“What?” Malcolm’s face drained of color and he looked from his father to the other woman, who Calli realized must be Malcolm’s mother. She looked like him, except for her eyes, which were so clearly his father’s. This was the non-magical mother who’d been so loving to her son.
Calli moved toward Malcolm, reaching for his hand, but he turned away, facing his mother, his back to Calli. His name was on her lips, but she didn’t speak, even though she was so confused by what was happening.
“Mom—” Malcolm started.
“It’s true, Malcolm,” his mother said, her lips thin, a frown knitting her brows together. “Your father didn’t make a blood promise, like he’d told us he did. He made a blood vow.”
Calli’s blood iced in her veins. A blood vow?
If that was true, then Malcolm had to do whatever he had to in order to save his father. Hadn’t Zelda said someone had made a blood vow about Malcolm? They hadn’t believed her at the time, because Malcolm had said he would have known. But while the blood vow had been made regarding Malcolm, it also wasn’t Malcolm’s vow, which explained why had his father kept silent about it.
But to make a blood vow about someone else? That was crazy! Her grandmother had called it magical gambling, because you could never guarantee that what you wanted to happen would happen. It wasn’t just about intent, either. Life and circumstances got in the way. You could end up dying because someone got stuck at an airport when you’d vowed they’d be somewhere else. It was that unpredictably dangerous.
“Dad… why did you—?” Malcolm didn’t finish as he stared at his father, betrayal flashing across his face.
“I’m sorry… I never imagined it would be like this. I never…” Reginald’s voice was a bare rasp, and sweat beaded on his forehead. His pallor terrified Calli. She knew what the paleness of death looked like all too well.
“Dad…” Malcolm begged.
“When the Council learned about your prophecy, they were adamant that you would someday serve with them. So much so that they wanted to take custody of you.”
Malcolm blinked. “What?”
“You were to be raised by them, safe, but secluded away. The only life you would know would be as one of them.”
“They can do that?”
“We were desperate to have you serve with us, Malcolm,” said Lady Serafina Batsford. “The prophecy foretold what you could do for our world. And there are those who believed we had to make sure it came to pass, at any cost. You would have been safe with us, raised by one of our families.”
“He… deserved to be happy… with your own family,” Reginald said, “Your mother… deserved to be part of your life.”
Malcolm’s mother fought off a sob and covered her mouth. She must not have known what her husband had done.
He was struggling to speak now. “So I…”
Lady Batsford took over. “The Council discussed the matter. We were willing to let your father and mother raise you, but we required assurances that you would take your place when the day finally arrived.”
“The blood vow,” said Malcolm.
“You were… so talented,” said Reginald. “Even as a baby, I could sense… how strong you were… I was certain that when you knew what you were capable of… you would want to join… But then…”
“Then I lost it all in the accident,” said Malcolm.
“And… I realized I was trapped,” said Reginald. “You came to hate magic… you lost your trust in me and I was still bound to my vow… but I couldn’t tell you…” He shook his head, but Calli understood.
Making Malcolm choose between a life he hated and his father’s life would have destroyed him. “But I had hoped… I could still convince you… to choose…so I cast the binding spell that night you left, but even then…you were too strong…” His voice trailed off.
Malcolm had to serve on the council. There was no way out of it now.
He looked at Calli and she saw the fear in his eyes, as though he was about to lose her forever. But it didn’t have to come to that, did it? They would figure out a way to make their relationship work. It wasn’t the end of the world.
Calli slipped her hand in his and squeezed his fingers. “Malcolm, you have to do it.”
The witch in the green cloak, who had to be from the Council, finally noticed Calli, and her eyes flared wide. “What are you doing here?” The woman looked between Malcolm and Calli in confusion.
“This is my house,” Calli said flatly, glaring at the witch. “And I have every right to be here.”
“I meant why are you with him? With Malcolm?”
