“Kind of,” I said, pinched her nose and dunked her head underwater.
Tonio grabbed for my shoulder, but Loyra held him back. Claire’s arms twitched. She tried to push me away and regained some consciousness. I let her up for a breath, then dunked her again and commanded Tonio to hold her arms.
“Yield, demons. Banish the evil,” I chanted and her bathwater darkened.
Her pores spewed out black and purple drops that smelled like rotten eggs and lavender. The salt around the tub blackened as it sucked the poison out of her.
After dunking her several times, she threw up and caused Loyra to shriek. Claire ripped open her eyes and touched my face. “Verra? Verra?” she cried.
“Yes, it’s me, you’re safe,” I calmed her, “we’re here. Tonio, Loyra and me.”
She looked into my face but didn’t meet my eyes. “What have you done to me?”
“Forgive me,” I said, put more paste into her nose and dunked her until she vomited it all out.
Later, Tonio pulled her weak body out of the bath and placed her on the bed. Loyra helped her get rid of her wet gown while feeding her bread and tea. For the next few hours, she needed to rest.
Tonio and I leaned on the bed and struggled to process whatever had just happened and I feared that I couldn’t explain.
“Where did you learn this?” he asked. “Is this the black magic your grandfather used?”
“Black magic?”
“The thing he got expelled for.”
A rush of goosebumps ran over my skin. My grandfather was a rebel and exiled, but other Magicians seemed to admire him nonetheless. Their thirst for knowledge outweighed the moral laws. Black magic, he called it, and I suspected it to be another name for witchcraft. Gerogy had been studying witches and their grimoires for years, after all. “Yes,” I said, “that’s it.”
“Let’s keep it a secret between us two.”
Before we left her room, I smoked it again and opened all the windows.
They had prepared dinner in the meantime and we plunged ourselves into our usual chairs.
“Is she awake? How is my little girl?” Evrett asked.
I nodded.
“She’s stable but needs a little more rest,” Tonio explained.
“I’m glad,” the Doctor said, “she can depart sooner, then.”
“Father, stop this nonsense. She doesn’t even remember him. They were only kids, playing pretend.”
“Depart? To where?” I asked.
“I’m accepting Prince Fellis’ proposal. And also, excuse me, but they weren’t kids four years ago. I bet his offer still stands.” He ignored Tonio’s worries.
“We managed it, don’t you see? We did so well and saved her life. Besides, she’s wearing Colvin’s emerald ring.”
Evrett sighed. He knew Tonio was right, but it had not been enough. “If at least, you both were married. I would rest peacefully. Before I leave for the expedition, I want to see the future of our name. Magicians, not athletic singers,” he said.
Tonio’s eyes begged me for forgiveness. His eyelashes fell onto his lids.
“Tonio asked for my hand a few days ago,” I lied, stuttering. “We were only waiting for a better moment to announce it.”
“Is that true?” Evrett blurt out. “And you kept such grand news from me?”
“It was not the time for a celebration,” Tonio calmed him.
“Now, it certainly is. The Gods will bless your marriage for saving my daughter’s life. I shall reconsider Claire’s engagement, then.”
We dined together and spoke about Northern wedding traditions as well as their own from the Isles. The staff had already prepared everything we needed for the ceremony because of Laora. The Doctor urged us to wed as soon as Claire felt well and we agreed. He left us alone and rushed back to his studies with newfound energy.
Tonio dropped back in his chair. “I don’t know where to begin, this has been the weirdest day,” he said. “I’m sorry about this whole wedding situation. That wasn’t supposed to happen. I thought he would just go on the expedition and leave the rest to me. But he’s right, we need you. I need you. We can work this out.”
I remained silent. There was more to see and learn on this continent, I was not ready to settle down and care for a family I did not want. Not after finding Vanna’s grimoire.
“What you did back there, was amazing. I’ve seen nothing like it. You didn’t tell me you had such powers, though I sensed this black magic from the beginning.”
“And you didn’t tell me that Claire’s an Oracle. If I didn’t find out myself, I could’ve poisoned her,” I said. “Looks like we keep certain things secret for a reason.”
“It’s hard to understand, I know. But it’s not like we drugged her from birth. She has proven time and time again that she suffers under her powers. We’re trying to keep her alive.”
“How would such a gift be a threat?” I asked.
“Do you meet Oracles often? Why do you think that is? Their powers suck the life out of their bodies.”
“Is that what happened with your mother?”
“Yes,” he said, “she had many involuntary visions. After Claire’s birth, she became bed-bound and passed one year later. That’s what I’ve been told. I was too young to understand any of it. All I want is to protect her.”
I hugged him, patting his back. “Claire will be fine,” I said. “I’ll make sure of it.”
The last thing I would do for the Di Centi family was bringing Claire back to health. Afterwards, I would follow my plan of escaping. Where I would go didn’t matter anymore, since my grandfather was no longer an option. He would send me back the same day, disappointed in my youthful naivety. And I would rather build a new identity from scratch than spend the rest of my life as a figurine.
20. Decision
The new semester announced a dry and windy season that Claire couldn’t attend and I worried every night because of it. I disposed of every potion they called medicine and prescribed meals and lots of sleep instead.
Some days, she seemed sane and joined dinners. Others, she
