“THAT WENT WELL, DON’Tyou think?”Maddox said when we finally exited hours later.The afternoon sun was waning, throwing long golden rays into the hallway.His face was practically glowing with triumph, but I couldn’t muster the same emotion.I only felt numb and exhausted.
Maddox’s smile faded when he noted my expression.“Alright.Perhaps it didn’t concludeideally.”
I huffed a mirthless laugh.The crown prince had decided against opening Witch Village to the public, as well as publishing Edmund’s report.Too many factors had skewed the experience, and it seemed that neither witches nor Olderean civilians were ready for further immersion.We’d decided that solving the existing issues aboveground took precedence over tourism.
The past two weeks had been for nothing.
“At least Sir Archibald and Sylvester were exposed,” Maddox continued when we made it to the expansive palace courtyard.“The Crown will be investigated.That’s good progress.”
“Progress.Like when Amarante Flora ended the Non-Magic Age two years ago?And last winter, when Crown Prince Bennett and Narcissa announced their betrothal and stopped those anti-witch riots?”I said, lackluster.“But here we are with another anti-witch group.This problem...thishatredis going to persist, isn’t it?It’s so ingrained in the kingdom that it’ll take more than a hundred years to forget, won’t it?There’ll always be another group, another riot.Perhaps even another Non-Magic Age.Witches lived here once, only to be banished.Who’s to say it won’t happen again?”
I hadn’t meant to fall so quickly into pessimism, but it was hard not to.Last winter, I thought we had finally won when Narcissa, a witch like me, had been betrothed to the crown prince of the kingdom.I had thought that witches would be accepted back aboveground with little resistance; that I could live the life Grandma had before the Non-Magic Age; that the ones who wanted us gone had disappeared, like a whisper into the wind.
Yet, here they still were.
I didn’t think Maddox would understand.He had spent the majority of his life thinking he was human, being seen and accepted as such.His witch heritage could be tucked neatly away like a raw edge beneath a felled seam, undetectable and complacent.He could continue with his life no matter what happened.
But Maddox’s gray eyes steeled.“If they keep fighting, so will we.My sister.My father.Me.And the next generation, too.”
I looked up, surprised by his vehemence.
“The war is not won, but the battle is,” he said.“Even soldiers deserve rest and cheer, Giselle.Won’t you give that to yourself, so you can keep fighting?”
Tears pricked my eyes unexpectedly.“You’re just full of wisdom these days, aren’t you?”I mumbled, embarrassed when my voice wavered.
“One of my lesser known qualities,” he acquiesced.
I took a deep breath.Maddox was right.It was better to be optimistic.But I couldn’t bring myself to feel an ounce of happiness.Disregarding the problem of humans and witches, I still had nothing good to celebrate in my personal life.
Maddox seemed to sense this.“What else is wrong?”
“The day I left with Edmund...”I swallowed, the shame still fresh.I couldn’t believe I was going to tell Maddox about this.“He made an offer.”
***
IDIDN’T EXPECT TObe following Maddox all the way to The Conch.We rode there together on a cheap horse chaise.I was sure the driver was drunk by how many lurches and sharp turns there were during the ride, but that was the least of my concerns.
When the towering hotel came into view, Maddox got out and marched right past the mermaid fountain in the lavish courtyard, his steps so brisk that I had to trot to keep up.
“You don’t have to do this,” I beseeched.
“I just want to talk,” Maddox said calmly.
“I can talk to him on my own!”
In reality, I had planned on just ignoring Edmund and stewing in my own shame and indignation in peace.The murderous intent in Maddox’s eyes, however, told me that we wouldn’t leave the confrontation on peaceful terms.
The receptionist seemed surprised at our abrupt entrance, but when his gaze alighted on me, recognition crossed his face.“Miss Giselle Phula.Mr.de Clare told me to expect you,” he said pleasantly.“Do you need someone to show you to his apartment?”
I shook my head.It was hard to forget that Edmund lived at the very top floor in the most luxurious of penthouse suites.The receptionist let us through.Maddox began climbing the flights of marble steps, the heavy thumps of his boots echoing in the cavernous atrium.
I hiked my skirts up, taking two stairs at a time.The exercise burned my thighs, but Maddox was relentless.He was almost half a flight ahead of me, even though he had no idea where we were going.
“Wait!”I panted, grabbing onto the ornate gilded banisters.
He crossed his arms and waited for me to catch up, a scowl on his face.“Iknewsomething was off with that man.The audacity to ask you to do something like that!He wants to use you like a tool!”
“Let me handle it first.Promise you won’t do anything rash,” I said between breaths.I was more than touched that Maddox felt the offense on my behalf, but the last thing I wanted was for us to be roughly escorted out of the premises for violent misdemeanor.
