Claire nodded. If she tried to speak right now, she would break. Into a million pieces. But he seemed to recognize that and pushed a mortar and pestle into her hands, instead of talking with her. He ran a hand down the back of her head, and they began to mix paints.
Twenty-Two
Claire looked up from the book she was reading when a knock sounded on the door. Her mother stood there in the corridor. And her younger sister Hannah and her even younger sister Rose. Rose was the sister who was fae and had lived in a human world with no magic her whole life. Her parents had found a way to keep one of their fae children. Hannah was human.
“Can we take a moment of your time?” her mother asked.
Claire laid her book to the side and moved her feet to the floor to free up the other end of the settee. “Of course.”
Claire hadn’t spent much time with her sisters, not in the days since she’d come to live at Ramsdale House. They were constantly about, but their governess and nurses kept them reined in well and didn’t let them bother the guests. Claire could assume she wasn’t a guest anymore. She was a daughter of the household, just like they were, for goodness sake.
Her mother motioned toward Rose. “Rose was just wondering if you might consider giving her lessons on the basics of faerie dust. She’s got a lot of catching up to do.”
Claire shook her head. She still didn’t have any dust. But then her mother held out a shimmering vial of magic, and Claire took it in her hand. “Where did this come from?”
“Marcus sent Ronald back to the land of the fae to retrieve it.” Rose held a vial in her hand as well.
“Be careful with that,” Claire warned.
Hannah giggled. “She’s been walking on eggshells all day.”
Claire turned to her mother. “Why didn’t you give her the lessons?”
“I can give her some, but it has been many years since I used mine. I’m afraid I’m a little out of practice.”
Magic was as essential to Claire as her right arm. She couldn’t imagine getting “out of practice.” But she couldn’t imagine being banished from the fae, either. It was still a possibility, so she had better not think too highly of herself. “What would you like to know how to do?”
“Can you really read people’s thoughts?”
Claire nodded. “You can, but be careful with that one. You might find out things you don’t want to know. The truth can be painful at times. Only use it on your missions, and never on your family.”
“Can you show me?”
“It only works on humans.” She motioned Hannah forward. “Hannah, will you permit me to show everyone what’s in your thoughts?”
Hannah nodded and nearly danced in place at the thought of it. Claire poured some faerie dust into her hand and closed her eyes. She said one single word. “Truth.” Then she gave a great heaving blow and blew the dust into the air above Hannah’s head. Flickering specks of magic began to take shape, like actors on a stage, except they were glimmery clouds of living, breathing dust. Apparently, Hannah was prone to thinking about biscuits and milk. And she often snuck to the kitchens in the middle of the night to get some.
“Hannah,” her mother warned.
“Sorry,” the girl muttered, but she was all smiles. “That’s some wonderful magic.”
“Can I try it?” Rose asked.
“We already know Hannah is thinking about raiding the kitchen,” Claire said with a laugh. She ruffled the girl’s hair, and Hannah beamed under her attention. “We need a human.”
“Could you use me?” a voice called from the doorway.
“Finn,” Claire said as she jumped to her feet. Her heart leaped as she walked over to him. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know. I just stopped by to talk with your father. I heard you from the foyer and wanted to see you.”
Claire’s heart did that pitter-patter thing that was so common when he was around. Would she ever grow accustomed to him? To his presence in her life? Probably not. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said truthfully.
“Did you want to test your magic on me, Rose?” He sat down on the edge of a chair and tugged one of Hannah’s curls.
“That’s probably not a good idea,” Claire’s mother said nervously. She sent Claire a pointed glance. “Whatever has been in your thoughts most recently is what will display. Or it could be some deeply buried truth.”
He held his hands out to the side. “I have nothing to hide.” He nudged Rose’s knee with his. She quickly pulled the stopper on the bottle of shimmer and dumped a small amount into her hand. Claire reached for her arm to stop her. “The magic is yours. The dust is just the catalyst that takes the magic from you to the object. Do you understand?”