“No, she needs to get used to this.” I sighed. I thought about the cure again. The more I saw her like this, the more I wanted to go get that fucking cure.
But I knew the consequences. I won’t survive.
Lunch was served.
Sebastian sat with Joshua and Emile. They wanted to know all about the world where they were banished. Sebastian obviously obliged. The boys couldn’t get enough of his story.
Danielle finally came down, but the boys didn’t even notice her.
Laughter spread in the hall at a question Emile asked. Even Josua cracked a smile.
Sebastian laughed the loudest. “Oh, wow! You really are so much like your mother.”
Emile froze. “You know my mother?” he asked Sebastian.
“I am talking about your birth mother, Emile,” I said, getting his attention.
He gasped and looked at Sebastian again. “What? How?”
“She was one of my best friends. She used to ask a lot of questions too.” He looked at Danielle and smiled. “Which reminds me, your father still needs to speak to you two about something.”
They both looked at me and everyone laughed again.
“Thank you, Sebastian.”
He shrugged and grinned. “You’d be lost without me.”
“Why did you banish him again?” Emile asked.
“That’s why he needs to speak to you, buddy.” Sebastian said. More laughter followed.
I shook my head.
“Dad?” Emile asked.
He was persistent, just like Danielle.
“It’s about your birth mother.”
“What about her? She died,” Joshua said.
I took a deep breath. “Well, she didn’t. We only thought she did.”
“What?” Both boys looked at me, confused.
“Someone gave her the Forgotten potion.”
They both looked down at their plates and nodded.
“So, you know the effects it has on people.”
They nodded again.
“She doesn’t remember us,” Joshua said.
“It doesn’t mean that she doesn’t love you, Josh.”
“Dad, spare us. We’re not three anymore. We don’t know her either.”
“Emile!” I roared. I knew he was hurt. He was so close to Danny.
“No,” Danielle said, her gaze fixed on their faces. “They’re right, Marick.”
The two boys zoned in at her at once.
“I’m so sorry that I can’t remember you. It doesn’t mean that I don’t want to. I know I messed up.”
“You didn’t mess—”
“Would you just shut up?” she said to me, making everyone laughed again.
Emile smiled. “Oh, I already like her.”
Danielle went over to them, crouched in between their chairs, and then looked at each of them.
“I know you were too little when I left and that you won’t remember me. We can start over if you want.”
Emile nodded, but Joshua got up and left.
“Joshua,” my dad said.
“Leave him, please,” Danielle said and looked over her shoulder.”
“He’s a lot like Dad,” Emile said, joking.
Danielle laughed. “Yeah, don’t remember him either kiddo.”
“That must suck,” he said, making her laugh again. “I’m so sorry.” He hugged Danielle. He was close to her as a baby and toddler, but after we thought she died, Joshua always went to her grave to speak to her. Joshua’s behavior was unexpected. What was going on with him?
My mother got up to follow Joshua. I knew she was going to speak to him.
“Does this mean we are going to get tutors now, Dad?” Emile asked.
“No, you are still going to attend the academy like all the other witches, Emile,” I said before pausing for a moment. “And there’s someone else I want you guys to meet.”
Emile looked at me quizzically.
“You have a little sister, and she’s a Dream Weaver.”
“She’s what?” Emile’s mouth hung open for a moment before he snapped it shut.
“She has dreamt about you, Emile.” I looked at Eva and beckoned her to come over to me with a head tilt.
Emile watched her like a hawk.
“I want you to meet your brother, Emile.”
“Hi.” She gave a little wave.
“You serious?” He smiled at her, then me.
I nodded. Eva bounced up and down on her toes excitedly.
“I have a sister!” He ran over to us and gave Eva a hug. “May we be excused?” Emile looked at my father who nodded, a huge smile plastered on my father’s face.
“Easy with the questions,” I warned him. “She still needs to learn about her gift.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved me off but spoke softly with Eva. I knew they were going to Joshua’s room.
Danielle watched their retreating figures. I knew it was hard on her not remembering them, but I had to believe that she was going to be okay.
Sebastian stroked her back. “You okay?”
She nodded but I could tell she was struggling to keep her tears from spilling over.
She will be fine, I reminded myself.
Over the next few days, I struggled to get back into my new life, or rather my old one but with Danielle back in it. Everyone wanted to spend time with Danielle, my father needed my assistance, or something happened that didn’t give me time with her during the day. However, every night, I tried to make time for her.
She was still struggling with Joshua. He hadn’t spoken to her the entire weekend; and he had been treating Eva funny too. Emile was a different story though.
He couldn’t stop chatting with Danielle and kept bombarding Eva with questions.
Eva would need to join the academy soon, I reminded myself.
