Chapter 8

Cool air brushesmy cheeks as I slip through the archway into my sanctuary—the garden. I wander along the gravel path, my fingers trailing over the dew-kissed blooms. Roses unfurl their delicate spirals, while irises stand tall.

I reach my favorite spot and sit on the bench nestled under a weeping willow. A rustle to my left draws my attention as my mother moves between a row of hedges and comes to a stop near me, her expression softer than the night of my birthday.

I shift to make room for her, but she remains standing.

"That gown fits you." Her stare shifts over me, lingering on my unveiled face. "It almost makes you look like a proper lady."

Almost?

Well, I suppose that is better than not at all.

She steps closer, her perfume enveloping me in a cloying sweetness that makes my stomach churn. "If only you could behave like one."

I curl my fingers into the fabric of my cotehardie and squeeze. "I'm trying."

"Are you?" She arches a sculpted brow. "Because from where I stand, it looks like you're still chasing after fantasies."

My heart stumbles. Does she know about Jasce?

"I don't know what you mean," I manage after a moment.

She laughs, a cold, brittle sound that scrapes along my nerves. "Don't play coy with me, Annora. It doesn't suit you."

She reaches out, her fingers grazing my cheek. I fight the urge to pull away, to escape her touch. "You would have been so beautiful if your grandfather had allowed me to call for a Kyanite healer. Instead…."

A familiar ache blooms beneath my ribs at the bitterness haunting her eyes.

"I…" I swallow and muster the courage to speak the words. "I would like to know about my silver magic." Her mouth thins, but I refuse to be silenced. "Is there someone in Bakva who could teach me how to use it?"

When she remains silent, I try again. "Emerin knows about her healing magic. She's a fantastic healer. I want to learn about my magic, so I can understand myself better."

"Oh, Annora." My mother shakes her head, a look of pity reflecting in her eyes. "You will never learn about your magic. It is an abomination."

Abomination?

"I don't understand. You have always told me that silver magic is good. That it's a gift to be cherished." My voice wavers, thick with confusion.

"Your magic is not a gift, Annora. It is a curse." Her words cut deep, each syllable dripping with disdain. "It devours and destroys everything it encounters, leaving only ashes and ruin in its wake."

Desperation tears at my throat as I struggle to comprehend her harsh revelation. "I don't understand. How can my magic be so destructive? How does it consume and destroy?"

She doesn't reply, her silence more damning than any explanation could be.

I take a deep breath and continue. "What kind of magic is it? Will you at least tell me its name?"

She locks her gaze beyond my shoulder. "Aigis Siphoning."

My brow wrinkles. I have never heard of that.

"What does Aigis Siphoning do?"

"I told you. It destroys."

I pinch the bridge of my nose and let out a slow exhale. "How do you know I have Aigis Siphoning magic? You have never once allowed me to go to the Argent Chamber to learn about my magic. You let my sisters go, but you held me back. Why?"

"Before you were born, I met a woman who told me I would have seven children, and two of them would die as babies. She also told me you would be scarred, your father would leave me, and you would have Aigis Siphoning. Everything she revealed to me has come true.

I reach for my seashell pendant, clutching it between my fingers.

"Believe it or not, I protected you, Annora," she says, her voice softer than usual. "Your grandfather would have used you if he knew you had Aigis Siphoning, and he would have turned you into something monstrous."

"I believe you, but now he's gone, and I would like to know about my magic."

She lowers herself onto the bench beside me and fixes her disapproving gaze on me. "Do you know what you should do, Annora?" She pauses, waiting for a response, but I remain silent, bracing myself for the lecture I know is coming. "You should stop wasting your time trying to uncover the secrets of your silver magic. It's a foolish endeavor that will lead you nowhere." Her voice takes on a sharper edge. "Instead, you should concentrate on finding a suitable husband and starting a family. At least then, you would be fulfilling your role and contributing something useful to our society."

"It is my right to understand my magic." I don't bother hiding my frustration from her. "How can you expect me to ignore a part of who I am?"

She scoffs. "Your right? You have no rights, Annora. You never did. Get married, have children, and fulfill your duty to our family." She stands and smooths down the rich fabric of her gown, and without another word, she turns and walks away.

I remain on the bench as the sting of her words sinks deep into my chest. The urge to chase after her, to argue my case, rises within me, but I force it back down.

There's no point. Her mind is made up, and no amount of pleading will sway her.

I reach up to touch the seashell pendant at my throat again, seeking comfort in its familiar shape as I gaze out over the garden, my thoughts as tangled and conflicted as the vines that climb the stone walls.

I deserve answers about my magic, and if she will not give them to me, I must discover them another way.

But what way?

I take a deep breath, the scent of blooming roses and honeysuckle filling my lungs as I try to clear my thoughts. There must be some clue, some whisper of knowledge that can guide me in my quest for understanding. Perhaps the answer lies hidden within the ancient tomes of the library.

Without another thought, I stand, brush off my cotehardie and head toward the library.