Page 83 of The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland
Minna’s eyes were huge. “Theft?”
“It’s not like we actually stole it. The power that Xenia stripped from the twins and put in the grimoire was energythey never got back, but the thing is, the Velamens tend to have big, loud energy, and they burned themselves out, wearing their magic down like an eraser until all that was in them had bled back into the land.”
Bluntly, Beatrice asked, “Are they all dead?”
A nod. “The last one, Otis Velamen, died six years ago.”
Minna blinked. “Wait, Otis, the shoe repair guy?”
Cordelia nodded.
“But he was so nice. He was always offering to shine my shoes for free.That’swhy you wouldn’t ever let me talk to him?”
“Remember how I always made you wear a friendship bracelet?”
“When it would fall off or get too small, you’d make me another one.” Minna rubbed the skin at her wrist. “I just thought you stopped wanting to make me one. Like maybe you were embarrassed of me when… But it was charmed. I should have known.”
Cordelia shook her head sharply. “I would never be embarrassed of you. Never.”
Really? What about when Minna had come out and Cordelia had rejected her? Beatrice kept her mouth shut, though, and her ears open.
Astrid leaned forward. “The bracelet was a bit of light magic, but it was enough to keep you safe until Otis was gone. In other, older times, according to our history, we knew that evil could move through ether, that evil could be called back to earth via the undead.”
“Zombies?” said Beatrice. “Come on.”
Astrid continued, “Families like the Velamens have been eradicated before, only to fight their way back to this mortal plane by twisting and using the energy of their enemies. Once banished, they tend to stay stuck unless a huge amount of theirenemy’s energy is gathered in one physical location. If they manage to pierce the veil, they can suck from that energy and return.”
“Zombiesandvampires. Oh, my.” It was getting more and more ridiculous.
The glare Astrid shot her scorched her skin. “That crossover has been a real danger in the past, but in this generation, we didn’t have to worry about accidentally drawing the Velamens back, because… Well, we weren’t as strong as we used to be. Until now.”
A thunk from something falling over in the wind outside made Beatrice jump. “What does that mean?”
Astrid said through gritted teeth, “It means that the prodigal daughter fucked everything up by coming here.You’reto blame for the danger threatening my family now.”
It was a tragedy that half of Beatrice’s genes came from Astrid, the woman who would never quit rejecting her apparently. “Well,you’reunbearable.” It was a childish retort, but it was better than telling her to fuck off, which felt like her only other option.
Reno, silent until now, held up a hand. “May I?”
Cordelia said, “Go ahead.”
Focusing her dark gaze on Beatrice, Reno said, “I told you that when Scarlett died, Cordelia talked to her.”
I choose to believe. Even when it sounds like a fairy tale, I choose to believe.Slowly, Beatrice nodded.
“She was a close one, as they say. I shouldn’t have wanted more than just that single, short connection. Cordelia made it clear that Scarlett’s soul would always be close to me, wherever I was. But I wanted to feel her more. So one night, I got Cordelia really drunk.”
Minna’s eyes widened. “What? Have I heard this story?”
Reno looked ashamed. “I didn’t want you to know. It was a shitty thing for a sober person to do. I got her really,reallydrunkand then I started crying and saying that I wanted a family again. She said that we were family, and I insisted it wasn’t enough. I talked in circles around her, asking her questions until she told me about the Knock.” She took a breath. “She was so out of it, I managed to convince her to give it to me.”
Cordelia said, “It was my fault. Even blasted out of my gourd, I should have known better—”
“Mom!” Minna’s body was rigid. “After everything you’ve told me about consent. A drunk person can’t give it! It wasn’t your fault.”
Reno looked physically ill. “She’s right. I’m never going to stop regretting that I asked you to do that.”
“Oh, please,” said Cordelia impatiently. “You got the short end of that shitty stick; you know that.”