After our PR team published a press release announcing the witching world had a new princess and that their old Danielle was back, the forms for the academy came in. The school board made an exception for Eva since she was a Dream Weaver—mainly because there weren’t any Dream Weaver for Eva to begin with. They were a rare breed of witches, just like her mother.
With fitting new uniforms and trying to find any other clues as to what happened ten years ago, the days flew by. Minaut came back as well, and Danny became herself again. My father couldn’t understand why she was so close to Minaut but struggled to be with me.
“She believes that I’m obligated to take care of her,” I said one day while we were in his office.
“You’re kidding me?”
I shook my head. “It went so well, Dad, and then that dinner just fucked it all up. She truly believes that Shania and I were happy and that she messed it up by returning.”
“You told her the truth, right?”
I nodded. “But you know Danielle. She is still her dad, deep down inside.” I wiped at my face hard. I felt like bawling again.
“Do you want me to speak to her?”
I shook my head. She needed to realize how much I loved her on her own terms.
* * *
DANIELLE
* * *
I was getting along with everyone well, or I thought I was. The only ones who I didn’t get along with were Shania and Marick’s younger sister. Even Mila, his older sister, reached out to me.
I guess the way they treated me should give me a fair idea of how everyone treated me when Marick brought me home.
Minaut and I stepped into the library when Morganna and Shania abruptly stopped talking.
“Oh, this is rich,” Minaut said telepathically, and I hated that I couldn’t answer her. She hissed.
“Minaut,” I said, scolding her, and looked at both Shania and Morganna. Shania flipped her hair over her shoulder and stormed out. Morganna glowered at me. “That is our wisp.”
“You don’t own me, you spoiled little brat.” Minaut growled this time. Morganna rushed out the room.
“I wish you would stop that. They’re g
oing to think that I’m putting you up to it.”
“They need to go and live with the humans too. Maybe they’ll learn some manners.”
I laughed, remembering that was how the king punished Marick for the way he used to feel about humans.
“Was he really that bad?”
“You have no idea. He was a spoiled brat. I hated the little shit at the time.”
“Minaut,” I said.
“Who are you talking to, Danny?” Morganna came in and she looked at Minaut. “No, humans can’t talk to wisps.”
“Morganna,” I said, and she ran out the library.
“Fuck,” Minaut said and rushed after her.
“Minaut, don’t!”
She pounced on Morganna.
“Get off me, you crazy cat!” She yelled and called the king.
“Minaut, get off.”
“Danny, is she going to tell?”
The library doors banged open. Everyone came running in all at once. The queen clapped her hands at Minaut, and she hissed back at her too.
“Minaut, enough!” I yelled as Marick came out. She stepped off Morganna immediately.
The queen withdrew slightly.
Marick tangled his fingers in his hair. “What is going on here?”
“The cat is insane, just like her new owner. Danielle did this. She’s out of control, Marick. She doesn’t belong here.”
“Morganna, enough.”
“No, Daddy. She’s speaking to her this time. I heard her.”
I closed my eyes as Minaut went ballistic. Marick held her tight.
“You know Danielle can’t speak to Minaut,” Marick said.
“Yeah, well, she answered her a few times, Dad.”
“Morganna, keep quiet,” Marick snapped.
“Marick, what’s going on?” the king asked.
“It’s nothing, Dad.”
“Danielle, Marick, I want to see you both in my office. Bring the wisp.” He departed.
Fuck.
Marick walked over to his sister. “Mom?”
“Marick, please, Minaut was beside herself today.”
He didn’t look at his mother. “If anything happens to Danielle because of your allegations, you are dead to me.”
“Marick,” his mother said.
“She should’ve never come back, Marick. She never belonged here.”
“Enough, young lady. Go to your room.”
Morganna passed me on her way upstairs. “I like Shania more. They were happy. Why did you come home and ruin everything?”
“Morganna, enough,” Marick said with some finality in his voice.
I started back at Morganna.
“Come, Danielle,” the queen said and led me toward Eli’s office.
“Is there is reason she hates me that much?”
“No, I have a funny feeling that Eli needs to send her away for a year to live with humans. Marick was just like her at that age.”
I smiled. “I’m sorry you had to hear what she said.” My heart was pounding. I can’t lie to the king.
At the door, I knocked and waited for the invitation to come in. When I entered, Marick was already sitting with Minaut at his chair.
“I’m sorry, Danielle. I didn’t think.”
I froze and remembered to ignore her. She still couldn’t hear my thoughts.
“What is going on, Marick?”
“Morganna is making up stories. She would say anything to make Danielle feel unwelcome, Dad.”
“She isn’t the only one that came to me and told me that Danielle was having long conversations with our wisp, Marick.”
