Luckily, before I could attempt to speak, Christabella poked her head out from behind Ma’s shoulder.
“Gigi!Are you bringing your guests to live with us?”Christabella asked.
I managed to unstick my tongue from my mouth.“Yes.If there’s room.”
Christabella trotted out to grab the luggage from Maddox’s arms.“Of course there’s room!We have two guest chambers on the second floor.”
We all trickled slowly into the house.
From his armchair, Pa lowered his spectacles as Christabella bustled in with Edmund’s luggage.Sonny stared in gaped-mouth silence at the strangers from the parlor.Ma glared as the two men followed a chattering Christabella up the wooden staircase, saying nothing.Heaven forbid rumors spread across the village that Nasha Phula had turned away guests—she was the last witch who would want to be labeled as inhospitable.
I lingered at the foot of the staircase, studying the woven runner on the steps.It featured swirling oak trees and acorns—Grandma’s handiwork.She had been quite a skilled weaver, on top of everything else.I wondered what she would think of the situation.
“What have you gotten yourself into, Giselle?”Ma finally asked when everyone had disappeared upstairs.
Sweat coated my palms.It was only a matter of time before I had to tell Ma.I didn’t know why I was so nervous.What was I afraid of?Her disapproval?That she wouldn’t understand?Those were nothing new.Bracing myself, I finally spoke.
“This is a Witch Committee job.”I summarized Crown Prince Bennett’s plan to ease relations between humans and witches by sending an emissary on a brief tour of the village.
Ma’s eyes flashed.“You brought a human to our village so he can gawp at us like animals?”
The sentiment was not unlike Alexander’s, though he was at least more polite with his language.
“That’s not it,” I protested.“It’s just a friendly visit.Edmund has been nothing but kind—”
“I don’t trust him,” Ma said staunchly.
“He’s only here to experience the village and report back to the King's Council.”
“And if his report is unfavorable?”
“It won’t be.”
“Don’t be naive, Giselle.The security of our village—the very future of witches—depends on whether that man likes us or not.Don’t you see we’re already fighting a losing battle?”Ma shook her head.“This is our sanctuary.The land we’ve made hospitable for ourselves becausetheyforced us here.Having humans infiltrate is an insult to the founding witches.It’s an insult to your grandmother.”
“We’re not in the Non-Magic Age anymore, Ma,” I said, clenching the fabric of my skirt.Of course she wouldn’t understand.Ma was stuck in her beliefs and her ways—even reality couldn’t make her see reason.“Witches can come and go as they please.”
“Do you truly believe that?Generations of animosity don’t just disappear because of some laws.Hate has roots.They run deep, even if you can’t see them.”
“I’m going to get Edmund settled.”I was halfway up the steps when Ma spoke again.
“He’s only good to you so he can use you.You’re the one with magic, Giselle, yet he has you so hypnotized.”There was a pause.“Does he know what you can do?”
Anger and embarrassment burned my face, spreading to the tips of my ears.This was a question Ma asked frequently whenever I brought back a friend or playmate as a child.
Do they know what you can do?
“Why does it matter?”I demanded.
“If everyone knew, what would people think?”
Family image was everything to her.She didn’t want anyone to know that the daughter of a founding witch family had such deplorable magic.
I gripped the wooden railing and whirled around.“All you care about is what other people think!”I burst out.“Why don’t you ever care aboutme?”
Ma stood at the foot of the stairs, her face stricken.Or perhaps not.My vision was too blurred with tears to make out her exact expression, and before she could say anything, I stomped up the stairs, wiping my eyes and attempting to compose myself.
As for Ma, I figured she retreated to the kitchen.
