has for Kallorway. We can forge a better kingdom together. It’s important work. Can’t you see that?”
A stern look came into her eyes. “Your father and I wish you’d told us the truth about yourself, Verene, but we understand why you felt torn. And we respect that it was your secret to tell. But that wasn’t the only secret being kept at that Academy during the last three years. Both you and that prince hid from us the fact that someone was attempting to assassinate you—for two years. You were just a child when you started, Verene, and you were in danger. You hid it from us—and he helped you do so. You could have been killed. How can you expect your father and me to trust your safety and your future to him after that? We’re worried about the influence he exerts over you.”
Her voice softened. “I remember what it was like to be young and in love, Verene. But I know it doesn’t always lead to the best of decisions. It’s my duty to protect you.”
“But keeping the attacks a secret was my decision. It had nothing to do with Darius!” I cried. “I didn’t tell you about that because I knew you would react like this. I was afraid you would pull me out of the Academy.”
“Exactly.” She gave me a knowing look. “And why didn’t you want that?”
“Ugh!” I threw my hands into the air. “It wasn’t because of Darius—it was because of you!”
She frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I wanted to prove myself to Aunt Lucienne and to everyone. I wanted to prove I was worthy to be your daughter. And I knew that if you found out I was in danger, you would pull me out of the Academy before I achieved what I was sent there to do.”
My mother stepped back slightly, shock in her eyes. “You’ve never had to prove yourself to us, Verene. You’ve always belonged in our family.”
I deflated. “I don’t have to prove myself to you or Father. But the rest of the court doesn’t feel that way. And don’t try to deny it,” I added quickly.
She shrank a little, weariness seeming to suddenly weigh her down. “We always tried to protect you from that.”
“I know you did, Mother,” I said, my voice soft. “And I’ve always loved you both for it. But there are some things even the Spoken Mage can’t protect me from.”
For a moment I thought I had reached her, but then she straightened. “You’re right—we can’t protect you from everything. But this is something we can protect you from. One day you’ll understand, and you’ll thank us.”
All my frustration from the summer wanted to burst out of me, but I didn’t have time to rage at my mother. Elsie and Oscar were waiting for me, and I didn’t have any more time for a family argument.
“Very well,” I said coldly. “But I have an interrogation waiting. If you still intend to assist, then we need to get moving.”
My mother arched a single eyebrow but fell into step beside me without comment. After we had walked for a short distance, she asked, in a meek voice, if she was permitted to know who I would be interrogating.