That soured my mood. I didn’t want the Warden to know anything about what I was doing, even if it was as innocent as declaring a major.
As we finished our conversation, a guard came in. He stooped down and whispered something to Hemlock. Her eyes widened.
“Miss Mitoh, you have an emergency call from your mother,” Hemlock said. “You should head to the phone room immediately.”
I immediately felt so sick that the room started spinning. Whatever happened had to bebad, if the Institute wanted me to take this call. Something must’ve happened with Daddy. Ancestors, what if he was in the hospital again? I couldn’t leave the prison to visit him. What if there wasn’t enough time to say goodbye?
Tears sprang to my eyes, and I jumped out of my seat. I barely remembered to grab my stuff before I dashed out the door.
When I got to the phone room, a guard handed a receiver to me with a cold look. I snatched it out of his hands and pressed it to my ear as he walked away. “Hello? Mama, is that you?”
“Oh, Ava, thank goodness,” Mama breathed. “I was worried we wouldn’t be able to get in contact with you.”
The minute I picked up the phone, I heard shouting echoing in the background— men’s voices.
“What’s going on? Is Daddy okay?” I blurted.
“Your father’s fine, though he’s a little… well,unhingedat the moment, is what I would call it.”
“What?”
Daddy’s voice broke in. He had to be on the other side of the house, but he was shouting so loudly I could hear it through the phone. “I don’t understand what’s gotten into you. Attemptedmurder?! Do you understand what this means? I have no choice but to send you to the Institute!”
“Good!” Ezekiel’s voice responded back. “I’d rather be with mysisteranyway!”
My stomach plummeted. “Mama, what’s going on?”
“Your brother’s gotten into some trouble,” Mama said. “We knew he was struggling in his classes, but we didn’t think it’d go like this. He’s behind in magic, and wassofrustrated, but your father and I couldn’t have guessed it’d end up this way.”
Mama was talking like she needed excuses for my brother’s behavior.
“What does that got to do with—?”
“Ez was walking to class at Orenda Academy this morning when he passed Johnny Smith in the hallway. You remember Johnny, don’t you, dear?”
Did I ever. My intestines knotted together as I squeaked, “And?”
“Well, it looks like Rosary and Johnny are dating now,” Mama admitted. “I overheard that they’d been kissing when he passed by, and your brother didn’t take it very well.”
What the fuck? My brother’s abusive ex-girlfriend and my rapist were sleeping together? This was so gross. I swallowed a lump in my throat. “Okay, so what happened?”
“That’s just the thing. It’s hard to explain,” Mama said slowly. “From what I understand, Ezekiel tried to use his magic on Johnny, and when his powers didn’t work, he grabbed Johnny and started…”
Mama trailed off, like it was hard for her to say out loud. I didn’t have to wonder. Ez had beaten John to a pulp.
“Your Uncle Jonah split them up, but by the time Ez was done with him, Johnny was in a very dire state. He’s in the hospital on oxygen. A couple bones in his face are broken. It was a miracle Ez didn’t kill him,” Mama admitted. “Ez has your father’s temper, but I never believed he’d take things this far.”
I knew my brother better than that. He’d be hurt about Rosary, sure. But what he’d done wasn’t about that. Ezekiel had been delivering justice on my behalf, in revenge for John attacking me.
Ancestors, I felt guilty as all hell. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him.
Mama sighed. “Your father tried to talk it down to aggravated assault, but the injuries Johnny sustained were so severe, the Elders couldn’t let it pass. Ez is coming to the Institute, Ava. He’s leaving in the morning.”
She sounded heartbroken. I couldn’t imagine how she felt, losing two kids to the Institute.
I didn’t say anything, but Mama rambled on. “Thiscan’tbe all there is to the story. I knew Ezekiel was upset after Rosary miscarried their baby, but I refuse to believe he’d take things this far because she decided to date someone else.”
“Maybe it’s not about her.” The statement slipped out of my mouth, and I berated myself to be quiet.
