Page 41 of Dark Moon Secrets

On my bed lay a leather-bound book, Magic for Beginners, Grade 1 by Merry Goodchild. The insult of being given instructions written for a six-year-old meant the book lay untouched.

This wouldn’t be happening if my parents had taught me when they should have.

Tears welled in my eyes as I met with yet another wave of grief, fighting to push it down and forget about my past.

Goddammit, this was my life, and I wanted to choose what I did with it.

But big forces took this choice away.

Luna hadn’t given me many details about my parents, and I hadn’t cared. I wanted to learn the spells that would make me powerful.

What was I thinking? That I would go and show them off to Caleb and Mia?

All I was beginning to learn was that this wouldn’t be the case at all. That something bigger was going on here. And once more, I was deliberately being left in the dark.

It’s for your own good, Tanjie.

This time, Maria’s voice was softer, a hint of sympathy behind the words.

I sighed heavily, the weight of responsibility tightening around my chest, binding me to something I didn’t fully understand.

Then help me understand.

It’s not safe. The reply was unsatisfactory on so many levels.

Warmth flooded through me as if Maria’s energy enveloped me in a sort of embrace. It reminded me how much I really did miss her, but not as much as my parents.

They should be teaching me this, but they couldn’t because they were murdered. A tear slipped from my eye. I wiped it away quickly, even though no one could see me.

It’s not safe not telling me. The fight in me dissipated.

Just until Saturday.

Why? I could still feel her energy wrapped around me, the warmth soothing, but it wasn’t enough.

The dark moon will help you understand.

Should I be scared? If you don’t tell me, then I will think the worst. I turned around in the room, my eyes adjusting to the darkness, making out the shadows of the furniture. I wanted to see her. If I could see Maria in ghost form, then there would surely be a chance I could see my parents, right?

Why don’t you show yourself to me?

The silence that followed fueled my frustration. If the lure of learning magic weren’t enough, I would be out of here now on the first train back to Sydney.

You follow what we tell you, and you’ll be safe. So go and rest. You will find it all easier tomorrow.

Pfft. The only response I could muster as weak as it was. It wasn’t exactly easy arguing with a voice in your head.

Was I really imagining all of this? I rubbed my temples.

One thing I was sure of was that I wasn’t buying the simplicity approach here. I couldn’t even make magic now—a good night’s sleep was hardly the solution for me.

Her energy tightened around me, then it left. I sensed she’d withdrawn. I wasn’t going to learn anything else tonight. Nor was I going to sleep anytime soon. My head was full of all the things that happened today, mulling over the possibilities and what could happen.

I went to the small window, pushed aside the ancient-looking lace curtain, and peered outside, wishing I could be free to make my own choice in life, not follow a path others had set out without any consultation.

The moon, a slither in the dark sky, reminded me it wasn’t long before its dark side was showing. Stars shone as if they were charged with pushing away the darkness of the night, giving a little hope that there was more to be waiting for.

It all centered around the dark moon. That was important for me, but I didn’t know why because no one seemed willing to tell me what was happening. I guess it was only a few days to wait, but it still irked me.

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