I turned back to Evie. Silence stretched between us. I didn’t want to admit what was bothering me, but she had a right to know what was going on.
“I terrified a couple of kids today.” The words tasted like ash.
Evie’s face creased. “What do you mean?”
I took a deep breath. It was time to tell her the truth. “It turns out my father wasn’t human. Or mage. Do you remember that dark fae guy who was hanging around mom for a few years before we left?”
Evie’s eyes flashed at the reminder, but she put it away, frowning as she took a sip of her rum and coke.
“I don’t think so.”
“You were probably too young. Anyway, I think he might have been my father. My power is dark. Likely unseelie. Someone put a suppression spell on me when I was a kid.”
Evie gaped at me, her eyes wide. I almost laughed. She looked like a Disney princess who had just learned that the birds who helped her get dressed every morning were dead.
My sister took after my mom. Huge, aquamarine eyes, thick, glossy blonde hair, perfect skin, and curves in all the right places. When we’d taken family photos, I’d always felt like the odd one out with my dark hair and petite frame. Now I knew why.
“But suppression spells are only for witches who’ve been sentenced by the High Coven.”
“Yeah. Except they weren’t suppressing witch magic.” The magic I’d inherited from my mom was a trickle at best. “It was unseelie power.”
Evie tilted her head. “So, you’re like, uber powerful now?”
She kept her voice light, and I attempted a smile. “I don’t know how powerful. Ever since I worked that case for the demons…” both of our gazes dropped to the gold mark on my arm, and I ground my teeth.
“The suppression spell has been wearing away?”
I nodded. “Apparently these types of spells are usually reinforced every few years.”
“What has this got to do with the kids?”
Bile crept up my throat at the reminder of Gary’s kids. Their little faces, such a pale gray they were almost white.
“When I get… upset, I have a hard time controlling my power.”
Evie’s gaze turned knowing. I’d scared the shit out of her the first time I lost control of my power, holding a witch in place, and forcing her to answer my questions.
She cleared her throat. “You did that to the kids?”
“God no. But I threatened Gary– their father. In front of them. My power leaked out of me and rattled the roof. They were terrified.”
“You didn’t hurt anyone?” her voice was very careful.
“No. But I could’ve. I’m telling you now, so you know. If I ever lose control, run.”
“You won’t hurt me.”
“I may not know what I’m doing,” I warned her. I needed her to take this seriously. “This suppression spell… it hid my power from me all these years, and whenever a piece of the spell crumbles, my power overtakes me. It usually happens when I’m enraged, and it boosts my anger into a new stratosphere. It’s like my power is a river and I’m caught in the currents without a life jacket. Anyone close to me is at risk.”
“You won’t hurt me,” she said again. I sighed, and she gave the hint of a smile. Evie had always been able to out-stubborn anyone. Even me. “What are you going to do about it?”
I signaled for another round, and across the room, Mere caught my eye with a nod. “I’m going to find someone who can reinforce the suppression spell.”
She gaped at me. “What?”
“I don’t need this power. I don’t want it. It was helpful when I was working with the demons and being targeted by those crazy witches, but that’s done now.”
“If you have access to that amount of power, it can keep you safe.”
