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She hardened her gaze. “I have no time for games, girl.”
“And I know you knew he was my starborn, and deliberately kept me away from him.”
Mother set her hands on my shoulders, gripping them tight enough to crush bone. “You are nobody’s starborn. You are my daughter, and you will come to your senses.”
“What senses?” I retorted. “My sense that I was going to die alone, unlovable? That I would have to hide my powers until the end of my short, miserable life? You preach of my senses, but where were yours, getting me into this mess?”
“I got you into this mess? You were normal before you got ensnared in that demon’s trap! You’ve changed into a version of yourself I don’t know anymore.” Mother said it with such disgust it was like she couldn’t bear to look at me. Perhaps, deep down, she truly felt that way.
“I have never been normal.” I tried to shrug her hands on my shoulders. She gripped tighter, face changing. Like she knew that once I pushed her off, she would never be able to grasp back on.
“I have always been extraordinary, and you kept me trapped in your own ideals of who I should be.”
Mother scoffed. “I kept you motivated. I kept you strong. I kept you capable of reaching your limits.”
I met her stare. “You know, I always wanted a mother who loved me for who I am and not who she thought I could become.”
Her expression soured. “You know not of what love is, child.”
“Control isn’t love, mother.”
“And what is? Surrendering everything you have for a boy? I raised you better than that. What about your House?”
“I refuse to cower to my university anymore. I will date Reaper, express my shadows, join my House, finish my education, and fulfill every goal I originally set out to do. You should be proud.”
Her claws dug deeper into my shoulders, overhead lights sputtering out as she stole their electricity. “What will happen when you wrinkle? When you grow gray hairs, and he doesn’t love you anymore?”
“I suppose he’ll be growing them with me since I took enough of his demon energy to make him mortal.” I unfurled my wings, stretching them fully, spanning the room with their shadowy presence. Mother gasped and nearly fell over.
“We share the power now. Both of us will age at exactly the same rate.”
“So this is the end of our relationship, then? You came to tell me you’re ready to be disowned.” Her voice cracked like a whip on the last word.Disowned.
“No, I came to tell you I forgive you.”
I slipped shadows over my shoulders, displacing her hands.
I had fought enough. My very bones were exhausted. I wanted to go back to the people who made me feel at home, without having to put on a show.
“Because I know exactly who I am, and you never bothered to find out.”
I launched into the air, using the full force of my shadows to slide between dimensions and teleport into the sky. The night breeze caressed my face as I soared into the darkness, finally free.
ChapterThirty-Six
THE ORACLE MUSINGS
Alumni only will read my column tonight. I can’t spoil the surprise! Freshmen are busy watching their dreams come true, and upperclassmen are preparing their Houses for the celebration of the year. They won’t be sent my latest edition until after the festivities tonight.
So! For all the elderly at home, enjoy my final notes on my favorite contestants:
Hyacinth, the sophomore underdog, is running to Rose House, as is to be expected. Sophomores are lucky to get any place at all, and those whose egos couldn’t handle Rose House were cut (which was all of them besides her). Will she make the most of her last two years on campus?
Hunter Consta, former dream boy of campus, will straggle his way over to Vamp House. How ironic that the vainest boy, our Faery crown prince, got cut from all the Houses known for having beautiful, ethereal people, and will spend the rest of his life in the dreary Vamp House dungeons instead. Karma mayhaps?
Aubrey Hahm, points champion of her year, has withdrawn from the recruitment process. Was she dissatisfied with her options? Felt that she deserved better? Nobody knows, but her absence has been noted—nobody’s seen her for weeks.
Cordelia Port, the youngest hopeful of them all, who wished so dearly on a star to be in Siren House, has surprised us all and earned her spot along the waves.
