Lady Magdalina smiled. “You’re a clever one. I do have an inkling of who your mate may be— and he is very important. That is why I’m here. Though I will refuse to say anything more about it. These things work best when the individuals work the details out themselves.”
A bad taste filled my mouth. This lady flew across the ocean to set me up on a date. I’d always had really bad luck with guys, and had sworn them off awhile ago. I’d intended to become a lonely cat lady. Now I felt like my future had already been chosen for me— like I’d been sold off to some guy I’d never even met.
I remembered what I’d done to the wolf, and a rotten feeling grew in my gut. I might as well come clean now. “The wolf who attacked me… I killed him.”
Lady Magdalina nodded. “Yes. I know. The Arcanea have already investigated the case and have informed me of what happened. The magic you used was a powerful light illusion.”
“But if it was an illusion, how did that—”
“If the illusion is strong enough, and cast by a powerful-enough Arcanea, that illusion may become reality,” Lady Magdalina said. “My suspicion is that your survival instincts kicked in, and triggered your magic in a way that made it so powerful it eliminated the threat.”
My mouth went dry. “Am I in trouble?”
“You? No.” Lady Magdalina shook her head. “The Companion you killed was an active participant in the Black Claw. He was certainly here to kill you. If anything, you’ll be regarded as a hero.”
That was a relief… even though guilt still resonated with me for killing the guy in the first place, no matter what the reason.
“The body was gone when I went back to see it,” I said.
“I took care of the body,” Mom said.
Heaviness coated me like a blanket. “You… hid a body for me?”
Mom gave a sad laugh. “You’re my saving grace, Emma. I’d do anything for the child I love, including hide a hundred bodies.”
Some of my anger at my mom dissipated. She’d covered up a murder that I’d committed to protect me. That was crazy love. Yeah, she’d lied to me for ages about who I was, but the more I found out about the Arcanea, the more dangerous they sounded. She probably had a good reason for covering everything up.
“The Black Claw is getting bolder and bolder with the throne being empty,” Lady Magdalina announced. “Since the passing of the King of the Arcanea, they’ve stepped up their efforts to throw the country into chaos. It doesn’t surprise me that they’re going after more unbonded Marked than ever before.”
Mom froze on her chair. Every part of her tensed up as her eyes were shadowed by pain. “The King of the Arcanea is dead?” Mom’s face went stark white. Her fingernails gripped the armrests.
Lady Magdalina’s tone became gentle. “I’m afraid so.”
Mom’s lip trembled, and a few tears streamed down her face. I leaned forward and wiped them away. “Mom, don’t cry.”
She didn’t listen. More tears came out of her eyes. Lady Magdalina took a handkerchief out of her pocket and handed it to Mom. “There now, Evonna. I know you and Lycus were close friends. But you needn’t worry. He died in battle fighting a leshane a few months ago. He is in the Great Hunting Fields now.”
Mom dabbed at her eyelids with the handkerchief before she let out a few sobs. It was hard to watch. Mom was a tough woman who never cried. I realized that this was a world that had really hurt her. Lady Magdalina let her cry without giving complaint.
Eventually, Mom cleared her throat and pulled herself together. Her grief turned to stubbornness. “Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now. But the fact remains that Emma isnotgoing to that school.”
“Emmalinewillattend Arcanea University,” Lady Magdalina said. “She will learn how to control her magic, she will bond with her mate, and she will finally be among her people in a place where she belongs.”
“You will not take her!” Mom shouted. For as friendly as she’d been, now her anger was unbound. Shereallydidn’t want me going to this place.
“Excuse me? It’s my decision,” I said sharply. I caught Lady Magdalina's stern look, and I asked, “What happens if I refuse?”
“I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation, Emmaline. This is a very exclusive opportunity that won’t happen again. The Arcanea don’t often allow outsiders. They threaten our way of life,” Lady Magdalina said. “If you turn down this one chance, you won’t be given another, and the Black Claw won’t stop hunting you. We cannot protect you unless you’re within the realm of the Arcanea. Malovia is where you belong.”
Talk about ominous. Mom stood with clenched fists. “I can protect her,” she said harshly.
“And what about when you are gone? You won’t live forever, Evonna,” Lady Magdalina responded.
Mom’s knuckles cracked. Lady Magdalina frowned and said, “I hope you don’t find me overstepping my place, and I apologize in advance, but I did look at your medical files before I came here, Emmaline. I have connections.”
She’d looked into my medical files? That was totally invasive! This lady had no boundaries!
But I hardly cared about that. Another idea had broken into my mind. “Can the Arcanea cure my disease with magic?” I asked.
