“Cool,” Phineas said.
Magnus’ eyes widened. “Explosions?”
“Again, not my ancestor. There’s no way I could ever curse you into your kind of existence. The most I could do is send you rocketing up into the sky before…”
“He was scattered all over the place,” Phineas teased.
Finn groaned and covered his face and Mercedes couldn’t help but chuckle along with the rest, although Magnus looked somewhat horrified. Part of her wanted to reassure him that she wasn’t going to detonate his home with a wayward potion, butthere was also a part of her that was amused she was making him squirm.
Just a bit.
“Anyways, it’s why I don’t practice magic and why my family thinks of me as the proverbial black sheep,” Mercedes explained. “And honestly, I really don’t like being around them much either. The magic families in Tallowfield tend not to have the best intentions and are concerned about blood ties and fortune more than anything else.”
Like love.
Nurturing.
Basically, what any decent family would do for a child.
Instead, pure-blood children, especially ones touted as being a reincarnation of a powerful ancestor, were more of a commodity in those magical families. Except, instead of being great like Yrsa, Mercedes was a bumbling witch who could talk to dead people.
“That’s a shame,” Hetty remarked. “I did have family like that. And I lost a lot of family when I decided to marry a glashtyn. I say good riddance.”
“Agreed,” Phineas stated. “I know how people can be. Even after the great revelation.”
“This is your home now,” Hetty said softly, reaching out and squeezing Mercedes’ hand.
Tears stung her eyes and she smiled a bit wobbly at Hetty and all the supportive, smiling faces around the table. Even Magnus looked at her a bit softly, which was nice, but also sent her into a complete panic.
“Excuse me a moment,” Mercedes said, quickly getting up from the table and heading outside before she burst into tears in front of everyone. Which was the last thing she wanted to do.
She worked so hard keeping her emotions in check, being strong, because she didn’t want anything to be used against her.And she’d had to take care of herself for so long. Everyone in there was being so kind to her.
It would be nice if she could stay here in Harmony Glen forever, although it was close to her family and that might not be a good thing. What if her family wanted her to come back, or they’d do something to the good people gathered around Hetty’s dining table? She didn’t want them to be hurt because of her.
The cool September air carried the scent of a wood fire burning, and the stars were peeking out across the clear night sky. The lake was calm and she closed her eyes, listening to the gentle lap of the waves on the shore.
“You okay?”
Mercedes spun around to see Magnus standing there.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “I just needed a moment. Why did you follow me out? Aren’t you afraid I’m going to curse you even more?”
“A couple of weeks ago, sure. After what you said tonight, I’m more afraid you’re going to make me combust spontaneously.” He smiled at her, genuinely smiled.
Friendly.
Mercedes brushed a tear away. “No.”
He came to stand next to her on the shore, hands in his pockets. “I actually came out here to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
He nodded. “For reacting so badly that night we met. Especially since we had some good text conversations.”
“Apology accepted. And yes, I do agree on that.” She was glad he was sincerely apologizing to her and she had missed their texting. Before they met for that first official date, it had been the best part of her day to get a message from him. She’d still been in Tallowfield then, still under her family’s thumb, and his messages were her lifeline.
Someone actually cared.
