“Mrs. Darcy, you have not asked for permission to join us.”
Elizabeth rocked back in shock. There must be some mistake. Surely she had not heard him right? She had formed Healing Circles with these same Healers numerous times, and they had always been welcoming. They had been her sanctuary when no one else had faith in her.
What was going on? She looked to the other mages for a sign that he was the only one objecting to her presence. She noticed that, while they had been staring at her before, they were now studiously avoiding her gaze.
Was he speaking for all of them, then?
Only one person was willing to meet her gaze. Caroline Bingley. She stood up and came over to stand directly in front of her.
“Are you not yet satisfied with the damage you have done already? Have you come here to make more? Do you see what you have done to my brother?” Her voice hissed with anger. “Stay away from him, do you hear?”
Elizabeth’s blood ran cold. She stood in place, frozen. She wanted to confront them, to tell them about the fireball, but she was too much in shock to know what to say. For the first time in her life, she was struck speechless.
Lady Hazelmere took her by the elbow and guided her firmly toward the door.
“I think it would be better not to join us in the Healing Circle at this point, Mrs. Darcy.”
Her words were spoken kindly, but there was no mistaking the iron in her voice.
“But why? Can you at least tell me what I have done?”
“The Healers are nervous. There are so many rumors about Bingley and the Waltons and how they were injured. Some say you tried to steal their magic. Others say that you tore into the Warders’ magic and destroyed their minds in the process. They call it the Warders’ affliction.”
Elizabeth stomach churned. How could people believe such a thing?
“And you?” She looked Lady Hazelmere in the eye coldly. “You know as well as I do what happened with Lady Alice. Do you honestly believe that I would do such a thing? You know me. I have trained with you. Have you ever felt threatened by me?”
Lady Hazelmere sighed. “I do not know what to believe. I have always liked you, Mrs. Darcy. You are a very Talented magician. But the risk is too great. There are so few of us left. I would rather not expose my Healers to danger, not until we have discovered the root of the Warders’ affliction. I am truly sorry, Mrs. Darcy. I hope you will not hold it against me.”
A strong feeling of despondency swept through Elizabeth. She began to turn away angrily, but she did not want to burn all her bridges. At least Lady Hazelmere was being kind.
“Very well then. Let me know when you discover anything new about Bingley’s condition.”
“You will be one of the first to know.” Lady Hazelmere put her hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. “I am sorry it had to be this way. I very much hope things will turn out differently.”
Elizabeth nodded and made her way to the door with as much dignity as she could muster. The door squealed open, echoing through the silent room. Trying to be as quiet as she could in order not to disturb anyone who was sleeping, she shut the door behind her and leaned against it. She stood in that position for some time, battling a mixture of despair and anger.
She was at a complete loss. She had saved the Hall for the second time, yet here she was, accused once more of doing more harm than good. She had stopped the fireball, but at what price? Unfortunately, no one inside the Hall had witnessed the attack. No one had seen the fireball and understood the menace it represented.
But what if they were right this time? In the urgency of the situation, she had not considered the three mages’ safety. She had done what needed to be done in a moment of extreme peril for everyone.
The ripping sensation she had felt before she had lost her connection to the Warders went through her mind. Had she somehow damaged them then? Everything had happened so fast. She could not be certain of anything. She had been too intent on stopping the attack to pay attention to Bingley and the others.
She knew it was wrong to draw on someone’s magic without asking. Had she been guilty of that? She had taken it for granted that they had given their permission on earlier occasions. She had trained with them and then fought with them as a team.
Perhaps it was not so much about the right or wrong of linking to them. It was more about timing. She did not have a chance to warn them, and they were unprepared. She had simply seized what she needed and used it.
She closed her eyes and went over that ripping sensation, again and again. Was that when the damage occurred? Had she somehow wrecked their minds when she stopped the fireball? She was dismayed.
There were no final answers. But now, at least, she knew why no one had asked her to repair any Wards. She had assumed Darcy planned it that way. Now the reason was clear. It was because they believed her magic was destructive.
Could there be any truth to it? Had she inadvertently destroyed the three Warders? If that was the case, she would never forgive herself.
***
THAT NIGHT, ELIZABETHwaited for Darcy to return to the adjoining room where he slept. She was determined to speak to him, no matter how late the hour. She needed to find out if the Healers were the only ones who suspected her, or if it was common knowledge. She was distraught and dazed by the unexpected animosity.
It was long past midnight when she finally heard soft footsteps against the carpet in the hallway. The door wheezed open, and she could sense Darcy’s familiar magic as he moved around.
