I could feel it.
“The women inherit the power in our family,” she continued. “The surname too. My sisters, well, they’re all extraordinary.”
The hesitation before the word told me everything.
“What about you?” I asked carefully.
She shrugged.
And that simple motion carried so much old hurt it nearly split my chest open.
“I’m just extra,” she admitted softly. “I wasn’t planned. I was the mistake. The oops baby nobody expected.”
My vision darkened instantly.
No.
Absolutely fucking not.
How could anyone look at her and see extra?
Anger surged white-hot through my bloodstream.
Her family should have worshipped her.
Protected her.
Cherished her.
Instead? They’d convinced her she was unwanted.
I wanted to burn something down.
Probably several things.
“Dad traveled constantly,” she said. “And Mom?”
She exhaled shakily.
“Mom tried. I think. But I just didn’t measure up. I couldn’t compete. See, my sisters all look like her. Tall. elegant. Powerful like her. Their magic manifested young.”
Her mouth twisted bitterly.
“Then there was me.”
I looked at her fully then.
Really looked.
Soft curves wrapped in my dark clothing.
Round cheeks flushed pink beneath the low lights.
Huge, pale eyes filled with too much feeling.
Beautiful.
Painfully beautiful.
