Juniper whimpered and Arabella pressed another kiss to the top of the fox’s head. When she raised her head once more, some of the ghosts of her past had dissipated.
“I don’t know. Everyone says my magic is unprecedented, but so is yours. Even if there is a chance that I am though, I can’t let the chance to change things go by.”
Seren frowned. “You could if you didn’t want it. The last vessel died, Arabella. I think we need to research this before you do anything else.”
The laugh that broke through her sister was like a teleportation to the past. Familiar and welcome.
“You and your books. All right. I promise not to galivant into the forest and meet devilishly handsome men until we know more.”
Seren’s mouth fell open. “Bella, was that a joke?”
Her sister grinned. “I’m very funny, Renny.”
Despite the easy air that had fallen around them Seren narrowed her eyes, scanning her sister for something that would tell her what Calder had done. He had donesomethingto her. Seren had very little understanding of the magicking world, but she knew plotting when she saw it. Calder had used her to get to Arabella and given how strong Arabella’s magic was it couldn’t be anything in her best interest.
“Do you feel different?” Seren asked.
Ara, in her infinite beauty, closed her eyes and considered. “A little. My mind feels clearer, and my magic feels stronger.”
“You glowed and broke that statue.”
“Oh,” Ara said, tilting her head to the side. “The statue of Saint Sorath.”
Seren groaned as frustration built in her. “I suppose so. Then Tisi bit Calder and Atwood—”
Her thoughts drifted back to how their magic had entangled even as his subdued her.
“Your snake bit him?”
The concern in Ara’s voice made Seren grit her teeth. She doubted Calder deserved an ounce of her sympathy.
“She should have done more than that,” Seren growled.
Ara reached for Seren’s hand at the edge of the bed. “Is he all right?”
Seren snatched her hand back as if burned. “I don’t know, Ara. Why do you care so much, anyway? He clearly is using you.”
Ara’s eyes clouded a moment before she fixed what might have been a glare from everyone else onto Seren. “Seren, I can understand how you feel, but the age of unity is worth sacrificing for. His intentions are good.”
Seren stood up, ready to light the entire tower on fire. “You can’t just know things like that, Arabella, people rarely have good int—”
A banging on the door ripped the remaining words from Seren’s lips.
“Ara! Open up! I have real, actual problems, and I need your help.”
Seren rolled her eyes at the voice that undoubtedly belonged to Ara’s best friend. Ara smiled as she slid off the bed, Juniper jumping off her while still watching Tisi.
“Don’t let her in. We don’t have time for whatever drama she has going on,” Seren hissed.
Arabella chuckled as she ignored Seren and went to the door. “Probably one of her lovers got too attached. It happens from time to time.”
Ara opened the door slightly before the redhead burst through, stomping as if she were throwing some sort of tantrum. She whirled on Arabella, not even registering Seren’s presence.
“Am I unlikeable? Is there something wrong with me all of a sudden? Did I grow warts?”
Ara’s mouth quirked up in amusement as she shut the door then made a show of studying her friend.
“You look the same as you always do and you know very well how likable you are,” Arabella offered.
