Page 130 of The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland
A flicker of fear raced across Minna’s expression, and in it, Beatrice recognized the girl she loved. The old Minna was in there, the one who didn’t have Taurus guiding her hand.
The fear switched off, Minna’s features stilling. “Helovesme. All he wants is to hug me one time. He said so.”
“How? How do you know?”
“I hear him now.” She looked down at her forearm. “I hear him more with every drop of ink. We just don’t know the final lines I need to draw, to power this sigil to get to him. Or to get him here. I’m not—I’m still figuring that out.”
“What is he saying to you?”
“Nothing, with you here. He’s gone silent.”
“He’s a Velamen, Minna.”
Minna laughed. “Nice try, but no. He’s a Diaz.”
“From a long line of Velamen blood.” Beatrice raised her arms to either wall. “These are your ancestors on your mother’s side. Your father’s side, though, is trying to claim you for themselves.”
Emotions flared across Minna’s face, changing too rapidly for Beatrice to follow them. “Who told you that? My mother?”
“And your grandmother, yes. They’re terrified he’ll try to take you from them.” Could he hear them now? A shiver raced down her spine. “Listen to your gut. You know I’m not lying to you.”
Minna gripped the tattoo gun so hard, her knuckles went white. “He loves me for who I am.”
“Your mother loves you for who you are. And youliedto me about that. She never rejected you.”
She tossed her hair back from her face. “You believed me because you wanted to. You wanted to feel special, like I was choosing you over my mother.”
Ridiculous.
But—the truth was ice against her skin. Beatricehadloved it when Minna had chosen her for a confidante. She had felt special.
Minna continued, “Just because your real life was stolen from you doesn’t mean that mine should be, too.”
“Hang on.” Beatrice took a careful step toward her. “My life wasn’t stolen. I wasn’t raised by my mother, okay, but I was raised by a loving father who helped make me into who I am. My dad’s full of flaws, yes, but he loves me, deeply. Taurus, though—he doesn’t love you. He’s only trying to steal your life. Yourpower, Minna. And not so he can be with you.”
Minna’s eyes burned dark. “Stop it.”
“He’s using you. He only wants your power, not you. When he takes it from you, it’ll leave you dead, stripped of everything. You won’t even have your soul left.”
“You don’t know that.”
But Beatrice did. Somehow, somewhere deep inside her gut, she could feel what Cordelia had said was true, and Minna—if she let herself listen—might know it, too.
Minna, though, picked up the gun and went back to work. “I’m going to figure this out. Once I complete it, you’ll see. You’ll see he was right.” She gritted her teeth and continued drawing the straight line into her skin.
A spell—Beatrice needed a spell—but what the hell kind of spell would banish a malevolent spirit trying to lure his own child to her annihilation?
She didn’t know.
No fucking idea.
Naya.
Naya had gotten her this far.
Her brain stalled, unable to think up a rhyming spell, so Beatrice prayed, instead.Naya, please help me get her out of here. Away from him. I can’t lose this girl. Please don’t let Taurus take this girl’s soul.
A low laugh bounced off the marble.
