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Ophelia.
“Miss Apollinari,” Miss Worthy says. “I have told you before, you cannot perform demonblood magic without permission.”
“Well, there is no need to worry,” Ophelia says with a smile, “because I don’t use demonblood magic.”
“Elemental magic is not allowed either,” the secretary says. “Not without permission.”
“Oh, come on. Everyone is doing it. And yeah, yeah, I won’t do it again. Can I go now?”
My heart hurts and adrenaline still runs through my veins. What did they bring me here for, this charade?
“No magic is allowed, Miss Apollinari. Just remember that.” Miss Worthy looks a little flustered. “Ah, the other Miss Apollinari. Finally. Come, Mia.”
Ophelia shoots me a filthy look and a self-satisfied smile. “She’s just a poor orphan girl with no magic. Why haven’t you sent her back home? Didn’t she tell you the truth?”
“She has,” Miss Worthy says, “she has. You can go now, Aurora.”
“My name isOphelia.”
“Oh?” Miss Worthy’s brows rise over her gold-rimmed glasses. “Aurora is what I have in my records. Maybe the one unsure of their real name is you?”
Seething, spitting like a cat, Ophelia walks out and I give Miss Worthy a questioning look.
“I was told the Headmaster called for me?”
She nods. “He told me to send for you.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Oh yes. You have visitors.”
“Visitors. There must be a mistake.” My smile feels frozen. “I’m not expecting anyone.”
She gestures at the back of the office. “There they are.”
“Madeline,” a man’s familiar voice says and I stop breathing.
I turn around slowly, a feeling of unreality hitting me. “…Father?”
There he is. There they both are, Father and Mother, in their simple Church garments, Father’s beard long and black, Mother’s gray hair pulled back in its habitual bun. She’s watching me anxiously. He looks displeased.
“You’re coming back home with us, Madeline,” he says. “You shouldn’t have run away like that.”
I realize I’ve taken two steps back and make myself stop. “I’m not coming back. No way.”
His brows hang heavy over his eyes. “What did you say?”
“I said, no frigging way in hell am I coming home. I’m a student here. There are regulations. You can’t make me.”
“That’s actually correct,” Miss Worthy says, “you—”
“This isn’t up for discussion,” Father says, typically not letting Mother speak. “We are your parents.”
“No, you’re not. You adopted me.” I force myself not to take another step back. I have questions to ask. “Who are you? Where is my mom? Is she dead? Who was she?”
“I told you I don’t have these answers,” Father says, shushing Mother who is trying to say something. He gets up, pulling Mother with him. “Let’s go. Maddie, come.”
I almost laugh, shaking with nerves. “I am not going anywhere.”
