Page 43 of A Witch and Her Dragon
“I’m fine. I knew it would be a challenge, but I’m persevering.”
Her eyes narrow, lips puckering into a displeased pout. And then she says something that sends my head spinning. “Perhaps you should tell her the truth.”
It takes me a moment to get my thoughts straight. Finally, I whisper, “What are you saying? You know what could happen. If His Majesty finds out, he might never allow me within a hundred miles of her. He could have me removed from the guard.”
“He could,” Mama says, tipping her head, “or perhaps he’d understand.”
“You’d risk it? You’d risk ourhomeon that?” I almost can’t believe what I’m hearing.
She chews her lip, gaze darting away to watch a few customers leaving the shop below us. “You’ve already sacrificed so much for us, Raelan. This family is not your responsibility. It’smine. And I don’t want you suffering like this for our benefit.”
Heat rises inside me, messy and confused.
“Iwantto protect you,” I say, voice low and sharp. “What would you—”
The door swings open to reveal Gilda standing there, Alina and Clarice standing a few steps back. Alina meets my eyes, and then her gaze flicks to my mother, and a brief look of confusion crosses her face before Gilda says, “Raelan, will you come play dolls with us?”
With my youngest sister gazing up at me like that, and Clarice and Alina smiling over her shoulder, I feel my shock and anger at my mother’s words draining away.
“We’ll talk later,” Mama says, smiling like we weren’t just having such an important conversation. “You’ve got dolls to play with.”
Chapter 21
Alina
RAELAN COMES ALIVE AROUND HIS family in a way he’s never come alive around me. It takes him a while, but he eventually softens, as if each moment spent here helps to pry one armored plate from his shoulders and chest, until it’s just Raelan—beautiful, beaming Raelan.
He plays dolls without embarrassment, then carries Gilda around on his back, making her squeal with delight. Clarice, who seems to be in her early teenage years, watches with a look that tells me shewantsto play but is perhaps too shy in my company to do so.
“Your hair is beautiful,” I tell her as I help her put the last few dolls into a wooden toybox. “I’m quite jealous.”
Her hair is as dark as her mother’s, and it’s thick and beautifully wavy. At the compliment, she reaches up to tuck a wave behind her ear, cheeks reddening. “Th-thank you. I like yours too. It’s blue because you’re a witch, right?”
I nod once, then hold out a hand. Clarice watches as frost dances across my palm, and then I send a few snowflakes drifting through the warm autumn air. Her hazel eyes gleam, following a flake until it settles upon the windowsill and melts into nothing.
“Wow. You’re amazing.”
I laugh as I push to my feet. “My professors may disagree with you.”
Clarice’s lips quirk up on one side. “How could they? You’re the princess.”
“Well,” I say as we rejoin the rest of Raelan’s family in the main room, “even princesses have to go to school, and we’re not good at everything, despite what the fairy tales might say.”
Gilda is still giggling as Raelan slings her off his back and sets her on her feet. He musses her hair lovingly, then says, “All right, little one. I think it’s about time I get the princess back to the academy. She probably has a paper to write.”
He withstands a barrage of begging and whining but doesn’t give in.
Over Gilda’s voice, I say, “Perhaps I can come visit you again.”
All four of the Ashvales turn to look at me. My skin prickles under the weight of their stares.
“That is, if Raelan is okay with it,” I add quickly.
“Of course he is!” Gilda exclaims. “And you can do anything you want, right? So, you’ll come back tomorrow?”
Raelan and Soraya open their mouths to intervene, but Isay quickly, “Maybe not tomorrow, but very soon. I’ll bring you another dessert, and we can play dolls again.”
This seems to placate her for now, at least enough for me and Raelan to slip out the door, waving goodbye all the while. Soraya steps out behind us, closing the door. The air has a bit more of a chill now, as clouds have started creeping across the sky, hiding the sun from view.
