Page 46 of Practically Witches

He says it as if we should be grateful; he acted like a parent and protected his kids. “Well, she got Aimee’s power, and Zane’s, and two other girls’.” I cock my head. “You’re not really doing so well.”

It’s been said that I am the daughter who tests my mother’s patience. Dad’s feeling the test of his patience right now.

He shakes his head and sighs. “She’s always been angry that even though she was as powerful as any witch at the Institute when she used the magic of others, that she didn’t have a place inside the Hall of Greats.”

“The power isn’t hers.”

“That wasn’t her fault. But when they denied her, she let the darkness and greed taint her heart. Syphoners crave power and if they aren’t taught to control the cravings, it overcomes them.” He says it as if syphoning another witch’s magic isn’t a conscious choice she’s making. As if she’s not responsible for what she did to Aimee and Zaneand Ariya and Rowen. “But now, she wants to destroy everyone who denied her.”

I know I’m right before I ever speak the words. “The nine families.” It doesn’t take a genius.

He nods. “She’s trying to end their magical lines.”

“And what’s stopping her?” I shake my head. How did anyone ever let her get this out of control? “You certainly aren’t going to.” He made me let her go at the Institute. It’s his fault she’s still out there. I could’ve held in the spell. And because he won’t finish her, it means I have to do it. The weight of that responsibility is heavy on my shoulders, but for Aimee, I’ll do whatever it takes to get her magic back.

“I’m here to stop her.” There’s no strength in his statement. That’s his sister. And if he’s anywhere near as close to his as I am to mine, I can’t say that I blame him. Not for not wanting to hurt her, anyway.

“The way you did at the Institute?” He’d let her go. Made me let her go.

“I lost everything once protecting her.” He shoots my mom one of those pleading puppy dog looks, and I hope she isn’t falling for it. “I won’t give you all up a second time.”

I scoff and Mom glances at me. “RJ.” She’s about three seconds away from calling me by my full name.

I don’t care.

“You cannot be falling for this.” Clearly, Mom is. But I look at Aimee. She can’t meet my gaze. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You too?” I throw my hands up and shake my head. “Dads don’t leave. Period.” I stand, calmly push my chair in, and walk up the stairs to my room. They can fall for his shit if they want to. I’m out of here.

Chapter

Twenty-One

I’ve watched ten or so years of the Housewives of various cities. So I know what betrayal is, what it means. Although, I never thought I would suffer such a thing from the people who are supposed to love me most in the world. I can’t even imagine how Aimee is feeling right now, although she seems to be taking it fine.

I close myself in my room, though I hate leaving Zane downstairs with them, but I couldn’t stay and watch Mom making googly eyes at Dad. It also wasn’t like I could carry Zane up the stairs.

My room is clean and all the clothes that are usually slung across the back of my desk chair and on the armchair by the window have been picked up, which means Mom’s been snooping. She’s called it “cleaning” since we were kids, but we all know she’s a snoop and a diary reader. She’s the reason I stopped writing in mine.

It would annoy me, but I’m long past annoyed. I’m too angry to be annoyed. And I don’t see a resolution.

A syphoner craves power. The greed overcomes them. It’s the gist of what he said about Auntie Elizabeth. I’m asyphoner who was also never taught to control her cravings, although, technically, I’ve never suffered any—that I know of.

“RJ?” Mom knocks, then opens the door and pokes her head in. “Can we talk?”

She’s already in the room so saying I would rather not won’t do any good. Her house. Her rules.

I shrug and wait for her to sit across from me on my bed. “How are you not angry? He left you, too?”

Her lips twist to one side. “I don’t really know how to explain it. Your dad did what he thought he should do to protect you both.”

“She got to us anyway.” Aimee is magically bereft.

Mom nods. “Yes. But he had to leave because of what he is as much as what she is. It’s very dangerous for him to be here. A syphoner is always in danger.”

“He has magic.”

“Yes, but it’s complicated. To protect Elizabeth, he had to expose himself as the syphoner and he was cast out. They turned him away though they continued to use his teachings and his spells and his grimoires to teach.” She shakes her head. “Like everything else, there are political issues involved. Or there were then. Powerplays. Shifts in leadership. Jealousy.”

I don’t care about any of that. I care about the lies. The things they never told me. “I’m a syphoner, Mom.” I don’t care about the politics at the Institute. I care that I’ve been lied to all my life, that they’ve let me feel as though I was less.

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