Page 99 of Potions & Prejudice
He lifted a hand to caress my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. But you do need to talk to Georgie.”
“I know,” he said quickly. “So she’s why you came back? She convinced you?”
“Actually, you did.” I nudged my head toward a table. “Can we talk?”
He nodded, and I walked in, warmth surrounding me from the fire crackling in the stone hearth. I stopped when I saw Elm.
His eyes brightened with hope.
“She’s at the cottage,” I said.
He didn’t hesitate, striding past me and toward the door.
“Elm?” I said.
He stopped and turned.
“It’s not her fault. That we left. She was only trying to convince me to come back here. She was never going to leave you.”
His face betrayed no emotion, then he turned and left, the door clicking closed behind him.
Draven pulled out a chair at one of the tables that sat by the fire, and I slid into it. He took a seat on the other side.
“How did I convince you to come back?” Draven asked.
“Because I realized all this time you’ve been so worried you’re not good enough for Georgie.”
He winced, and I reached out, laying my hand over his.
“But that’s exactly why you’re what she needs.”
His brows raised, a confused look on his face.
“You are constantly thinking of Georgie, thinking about what’s best for her, what she needs. That’s what a good parent or big brother or big sister does. They look out for those they love.”
“I’m starting to realize that,” he said. “I think I need to just ask Georgie what she wants. No one has ever done that. Not my parents. Not my grandmother. I don’t want to make decisions for her anymore, not without her voice being heard.”
I smiled, proud of Draven, proud of how he came to this realization on his own.
“I didn’t ask my sisters and mama if they wanted to leave Thistlegrove.” I swallowed the thick knot in my throat. “I was only thinking of myself, of my fears.”
“So they didn’t want to leave?” He shook his head slowly, and I knew he didn’t understand. He couldn’t. Not until I told him the full truth.
I took a deep breath as Draven leaned back in his chair. “I don’t have any magic. Neither do my sisters.”
Draven didn’t speak, his face not betraying any emotions at my revelation.
“We were cursed.” I twisted my fingers together. “By my grandmama. It was an accident. She meant to bless us before she died, but in her old age, she got confused and mixed up the words, and instead of blessing us, she left us with a curse. That’s why my father left.”
Draven’s eyes flashed.
“I was so naive. I thought he left to find a way to break the curse. I was convinced he was coming back. I’d stare out the window every day, watching for him. Waiting. Eventually I grew up and realized he was never returning. We tried to break the curse ourselves.” I started speaking faster, my anxiety growing. “Searched for spell after spell after spell. We couldn’t afford to hire a cursebreaker. Then I met Johanes. I fell in love with him, decided to tell him the truth.” My voice grew wobbly. “Instead of understanding, he turned on me, tipped off the magistrates that we were illegally living in the Witchlands when we didn’t have magic. He got a nice reward. Luckily I found out because I caught him speaking with them. We immediately left the only home we’d ever known. And we’ve been traveling ever since, moving from place to place so no one will grow suspicious of the four witches who don’t use magic.”
Draven stayed motionless.
I squirmed in my chair. “Please say something.”
