“Excuse me?” he asked.
“Mother and father didn’t want me discussing this outside the family, but I guess it’s a moot point now, and technicallyathairsare family, so…” She exhaled. “I cause fires when I get overwhelmed. It’s why the council advised my parents to keep me secluded as much as possible to prevent anyone from getting hurt. The times I snuck away from home to play with Nigel and Neil are the only times I was unsupervised.” She looked at the twins. “I’m so sorry to have put you in danger, but I always had so much fun being with you.”
“You don’t ever have to be sorry for playing with us,” Nigel protested.
“Yeah, you’re one of the only ones that treated us like people. Everyone else called us urchins,” Neil admitted.
“I don’t understand. Every witch goes through phases where their magic goes haywire. Why would they seclude you?” Another warrior asked.
“Good question, Kincaid,” Kendrick said approvingly. He took her hand. “Did Mikel agree to this?”
She shook her head. “No, he said I just needed time to learn, but mother and father were afraid. When I lost control, it was always so violent. They were terrified I’d hurt myself, so they listened to the council, kept my life regimented, and it worked.”
Kendrick shook his head. “Zoe, honey, your brother was right. You needed to learn how to control your magic. What your parents and the council did was simply put you in an environment where you didn’t have to think, which limited the demand for your magic. I can understand why your parents, being worried for you, would listen to the council, but the council should have known better. What they did was similar to drugging an ornery toddler. Eventually, there will come a time when the child isn’t drugged, and it’s a thousand times worse because they haven’t learned how to process their emotions.”
“I was a drugged toddler?” she asked, incredulous.
He shook his head. “No, your magic is the ornery toddler. It acts out because you were never taught how to tame it.”
“Why? Why would they do something like that? It’s like they wanted her to explode or something,” Neil exclaimed angrily.
Zoe closed her eyes, thinking back on how she grew up. Always taken care of. Every need anticipated, never put in a situation to think for herself. Simply managed so that her magic never flared.
“I’m a monster,” she whispered.
“No, you’re a weapon,” Meryn corrected.
Silence filled the room as the weight of the truth from her words ricocheted from person to person.
Chapter Three
Meryn looked at those staring at her. “What? Why else would they deliberately not train her? I think Kari said something similar to Magnus regarding his incompetent secretary. ‘I do believe there is a fine line between incompetency and sabotage. One is deliberate, but both can result in disaster.’ For a group of witches that annoyingly brag about their training system, this feels planned,” Meryn explained.
“Mikel would never stand for something like that,” Kendrick argued.
Aiden nodded. “He is fanatically protective of his baby sister.”
The word weapon bounced around Zoe’s mind. She recalled the dozens of arguments her brother and sister had with their parents over her upbringing. “He may not have had a choice. My parents ultimately made most of the decisions about my schooling and lessons. I remember him arguing with them many times, but he didn’t have any authority over me,” Zoe said, looking from Kendrick to Aiden. “I think they were scared I’d hurt myself one day. I don’t see them orchestrating a weapon scheme.”
“What if it’s nothing nefarious?” the woman at Darian’s side suggested. She smiled in her direction. “My name is Amelia. I was raised in Storm Keep as well.” She turned to Kendrick. “You know how lazy and self-serving the council can be. They may have told her parents to keep stress to a minimum and moved on to the next thing. That would be far easier than arranging for specialist tutors that could be better utilized elsewhere.”
Kendrick eyed Meryn, then nodded his head slowly before turning back to look at Zoe. “I could see that as a possibility. It would take a very strong, seasoned witch to guide her. I don’t see them wanting to lose one to a teaching position. Your parents and siblings are all fire witches, correct? Could they not help?”
Zoe flushed. “I always overrode them. There wasn’t much they could do.”
Kendrick cursed and muttered under his breath. “They should have come to me.”
Zoe blinked. “That’s right. You’re a fire witch,” she set her glass down excitedly. “Do you think you can help?”
Kendrick looked from her, to the puppy dog expression of the twins, then to Kincaid. “How? When did I start accumulating children?”
The queen began to laugh. “Your fun is only just starting,” she said cryptically.
“Oh, please, Kendrick! I’ll do what you say, honest. I’d give anything to be able to control my magic, so I don’t have to stay inside all the time,” Zoe pleaded.
Kendrick threw his arms up in the air. “Fine!” He rounded on her, then the twins. “If you want to join in, you’ll have to do exactly as I say. My lessons are brutal,” he warned.
Nigel smiled up at Kenrick’s menacing figure. “Sure,” he agreed happily.