Ellie opened her eyes and discovered she had chains clutched in her hands, and they snaked out to everyone in the room. Some were barely visible outlines, but others were as tangible as the woman staring at her in shock.
“Hey,” Ellie managed to say. She felt limp as the illusion vanished—and took all her energy with it.
Just like the serpent in the woods.
Her classmates all looked at her warily, and both Lord Scylla and Headmaster Sondre were now standing in the front of the room. The headmaster looked intrigued. Lord Scylla looked like she’d just discovered magic was real, but then the woman’s scholarly expression returned as she pointedly looked at Prospero and lifted one brow.
Whatever communication they exchanged was one written in tiny gestures. The result was that Prospero stepped nearer to Ellie.
The headmaster was now scowling.
“That will be all for today,” Lord Scylla announced with a booming voice. “Let’s walk down to the infirmary.”
“Field trip,” Daniel Monahan said awkwardly as the Norwegian guy wrapped an arm around him.
Ellie tried to step forward with the rest of the class, faltering instantly.
If not for Prospero’s quick thinking, Ellie would have hit the floor. Instead, she sagged backward into Prospero’s body.
Again.
She’s always here to catch me.
The thought of that made Ellie’s heart speed; she looked away.
As she took in the red marks on several throats, Ellie was awash in guilt.I did that?Magic was dangerous—or maybe Ellie was.
“I’ll have a refresher sent to her room, Prospero.” Lord Scylla motioned to one student who was shaking all over. “Headmaster? Would you mind assisting Claribel?”
Then, in a matter of moments Ellie was alone with Prospero, who still had both arms around Ellie’s waist. “Can you walk at all?”
Ellie shook her head. “Not far.”
“Let’s sit then.” Prospero lowered Ellie to the floor, but still half supported her. The feel of Prospero’s curves, of her row of bone buttons, of her strength, was enough to make Ellie think a different sort of dangerous thought.
Could I magic away buttons?
Common sense reared up, and Ellie considered pushing her away, but that would mean toppling over. That was the only reason she leaned against Prospero.Really. Just to be sure at least one of them believed that lie, she muttered, “I would accept help from anyone right now. You aren’t special, you know?”
Prospero chuckled. “Youarespecial, Ellie.”
Ellie met her gaze. “But you abandoned me to them and—”
“Did you see what you just did, Ellie?” Prospero shook her head. “Whatever magic your family has, most of it was dormant. Maybe it built up? Maybe you’re just rare?”
“You saidmost. Not Hestia, though. She had this magic, too.” Ellie might be exhausted and far too attracted to Prospero, but she also wanted a few important answers.
“No. Not Hestia. She chose to be siphoned to return to you, Ellie.” Prospero gave her a sad smile. “She tried tearing down the thickest of Scylla’s walls, nearly succeeded in escaping, and when we found her, she demanded siphoning. I still don’t know how she survived having so much… having her magic removed.”
So much?
Ellie caught the slip, the almost-admission, and asked, “Not all of it, then?”
“She was my friend, Ellie. I… interceded,” Prospero whispered. “I couldn’t bear the thought of her dying, and I was afraid that if we took all of it, she would. Some people have so much magic that siphoning would be death. I would die if I were siphoned. I worried that she might, too. It was no effort to make the others think they’d siphoned her, and she was weak enough that it seemed like it was all of it.”
“You’re quite the rule breaker,” Ellie murmured. The truth of what Prospero had done kicked Ellie’s heart in dangerous ways.She saved Aunt Hestia.If not for Prospero’s disregard of the laws she was sworn to uphold, Ellie would have been sent to a foster home. She’d have grown up without Hestia.
“So you erased someoneelse’smind without permission?” Ellie guessed.
