Page 61 of Flowerheart

“Of course I care.” Tears gleamed in his eyes.

Everyone had been right about him. The truth was finally coming forward. He had hidden so much from me already—what else was he hiding? What else could he be keeping from me “for my own sake”? “You’re aliar, Xavier. To the Council, to the Kinleys, to me!”

His cheeks flushed, but he did not break eye contact. “I... I didn’t want to lie. But you were one of the only people who didn’t know about my crime. I didn’t want you to think poorly of me.”

“I would have liked the chance to have made up my mind for myself.”

He breathed slow, heavy breaths. His eyes glistened in the sunlight. “AndIwould have liked the chance to tell you in my own time. I would have liked you totrustin me—”

“How long were you going to wait?” I asked. “Until you had my magic?”

His gaze met mine. “I—I think you should go.”

My stomach sank. I hated this. I hated not knowing him. I hated that he had been responsible for this darkness, had kept it from me, had acted like everything wasnormal.Treated me like an outsider. Like a child.

And then he said that he loved me.

I marched to the front door. Clenched my hand tight against the handle.

I thought of old, groaning floorboards. Reading books by the hearth. The scent of Papa’s cologne. The way the sofa would sink beneath my weight. Papa’s arms around me. The smell of lavender in my windowsill. The blossoms overflowing in our garden. The sunflowers we’d planted together.

“Clara,” said Xavier, “wait, I—”

I tugged on the handle and slipped through, slamming the door shut behind me. It dissolved into a pile of green ash, carried off by the wind.

When I turned, I was no longer standing in Xavier’s entryway, nor on his porch, nor in my living room. I was on a grassy hill, turned an eerie yellow green in the morning light. At the bottom of the hill was the tall spire of the town hall. A cluster of little brown-roofed buildings, shoulder to shoulder. A well, surrounded by bustling people. Williamston.

I sighed. “Close, magic. Close enough.”

I crossed through town with my head held high. Some people noticed me. Some skittered out of my path. Others pointed and whispered,There’s the girl with the wild magic, but I did not care.

I didn’t need Xavier. I’d heal my father and then we would move away, where the wizard couldn’t find me. I’d keep my magic through sheer force of will. I would learn toheal people; learn how to manage my magic all on my own. I’d make the Council proud.

He said that he loved me.

Had he been a fool to make the bargain with me? Was he cruel? Or perhaps it was like he’d said. He was a coward. He’d only helped teach me to avoid facing a future without magic.

Anger thrummed in my temples like a drumbeat. My magic was willing and excited.Use me,it urged.Fight to keep me.

As I marched past the town hall, something flitted across my vision, like a little green bird. I halted, frowning—it was a maple leaf, zipping through the air, right towards me. Something pale blue was tied to it.

I reached out a hand and caught the leaf, the same sort of charm my teachers had used to send notes to Papa on my behalf. One of my hair ribbons was fastened around the stem—it was meant to find me specifically.

My heart thundered as I turned over the leaf. All the heady, thrilling confidence I’d felt a moment before cooled into ice.

CL: MR. L EMERGENCY. COME HOME. RS.

Papa was in trouble.

15

Fear gripped me in cold, piercing claws.

I raced along the pebble-strewn path home. Sparks flew around me, and spiky-leafed ferns grew in the little ovals of my footsteps.

Our small yellow cottage sat in its personal meadow, peaceful—as if it were any other day. As if my father weren’t in danger. I darted across the lawn and shoved open the door, my heart pounding so fast that my head spun.

The sofa was empty. My stomach dropped inside of me, and the world seemed to shrink, but somewhere far away came a voice—“Miss Lucas? Is that you?”

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