Page 46 of Flowerheart

“I know that. But everyone changes with time.” She sighed. “I understand that you want to defend him. I don’t know what your feelings are for him—”

“Heisa good teacher,” I said, my face aflame. “He’s helped me with my anger. My magic, it—it hasn’t hurt anyone all week.” I smiled sadly. “I know it’s still wild. But he gives me hope. That perhaps Iamstrong enough, goodenough to heal Papa. For the first time, I feel like I could use my magic well.”

For the first time, too, I knew that my magic would not last. This boy who had helped me had also accepted my power as payment. Once he had my magic... what would he use it for?

There was another knock on the door.

“Excuse me,” I said to the witch.

When I pulled open the door, Xavier was there, the entryway to his shop behind him. He had his potion case in one hand and a bouquet of red peonies in the other.

Thiswas the boy the Council could not trust?

“Good morning, Clar—Miss Lucas,” he said. He stiffly held out the bouquet. “This is for you.”

“Oh!” I accepted the wilting flowers and stepped back, allowing him in. A blush brightened his cheeks, and he worked his lip under his teeth.

He gestured to the flowers. “Red peonies—”

“—for good luck,” we finished in one voice.

“Master Morwyn,” said Madam Ben Ammar, making the two of us jolt. “Is this a social visit, or have you come to oversee Miss Lucas perform the blessing?”

“I—I’m here for the blessing.” He bowed to Madam Ben Ammar. “Good morning, Your Greatness.”

She gave him a curt nod. “I trust you’ve been treating Miss Lucas with the utmost respect and care.”

Xavier glanced back to me for just a moment, the blush fading fast from his face. “I endeavor to that end, madam.”

The door to Papa’s room creaked open. He shuffled into the hallway, wearing his nicest, buttercup-yellow shirt. He smiled at Madam Ben Ammar and Xavier.

“So many guests! I hope Clara’s gotten you tea,” he said.

I hastily tucked the flowers into a vase already occupied by hydrangeas from our garden. “I will in a moment, Papa.” I spun back to Xavier. “Do you think I could attempt toperform the blessing now? With you here beside me?”

He nodded. “As soon as you’re ready.”

I’dneverfeel brave enough. My magic was armed with frightening images of all the ways the spell could go horribly wrong. And if it worked, my power would now belong to Xavier. Someone I wanted so dearly to trust—perhaps against all evidence to the contrary. But I said, “Let’s begin.”

Papa sat on the sofa, looking up at the three of us. His eyes were wide and hopeful. He was like so many people I knew who thought of magic as a marvel, as a miracle—not a monstrosity, like it was for me.

I placed myself beside him, my fingers shaking as I plucked off my gloves. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Madam Ben Ammar’s hands clench tight against the fabric of her gown.

“Clara?” asked Papa. “Have you got a vow on your finger?”

My heart somersaulted. I pulled my hand back into my lap, as if doing so could somehow make Papa forget he’d seen it. “I—it’s nothing, Papa. I made a promise.... I made a promise that...” I fumbled for words and glanced back to Xavier for rescue. His skin had gone ashen.

“We—we gave each other a pledge to stay friends, no matter what,” he said. “To commemorate our friendship. That’s all.”

Well. It was much better than whatIcould have come up with.

Papa grinned. “How charming!”

Madam Ben Ammar cleared her throat. When I turnedback to her, her eyes were still narrowed at my hand. “Shall we proceed, then?”

As best as I could, I concentrated on the blessing, letting the words run through my head over and over.

“First, harness an emotion,” Xavier instructed from behind me. “Combine it with your confidence and with your magic.”

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