Chapter 18 An Odd Place for a School. #2
We chatted for a while with Narkissa, telling tales of how my mother refused to learn to swim, scared of the water, until her dual-user nature made itself known.
It was oddly nice: the distraction from what was going on and the chance to hear about my mother from someone who knew her as a child.
I found it so difficult to feel connected to a woman I never had the chance to meet.
But the longer I spent with Lady Flores, the more I realised that my mother had done me a great service in leaving Flores.
If I had been born within the coven, maybe I would have found myself imprisoned underground, brainwashed into being an obedient soldier, willing to use my magic to harm others.
I tried to focus on anything else, focus on the stories of my mother. Until eventually I returned above ground with Lady Flores, and we parted ways.
It was as I was walking back towards my room that I realised I was alone for the first time.
Kat and the others would be training at the gym on the general base outside Witching Command.
I had an opportunity and clear cover to leave Witching Command if anyone asked.
If I were going to inform Arvid of what I had learned and escape this place that made me feel dirty and wrong after what I had seen, now might be my only opportunity.
I left Witching Command without anyone stopping or questioning me.
Perhaps I had always been able to move freely, and I wasn’t being as closely watched as I suspected.
I didn’t know. I ran across the green space in the centre of the main buildings toward the accommodation block where I had awoken, determined to find Arvid.
I needed out, I needed to get back to Selene, to warn her of how far The New Foundation and Flores had been willing to go.
I felt sick. All those kids. They were so innocent.
Too young to be used as weapons of a war they had no part in.
As I neared the accommodation block, I began to slow my pace to a swift walk, aware that I had probably attracted attention. I looked around me, and short red hair caught my attention, crossing towards the forest and Witching Command.
Ana.
I changed direction and ran into the forest after her.
“Ana!” I called as I entered the treeline.
She turned to me.
“Percy,” she said, her voice full of relief, and she ran towards me, wrapping her arms around me.
I pushed her off me.
“How could you do it?” I asked her. “How could you take me from her?”
I was crying with anger and betrayal, tears that I hated to show her in that moment, but which I couldn’t control. I was angry with her. I was furious. But I was also so deeply betrayed, and it was like a punch to the gut; it knocked the air out of me.
“I’m so sorry,” she cried too, tears streaking her face. “I thought I was doing the right thing,” she explained.
“How?” I asked.
“She’s out of control, Percy. She killed Oskar, the heir to a House —”
“He tried to have me killed, remember?” I interrupted.
“She killed Valen and took his title —”
“Again, he tried to kill me,” I told her.
“She killed the ruling nobility of House Vouna, buried them under the rubble of their home and then forced the merger of Vouna with Ardens —”
“You know it’s not as simple as you’re suggesting. She never wanted to rule Ardens or incorporate Vouna,” I told her.
“It doesn’t matter what she wanted; it matters what she did. She put the entire kingdom into turmoil,” Ana argued.
“She did it for me!” I defended, how could she not see that?
“Did you ever stop to think for maybe one moment, Percy, that just maybe that isn’t a good enough excuse? Maybe it’s not okay for so many lives to be lost, or irrevocably changed just for you, just to satisfy her?” she asked me, and I went to respond but couldn’t.
Ana was right. Too many lives had been lost because of me.
Maybe none of this happened, maybe those children would still be with their mothers if it weren’t for me.
If I hadn’t somehow helped to create the perfect combination of instability and political chaos that Lady Flores planned to use to take control.
Evie, Remey, the driver, Desdemona, the academy guard, Fredrick, even Valen, Oskar, Clara and her family, so many lives lost ultimately because of me. How many more would be lost?
“I’m sorry, Percy. It’s not your fault,” she tried to reassure me, reaching out to hold me.
“Don’t,” I told her.
“It’s not your fault, it’s hers. None of it would have happened if it weren’t for her,” she tried again.
“Stop it, Ana,” I warned her.
It all came down to me. I saw it so clearly. I made friends with Dylan, the fool, even after Selene had warned me away from him. I was jealous of Oskar, so I made things difficult and entertained Dylan. I knew Selene hated it. I did it anyway. I even left with him that night at the Summer Ball.
“I know I’m responsible too. You can’t blame only Selene. But what you’ve done. What you’re helping to do isn’t any better,” I told her.
“Percy, the House system has to end. You’re a bloodslave for goodness’ sake, how can you not be with The New Foundation?” she asked, throwing her hands in the air.
“I’m against the House system as much as anyone. I’m not from any House, remember?” I told her.
“You are now,” she countered, “House Borealis,” she said like an insult.
“I’m with Selene,” I replied.
“Same difference,” she said.
“And you’re okay with war and what that means. The kind of war The New Foundation is planning?”
“I don’t want war, but it’s necessary to change things,” she answered, the fight in her deflating.
“Change what exactly? You’re standing in House Halvorsen.
The New Foundation is living out of Arvid Halvorsen’s pocket.
Do you really think he’s backing anything that takes away his power?
” I asked, but Ana just looked away. “And the children, Ana…” I couldn’t finish, my lip trembled, and I held back tears.
I had just stopped crying; I wasn’t about to start again.
She looked back at me, “What children?” she asked.
“The children of Flores and mixed magic backgrounds, the child soldiers that they're making for novel abilities,” I told her.
“Novel abilities? Like yours?” she asked.
“A whole class of children born for the potential to have a novel ability,” I told her. Unable to keep the secret a moment longer. It was like a confession. Telling Ana lessened my guilt of simply knowing.
“Why are you lying? Novel abilities can’t be predicted,” she said, but I saw the uncertainty in her eyes.
“Did you know that the Flores coven had a law forbidding marriage and mixing with other covens?” I asked her.
“It was assumed, no one knew for certain, of course, but it was kind of obvious,” she answered.
“Yeah, that was for a reason. Flores' magic doesn’t act like normal when mixed with other magic lines. I guess it usually creates dual users and, with predictable regularity, novel abilities. My mother was a dual user of Aqua and Flores. They covered up her heritage and explained her dual use as simply a Flores magic affinity for marine plant life,” I told Ana, watching confusion and then understanding spread across her face.
“You’re saying that Flores' magic has a unique ability to produce dual users and novel abilities?” she asked.
“Yes! And the New Foundation is creating witches for their potential abilities to fight in this war, and to keep control. I don’t know the exact plan, but it’s messed up, Ana, it’s not right,” I said, pleading with her to understand.
“Child soldiers?” she asked.