Page 36 of A University of Betrayal

“You have to understand that a hidden power, especially one like that, is a kind of betrayal against the Circle.” Mum turned her attention back to the pots. “These are potential gifts that benefit the sisterhood...” She paused and looked at me with a serious expression. “Or could drag it to its doom.”

I immediately thought of the things Julie’s mother had said about Julie’s father.

“That Alaister...”

Mum stopped clearing the sink and turned to me.

“You shouldn’t mention his name,” she said with a more than worried look.

Who was he?Voldemort?

“Why?” I asked suspiciously. “Whatever he did. There’s no one here right now who would arrest you for telling the truth.”

She seemed to hesitate, playing with her fingers.

“I just want you to know.” She finally sighed. “Please don’tevermention him. Especially not in front of Gloria or any Circle members.”

This man must have done something. Something very bad. Bad enough that even his own mother wouldn’t talk about him. Maybe he really was something like Voldemort after all...

From everything I had heard about Gloria today, she seemed like an extremely principled woman. Someone you didn’t want to mess with unnecessarily. I had no plans to, either.

What did Mum think? I just wanted to get out of here and leave behind this Circle that just couldn’t let go of me. When would they finally realize that they were wrong about me?

“What did he do?” I asked hesitantly, as if I knew how my mother would react.

“Nobody talks about him.”

“But...”

“No one,”she emphasized, raising her eyebrows to show me that this discussion wasn’t going to happen.

But I protested. “I’m your daughter.”

Mum came rushing around the countertop and put both hands on my shoulders.

“And that’s why it’s best that you don’t always know everything.” I couldn’t help but look at her in disbelief. “There are wounds that shouldn’t be reopened. People want to forget, want to move on from something at some point, and you should respect that.”

Her voice was quiet, almost tinged with a kind of sadness, as if I had hurt her, even though I knew she was just trying to tell me that certain things weren’t talked about in order to respect other people’s boundaries.

I couldn’t help but feel that something about all this silence felt wrong, strange, and toxic. More like repressing something that would catch up with you sooner or later because you kept dwelling on it in your mind, giving it space in your life.

Ever since Mum’s old life seemed to catch up with her, there were problems between the two of us. Namely, whenever she tried with all her strength to hide something.

At that very moment, when Mum was standing in front of me, I had the chance to tell her, but something inside me said it was hopeless. She looked exhausted, and at the same time I didn’t want another conflict.

So, I just nodded and hugged her. Mum pulled me tightly against her. Her body was so unnaturally warm and then something caught my nose, something sweet…

“I’m so glad you survived. What would I do without my baby?”

She stroked my back with her warm hand. The smell rose stronger in my nose, literally fogging me up. I opened my mouth and tore myself away from my mother, stumbling back.

She looked at me worriedly. “Are you all right, Bayla?”

I stared at her. The smell was gone, and all that remained was confusion.

What hadthatbeen?What in God’s name had that been?

I heard my heart beating, very fast... and how...herheart was beating...

---