Maggie stiffened. “Am. Iama lawyer.”
Sondre sighed. “You sound a lot like me, Margaret. I was a soldier, but there’s no call for that in Crenshaw. Perhaps, there are roles you could fill in the Congress of Magic. Taking notes or—”
“I’m not a secretary, Sondre. I’m a fucking lawyer, and a damn good one at that.” Maggie shot the man a glare. Honestly, it wasn’t fair he was both dreadfully handsome and infuriating. Was sexy and calming an impossible combination? Hell, she’d appreciate just sane and sexy.
“Then perhaps you would best understand if I explained in terms of contracts. You’re in Crenshaw due to the awakening of latent magical traits,” Sondre said in a dry tone. “These traits mean that, in due course, you will decide whether to remain here or return to your world. There is a contract that all witches must adhere to, and part of that is attending the College of Remedial Magic. After that, you will either stay or be siphoned—”
“That sounds barbaric.”
“It can be.”
Maggie swallowed her questions as Sondre swept an arm out to gesture toward the town outside the window. To say it was peculiar was the politest thing she could have managed. Up close like this, it looked like a cross between a film set and costumed theme festival or theme park, with people who were mostly embracing the chance to wear a costume but a few scattered folks who were thoroughly rejecting it. One woman had on a medieval-style dress, and another wore a Victorian-era dress but with tennis shoes.
“A lot of robes and dresses,” she finally murmured.
“Fashion.” He shrugged. “It shifts, but currently the trend is historic, ridiculous gowns and towering hats. Those of us who are more serious stick with some sort of robe.”
He led her onto a deck that rather quickly emptied when he shot a round of glares at the people out there.
Once the drinkers were all gone, Sondre pronounced, “You must go through the college, Margaret. After that, if you choose to leave here, they’ll send you back. Until then, this is where you are.”
Maggie closed her eyes against a flood of tears. “My son needs me. Now.”
She hopped over the railing and started walking through the town. There was an apartment building that jutted upward, laundry flapping in the breeze, and across the way was a building labeled “food distribution.” A line of people stood there, shuffling and waiting. She glanced to theleft and found a furniture maker, a potter, a clothing exchange, and an apothecary.
Maggie’s knees were giving out. Nothing made sense.How will I get home? What if Leon hurts Craig?He’d been willing to kill both of them in that accident.Why would I think my son is safe now?
“I have you,” Sondre murmured, catching her before she fell. “You can’t get home to your son right now.”
“He’s in danger,” she said. “Can’t someone go get him or—?”
“We have people. A witch who can alter minds. I can send her to make sure his father—he’s the threat?” Sondre paused until Maggie nodded. “I can send her to be sure Craig is safe. You just need to get through college, and then you might be reunited with him, forget us entirely, or—”
“Or he can come here? That could work, right?” Maggie looked at shops for baked goods and seafood, woven blankets, and odd hats. “Are there trade schools? Or what? I can’t imagine there are full university plans.” She paused, thinking about what that would mean for Craig.
What if we stayed here? Witch land or whatever might be okay. Then Craig wouldn’t ever have to see Leon.
“If I do well at this college, I stay here, right?”
“Yes.”
Maggie looked around again, thinking about the future. Crenshaw was nearly medieval, no modern universities or hospitals in sight, no cars or even skateboards. The youngest person nearby appeared to be in her twenties—not a baby in sight, or a pregnant person. It was evening, though, and they were outside a bar.
“I’d need to figure out a job, money, a place for Craig and me…” Maggie started to reassess the potential for a life here.
“We can go over that part later,” Sondre answered quietly. “The College of Remedial Magic will cover not only magic but the society and laws here in Crenshaw, too.”
She took a deep breath. Leon always complained she charged at problems and made things worse by not letting the dust settle. Maybe he was a little bit right? Maybe she should exhale and let her brain catch up to the fact magic was real.
“I have questions.”
“And I will answer every last one, but not today. Right now, you’re still at risk of becoming volatile,” Sondre said kindly. “You wouldn’t want to hurt anyone with a burst of unpredictable magic. Magic can bedeadly,Maggie. So we’ll sort your situation out—and the other students’—once we’re all together. That’s the point of the college. You’ll learn about the rules and ways of Crenshaw, where you will each fit, and get a handle on your magic.”
Maggie glanced at him. Nothing he saidfeltuntrue to her, but at the same time, she wasn’t an average trusting person. She was an attorney who had an ex who worked for the vilest of criminals.
“But my son isn’t freaking out about my disappearance? Or in peril right now?”
“He is not,” Sondre said. “There are witches who handle those details—any relations, jobs, anyone who might be panicking at a witch’s awakening. Mind magic.”
