Page 97 of Magic Betrayed

Talia looked as if she’d been slapped in the face. “Why would you think that?” she demanded.

“Because you told me so,” Chesney replied in a trembling voice. “Every day of my life, you told me how proud you were. Of my magic. Of my strength. Of my talents. Never just ofme.”

Talia took a step towards her. Then another. And on her stern face was a look of devastation so terrible, I almost had to turn away.

“No,” she whispered. “It’s not true. It was never true. I would never…”

“But you did.”

“Is that…” The words seemed to stick in Talia’s throat. Her lower lip trembled. “Is that why you didn’t come home? Why you’ve pretended all this time that you…”

“That I was dead?” Chesney emphasized the word her mother could not bring herself to say. “Yes.”

That single syllable crushed the proud elemental queen. Without a word, Talia broke down, her shoulders heaving, a cry of agony ripping from her chest as if her heart were being torn out by the roots. Her hands clapped over her mouth in an attempt to hold back the tide, but they only muffled the sound of her sobs.

“Mom…” Chesney looked stunned.

“It’s not true, baby. I’m so sorry, it’s not true.” Talia kept repeating those words over and over, until Chesney took a hesitant step towards her. Grasped her mother’s wrists and tugged. The two stared at one another, the bond between them so tense and fragile that it might have shattered at the sound of a single breath.

“I didn’t…”

“I love you,” Talia interrupted. “I love you, child. I love everything about you, now and forever. You are mine, no matter how old you grow, no matter what powers you have, whether you lose your voice or your hair or your magic. Do you understand? There is nothing in this or any other world that could make me not love you.”

Chesney took a single moment to look stunned. Horrified. Undone. Then she threw herself into her mother’s arms and cried.

Across the room, I saw Kira turn away, as if she were doing battle with her own memories and scars. And beside me, Callum turned his gaze to the floor, as ghosts of some other confrontation flitted across his face.

When Chesney finally pulled away from her mother’s embrace and wiped her eyes, she gestured to her four companions. “And them? Can you promise that we will all be welcome?”

“All of you are a part of my court,” Talia said, turning to survey her subjects with something like her old, haughty demeanor. “That has not changed. You will aid in making reparations for your mistakes, and then you will come home.”

She blotted her tears, pulled herself together, and turned to Faris. “On behalf of my people, I offer a formal apology. It seems the fault is mine, and I will accept responsibility for where I have erred. Please send an accounting of the costs you have incurred, including all injuries and destruction of property. I will deal personally with the owners of the home that was destroyed and reimburse medical expenses for everyone involved.”

Faris regarded her with a stern, unsmiling gaze for a few moments before offering a nod of acceptance. “Under these conditions, I will agree to consider this matter concluded.”

They both bowed slightly to seal the bargain between their two courts. And once they straightened, as if she’d been waiting for that signal, Chesney took a deep, clear breath, wiped her face, and turned towards Kes. Before any of us could stop her, she dropped to her knees on the floor and bent her head.

“I am sorry,” she said quietly. “We endangered you and the children, accused you unjustly, and caused you both grief and injury through our actions. Ask of us whatever you wish in recompense and we will do it.”

Kes did not hesitate for even a moment, but hit the floor beside her and wrapped her arms around the kneeling elemental princess. “Live well,” she said fiercely. “That is what I ask of you. Live well and find joy. Don’t let Elayara win.”

For a few moments, Chesney went stiff, and I feared she might reject the peace Kes offered. But in the end, she softened enough to hug her back. “We will try,” she said.

And then it seemed that there was only one thing left to be decided—the one thing none of us quite knew how to face. I could see Chesney’s doubt as she turned toward Ethan where he sat alone, hands folded peacefully on the table in front of him.

“He needs help,” she said. “But I don’t know if there’s anything we can do.”

“We’ve already talked about it,” Kes returned serenely. “Ethan will stay with us while we work on a way to help him control his magic.”

Control his magic… The thought seemed to strike me at the same time it struck Kira, and she slid off her barstool, eyes blazing.

“Do you think…” I said cautiously, but she was already headed for the door.

“I don’t know,” she called back, “but it’s worth a try.”

She vanished, the back door slammed, and Faris raised an eyebrow.

“What was that all about?”

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