Four plates are laid out: pasta and complimentary ‘broken’ fish. Probably the only positive of Dad being missing for so many weeks of the season.
My mother looks anxiously at Mistress Vincenza as she pulls out a cigarette. “Are you sure you don’t want any?”
“I am,” Mistress Vincenza says, wincing.
“Uh, Catie, do you want to talk about your job? For the table.”
I don’t think any question asked of me at dinner was ever timed tonotbe when I was juggling hot pasta in my mouth. I let the rotini burn my throat and answer, “it’s not interesting. I just shelve and direct patrons.”
“Currently,” Mistress Vincenza adds. “Catarina will be undergoing a full arcane education as well.”
“What kind of spells will she do?” Mercurio asks.
“Necromancy. Animating the corpses of loved ones into ignorant laborers and torturing specters. She will do just fine.”
He stares at me. “I don’t see it. Why did you pick her?”
My mother snaps, breath laced with smoke, “Mercurio de Alioni, do not insult your sister.”
“I mean, look at her. We’re not even Ringborn.”
Mistress Vincenza chimes, “I’m confident with my choice of apprentice. Do you wish to insultmyintelligence by insinuating I don’t even know who I took in? I do. And I’m content.”
I focus my eyes on the plate. She chose me since no one else bothered. She might not say it, but I know Mercurio’s nothing but correct.
He continues, like her words weren’t final enough, “Catie, name one thing about necromancy.”
“The city of Avenale alone has nearly a thousand practitioners?”
“A second.”
I try to remember a quote from the book… “The art of necromancy is reflected in the fundamental shape of the Great Ring, and the music can be interpreted as—“
Mistress Vincenza moves her hand slightly closer to me and interrupts, “I’m glad you’ve been reading, but you don’t need to prove your value as a possible necromancer to him. Only me. And I’m already confident.”
Confident.When did I earn that?
Vivian speaks up. “You didreallytransform her! She’ll really be great,“ he awkwardly and uncharismatically postulates.
Mistress Vincenza burrows her sight into the empty table beneath her. “I’ll start warming up the engine. It’ll take half an hour, so don’t rush your eating.”
“Oh. Okay, Mistress,” I whimper.
She stands up, pushes in her chair, and leaves without a protest or word from my family.
Mercurio grabs his head. “You’re gonna get your organs harvested, Catie.”
“Don’t say that,” my mother interjects.
“It’s true! A powerful woman descends on this family just to take the youngest child? The girl who passed out sorting meats? Catie’s getting exploited somehow.”
“I’m not! She’s kind. She’s sweet.” Sometimes… I focus my head and continue, “the hours are short, and she’s generous with her benefits.”
“All the worse! What do you think she’s trying to get you comfortable with? When will she introduce you to necromancy with a ritual to tear out your soul? Necromancers probably gain power from eating souls. Will she find your bodyappealingwhen you let her extract your heart?”
Fuck this.
I stand up and leave. I don’t bother to listen to their yelling. I don’t bother to even grab my things.
