“Come on,” Conrad urges as the rain lashes down. “Let’s get to your mum’s before we get drenched.”
I sneak another kiss, wondering if we should just stay here as Conrad’s jeans and T-shirt get soaked, his grey overcoat doing little to protect him from the rain. He’s a perfect specimen, that’s for sure, encouraging me more towards the idea of staying put.
Then again, Jacob’s class will be returning from their lunch break soon, and I imagine he won’t want them stumbling across us: a Fire Witch and a sky rider making the most of the rain.
8
The Touch of Love
The twisted building mum lives in is hidden within a wall of protective charms. Although everything’s peaceful in the Society, mum made a lot of enemies when she was a senior member of The Cendryll: a position of power that went to her head.
To cut a long story short, the last war was centred around a hunt for a lethal artefact most people believed to be a myth ... that was until it turned out it really did exist … and I’m sure you can guess what happened next.
Anyone harbouring dark desires crept out of the woodwork: malevs, captors and The Prince of the Underworld — Erent Koll. They mainly ended up dead or banished, and my mum got the ‘rehabilitation treatment’ in Sad Souls for trying to align herself to Erent Koll. Now can you see why I’m not desperate to visit?
That’s how we know the ageing giant, Kerevenn, who’s settled in The Cendryll now. Kerevenn was the giant who oversaw my mum’s rehabilitation in Sad Souls. I’m sure you’re wondering how my mum got away with rehabilitation when others were banished to The Velynx: the faculty for bad things and bad people.
Well, luckily for her, Casper and Philomeena Renn had already taken Jacob and me under their wing, meaning if they stuck my mum in The Velynx we’d be parentless. Also, she didn’t actually use dark magic — the one unforgivable sin in the Society — meaning she hadn’t completely crossed the line. So, that’s why she’s stuck away beyond The Society Sphere, no longer at the heart of our magical universe. Anyway, time to say hello.
As our Williynx release a single feather, floating towards the roof of the twisted building, I hold firm in the promise I made to Jacob: to learn to forgive. We descend lower as the turquoise and powder-blue feathers make contact with the roof, turning it into the colours of the feathers to mark our arrival.
The light goes on in the bedroom window, signalling that my mother’s not yet out of bed: a woman with little to look forward to. We touch down outside the front door, understanding the need for a gentler arrival, and I prepare myself for a visit I’ve been avoiding with Jacob’s words echoing in my mind.
“I wasn’t expecting visitors,” mum says, peering out from behind the door.
She’s still in her dressing gown, the once-perfect blonde hair a bit of mess. After an awkward silence, she ushers us in and I use some Oomph powder to light the fire. Rehabilitated witches and wizards are banned from using magic, meaning mum’s limited to a mundane life: an ex witch sitting alone with only her regret for company.
“I’ll make some tea,” Conrad says to break the silence, and I sit by the fire with mum, searching for comfortable conversation.
“How’s everyone in The Cendryll?” she asks, still clearly missing the place.
“Fine. Jacob’s turning into a good teacher. He’s always had it in him, having to guide me growing up.”
I grimace at my stupid mistake, catching Conrad’s eye in the kitchen who gestures for me to move past it. Referring to Jacob as my substitute parent isn’t going to help move things forwards, and as I’m on a mission of forgiveness I change the subject. “Jacob’s coming round later; he said to let you know.”
“That’s good,” mum adds, studying the fire as if she relies on it for company. “He always brings flowers.”
She’s broken … a powerless figure who was a few steps away from ending up in The Velynx. I’m not sure living here alone is much better, but she’s still got her family around her — not that I’ve played the dutiful daughter role very well.
“It’s Jacob’s birthday soon. I hope you can make it,” mum says, keeping her eyes on the fire as if I’m somewhere else in the room.
I turn my attention away from her, looking out of the window into the darkness, studying the waves of defensive and protective charms swarming around the twisted building. As much as it protects her, it traps her too, and I know there isn’t much I can do about it. “I’ll be here,” I say, forcing myself to utter the words. It will be the first birthday party I’ve attended since mum’s demise.
We never celebrated birthdays growing up, something I still struggle with, but harbouring grudges is what I’m fighting against so I stand and help Conrad with the tea, wishing I could feel more for a mother whose compassion is buried deep inside her.
Like our visit to The Cendryll, I’m aiming to keep this brief, keen to avoid an extended stay and aware that we’ve got a date with Joseph Flint in The Chattering Tap. We got him out of a possible arrest in The Shallows which doesn’t mean he’s got off scot-free. He’s still got to explain the reason he got involved with Alice Aradel in the first place, starting with how they got in contact.
“You look happy,” mum says, offering a sad smile to Conrad and me perched on the armchair by the fire.
I wish I could change things for her, but I can’t. She made an irreversible error of judgement so all I can do now is continue to search for the compassion she never had. I’m not the little girl who needs her approval anymore, understanding the scar
