Viola smiles, rocking back on her heels as she peers at each of us. “A phoenix,” she breathes, making my spine stiffen as I cock my head at her.
“We’re all aware of what she is,” Archer grunts, and she waves him off.
“That’s big for the academy, for the kingdom, for The Fates to bless her with such strengths,” she rambles, and my eyes narrow, but before I can speak, Hugo beats me to it.
“I agree with all of that, but this is going to be far bigger for her than anyone else. Adaptation and grace are what is needed now, not the weight of the academy, the entire kingdom, and The Fates.” His voice is firm as he replicates my thoughts.
“Of course,” Professor Viola nods, that same tight smile on her lips. “But we must begin considering the bigger picture to ease her pressures.”
“You mean so we can guide her when she’s ready?” Baron grunts, and she nods, earning a huff from my brother. “You have met her, right? Whatever good you think that’s going to do is going to have the opposite effect.”
Her eyebrows pinch. “I don’t quite follow.”
“Of course you don’t. Because you don’t know her,” I add, irritation flooding my veins as I understand my brother’s statement perfectly. “Ivy Hayworth has to think for herself and make her own decisions. Guidance, no matter how good the intention, is misconstrued because of the control she’s been under most of her life. Whatever it is you’re trying to plan here won’t work.”
Hugo drags a hand down his face, eyes wide as he blinks at us. “So you do know her.”
“It’s impossible not to,” Archer mumbles, and I fight a grin despite the circumstances.
“I understand what you’re saying, but Ivy’s magical abilities are heightened. No wonder we felt such a magical pull from her when completing the Rejuvenating Ceremony,” she says, almost to herself as she shakes her head.
“She needs to come to terms with everything first,” Hugo reiterates, and Viola nods.
“I can work with that, but we have to bring her in. She has to sit on the board with you. There’s no doubt about that,” she insists, and my spine stiffens.
Ivy’s magic was brought up at the last meeting, but didn’t seem like much of a big deal. Now it just leaves me twisted and unsure.
Rubbing my chin, I exhale slowly as uncertainty burns deep inside of me.
“If that’s what she chooses, we will support her,” Baron declares, startling everyone as Viola shakes her head.
“There’s no?—”
“If. She. Chooses. We. Will. Support. Her,”he bites, each word sharper than the last.
“But her abilities are?—”
“Hers. Her abilities arehers,” I interject. “How about you update us on her father, or Leonardo Corrigan, for that matter.”
Her eyes widen a fraction as she gulps. I’m sure she wants to scold me for arguing back with a superior, but it’s clear nothing more will come of the matter right now.
“We don’t have any leads at this time,” she admits, eyes dipping to the floor, and Hugo balks.
“No leads? You don’t know where either of them might be, yet you’re standing here demanding things of my sister whenyou can’t even commit to finding those who brought her harm?” he growls, and Professor Viola lifts her hands in surrender.
“Hugo, it’s not as simple as?—”
“Don’t tell me what is and isn’t simple, Viola. I lost my fated mate for this kingdom. I almost lost my sister, and you have the audacity to stand here demanding more. Well, I’m insisting on more fromyou. My father put a bullet through his own daughter’s skull. That was intentional. How would my father know to do that? Why would he have Leonardo there with him? These are all questions we need answers to, and you don’t have a single one. The quicker you make progress, the more prompt we may be in aiding you with Ivy, but for now, we’re done.”
Viola blinks at Hugo as I inhale his confidence, the air thick, but in the best way.
I can stand in discomfort as long as it’s for the right reasons, and this is most definitely for the right reason. Every word out of his mouth is correct. He’s putting Ivy first, as she should. The kingdom can wait.
“Hugo, I?—”
I take a step forward, lifting my hand. “At this time, we refuse to engage in politics while she’s unwell. Hopefully, you will find a lead or two to chase in the time it takes her to fully recover.”
Spinning on my heels, I turn back toward the door at the exact same time a flash of red barrels through it, panting for air as she stares at us with wide eyes.
