Page 234 of The Blairville Legacies

“We're bound to a human body. Of course, we can get sick, just like anyone else.”

“Can't illnesses just be magicked away?”

Mum looked up from her plate.

“It's not that simple.” She put a piece of pancake in her mouth and finished chewing before continuing. “Healing diseases is one of the gifts of the Earth or Water Quatura. And even though there are many Earth Quatura, only a few have mastered this gift.”

“So, there are several types of witches?”

“Pleasetry to use the wordQuaturawhen you're in Moenia, okay? I don't mind it, but the others do.”

Mum had explained to me over the phone what thewitch housewas called where the Blairs lived above this underground temple, and as if that wasn't weird enough, it was a rule, no matter how close someone was to you, to call them by their first name.

I'd told Mum straight away that she couldn't force me - not even in exchange for blueberry pancakes - to call herDiana.

That must have been her inspiration for our Saturday dinner today. Something we were now going to make a tradition of, as much as possible. It was my mother's pitiful attempt to overshadow all this crap with normalhuman activities.

“There are four types of Quatura. Most of us, about 70 percent, have the gifts of the earth. Just like you saw with Amara. This means that they are able to combine plants and minerals in such a way that they become effective.”

“So, they make potions?” I asked with sarcasm, and Mum laughed.

“Something like that... Only we call it something else. But more on that later. Because that's not all. Quatura of Earth can also shape materials, influence biological processes, or use plants to work healing magic, for example.” I immediatelythought of Amara, who had nursed up Mum's plant. “These Quatura are the ones who perform the temple service, lead the rituals, and are often the Domini of a Circle.”

Mum called these cults, which apparently existed all over the world,Circles, and the idea that Grace and Julie had grown up there sent shivers down my spine.

Mum speared a thumb-sized blueberry onto her fork and popped it into her mouth.

The food was so damn delicious, but I had completely forgotten to continue eating.

“Tell me about the others,” I prompted her, cutting my pancake pile into four even pieces.

“Fifteen percent of the Quatura are guardians of water. They can shape and use water, but they can also communicate with creatures in the waters.”

I looked up from my plate.

“Mermaids, then?”

Mum sighed. “They were actually Quatura of the water who practiced by the sea back then. You must know that they can breathe underwater.” I looked at Mum in amazement. “They use the water to heal, but they are very private souls. They're often consulted when there's a problem with the weather, but otherwise, they tend to stay on the seaside of the island here, where their powers are stronger.”

Blairville was located on a slightly larger peninsula that jutted out into the sea and was therefore, perfectly isolated from the outside world. The best place to found a cult.

“Another twelve percent of the Quatura have the gift of air. But it's actually more like telekinesis, you know?”

She moved her finger, and suddenly, my plate of pancakes rose into the air, only to fly to Mum, who handed me one of her pancakes and let the plate fly back into my hands.

“What the...”

“Don't worry, it's nothing dangerous. We're being trained to protect the temple, to ward off possible supernatural enemies.”

Of course, she was still one of the people who put themselves in danger. I wondered if she had ever fought the wolves, who were obviously one of the Quatura's enemies.

“What's the fourth element?”

Mum looked at me for a moment as if she didn't know what to say.

“It's a very rare and dangerous power. That of fire.”

It didn't sound any more dangerous than being catapulted around by Vivienna or her mother.

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