Tía Teresa smiled. “Open it. It was your mother’s. It should have been given to you long ago.”
I pulled the clasps up and opened it. A sword. It was beautiful. A thin blade and a carved silver handle.
I stared at the sleek blade in awe. A thank you stuck in my throat as emotions choked me.
She picked it up and placed it in my hands. “It is yours now, Rosita.”
My eyes snapped to hers. Hearing my name made me think of Papi. It should have been him giving me the sword. I sniffed.
There was something so moving about the moment that I couldn’t speak. I lifted it in the air and admired it. In my short time at the academy, I’d handled many different blades, but none of them felt like that one.
It was the right one. I could just tell. There was something so powerful about the shiny body and carved handle. Though I hated to think of what it had been used for, I felt a shift inside myself. It was power and strength. A strong bond that my mom made with it, and even though she was gone, I felt as if a part of her was still there, telling me who she was.
She was strong. She was brave. Unafraid to hold her ground even against the GRIMMs and the witches. A sorrow filled me. I would never really know the woman, and I knew it was pointless to feel sorry about it, but I couldn’t help but wish I had more memories of her.
Would she have been proud of me? Would Papi?
Javi whistled. “Does it have any enchantments?”
“Not anymore. They have all faded. You’ll have to keep it hidden, Rosa. This sword was given to your tío when your mother left. He was supposed to destroy it.”
“Look at this.” Javi pulled something out of the box.
I walked over to see, still gripping the sword.
He handed me a small square picture. I stared at the faded photo. The edges were burned away, but the center remained. As if someone had tried to get rid of the memory but couldn’t bring themselves to surrender it completely to the flames.
Mama.
Dark, sharp eyes stared back at me. Eyes that held a secret and a superiority. A GRIMM. Someone who saw the truth for what it was and couldn’t be easily fooled. A witch, too. Skilled in the art of summoning and spell work and yet with all her power and foresight, she was dead.
Who were you, Mama?
Movement caught my attention. I looked up to see Tío storming in.
His gaze flicked to my sword. Shock flashed across his face—then anger.
His eyes turned murderous as he met my gaze. “Where did you get that?”
Tía stepped in front of me. “I gave it to her, Javier. Rosa would have wanted her to have it.”
He reeled at her confession, no doubt finding it a betrayal. Then he turned to me.
My grip tightened on the hilt. He couldn’t take it from me.
I wouldn’t let him.
“That blade was meant for a GRIMM. Your mother was supposed to be one of the greatest. But she betrayed us. I will not see you do the same. Tomorrow, the sword will be destroyed. As it should have been.”
Tía gasped. “No, Javier—”
He held a hand up to her. “I’m not making the same mistakes. Hate me if you want, but I will keep my family safe.”
Anger rolled inside me. “It’s not your sword to destroy! I’m not letting you do it.”
His eyes flashed. “I will not let you become your mother. You will not throw your life away like she did hers.”
“Did you always hate her so much?”
He reeled as if I’d slapped him. I stilled. Too far. I’d gone too far. Javi and Tía stood watching, eyes wide in shock.
“She was my sister. And my best friend. I never hated her. I wish I could. It would be easier to hate her.” His words were quiet and steely.
My chest tightened. His declaration rattled me.
I didn’t want to think of my mom and tío as kids. Kids like Javi and me. Her life ended so horribly wrong and Tío… as much as he tried to hide it, something had broken inside of him. Why else was he the way that he was?
He straightened. “Now, back to the matter at hand.”
And just like that his cold exterior was back. I turned and set the sword back in its case.
“Your friend accosted me when I arrived on campus.”
I spun toward him. “What? Shiloh?”
He frowned. “Grayson Chapman. You told him about the compulsion ring.”
It wasn’t a question. He knew. My eyes flicked to Javi. He stared stonily ahead. Coward.
“I had to wipe his memory before he went to the headmaster.”
I gasped. “What? You did what?”
“A painless procedure. I couldn’t have him blabbing to the council.”
Heat spread across my skin. “Is he okay?”
Grayson. What were you thinking?
“He’ll be fine. Just a headache for a week or so.”
I glared at him.
Ignoring me, he continued, “The ring is obviously broken now, and I’m afraid another one would only risk further exposure.”
My heart skipped. “Does that mean I don’t have to wear it anymore?”
He nodded.
I unclasped it and threw it to the ground. It landed with a satisfying thud.
“But you must promise me you won’t try to run. You’ll stay at the academy while we track your father’s killer and deal with the witches.”
“Yes. I promise.”
Tía smiled. “Javier, we should let her sleep. It’s almost morning.”
He motioned her and Javi out. “Yes. You two go. Get your rest. I have a few questions left for Rose.”
Tía hugged me and planted a kiss on my cheek before she left. Javi hugged me next and followed his mom out. I returned it stiffly, still burned by his betrayal, though I knew he’d done it out of love. Love and the misguided notion that