He looked at his dad. “Who else?”
“Marick?”
“No, I want to know.”
He looked at me. “Danielle?”
“Dad, she is a human, right?”
“I can’t do this anymore!”
“Danielle, don’t,” Marick warned.
“No, Marick. You said I would be free. I feel more and more trapped every single day I’m here. I’m everything but free.” Tears filled my eyes. “I can’t pretend anymore.”
The king looked back and forth between Marick and me. “Pretend?”
“Danielle, please?”
“I’m a witch, Eli. The potion reset me completely and probably awoken my ability. I can hear Minaut’s thoughts. Marick is scared because of who my ancestors were.”
“You’re a witch? Marick is this true?”
“Dad, no.”
“Marick!” I yelled.
Marick scowled at me.
“You really hate me that much? I can remember everything again, Marick, and you don’t even want to try. You don’t even fight on my behalf. I’m fucking innocent—I never knew the crazy old hag.”
“That’s not how our laws work, Danielle! I told you that! Fucking hell!” he roared in my face.
“Marick.” Eli looked at him, shocked. I sat back down, and Eli continued. “You can be king if Danielle is a witch. That means you never married a human.”
“Dad, please shut up.”
“We can sort this out.”
“No, believe me, we can’t,” he said through clenched teeth.
“She can really hear Minaut’s voice?”
“Dad, please just shut up and pretend that—” A tap on the window came. “No, no, no, no,” Marick muttered quietly.
Eli walked to the window, glancing back worriedly at his son.
There was a crow at the window.
“I told you to keep your mouth shut. I’m going to lose everyone now. It’s not just you, Danielle. It’s Joshua, Emile, and Eva.” I froze as he said that, and he grimaced. “And probably your wisp too.”
“Marick what is the meaning of this.”
“Read it for yourself, Dad. I’m sure everything is in there. I’m going to lose my family, and it’s all your family’s fault. You want to send someone to live with the humans? Send Morganna.” He stormed out of the office. “Go pack your bags now, Danny,” he yelled from the hall, pausing by the door.
“What is going on?”
“We’re leaving,” he said and left.
I found Eli’s eyes on me.
He fell onto the chair and blankly stared at the piece of paper in his hands. His eyes were wide.
“The Barracs?” he asked.
I nodded. “Is it true what he says about Eva, Emile, and Joshua?”
“It’s the Barracs, Danielle. You need to do what Marick says. I’ll try to hold them off as long as I can, but be quick,” he said. “Take Minaut with you.”
“But I’m innocent.”
“Our laws don’t work like that. Go! Now!”
“What is going on?” the queen yelled as she came running in. I bolted past her and went up to my room. Katia and Francine were already helping Eva to pack. Louise came in to help me.
I took a deep, ragged breath. “What is going to happen?”
“Sebastian went to get Joshua and Emile. You need to hide. Minaut will hide you, or so my father told me.”
“Louise—”
“You should’ve denied it, Danielle. It was just Morganna. She’s the meanest at the academy too, a nosy little brat.”
“I can’t do this anymore.” I pulled back.
“The Sentinels are coming, Danielle. My sister didn’t freak out that night for nothing. Pack your bags.”
I did as she said. Eva and I were ready at the same time.
Marick was already downstairs. Minaut dashed past me, yelling Marick’s name. Hearing the panic in her voice, I screamed for Marick too as I ran after her and downstairs to him.
Five guards were on Marick, flattening him to the ground. His ring was laying off to the side. He grunted and growled but they had him in an iron grip.
“No,” Katia said, gasping. “It’s too late. You won’t get away, Danielle.”
Eva cried when they took Marick away. My own tears flowed down my cheeks as Minaut tried to protect herself with magic from the darts being shot
at her.
“Danielle, please. They will kill her,” Eli begged. “Tell her to stop.”
“Minaut, stop. Please.” Heeding my words, she stopped and darts pierced her side. I collapsed and watched helplessly as they took a sleeping Minaut away.
Eva sobbed unconsolably.
More guards flooded in to haul Eva and myself away.
“Where are you taking them?” Eli screamed behind us. “Please, just tell me!”
“Danielle!” Eva screamed.
“Have a heart. Put her with me.” The guard stopped, looked at me, and sighed. “Please?” I begged again.
He did as I asked. Eva clung to my body as they put us in a van.
The king tried everything, but the van stilled pulled us away from our new family.
The guards split us up at another building. I was in a small nine-by-nine room. I couldn’t breathe, and without Marick’s persuasion, I knew I was going to be a mess.”
I cried a lot, wishing I could speak to minds so I could keep Eva calm—she was so fragile. My mom was never going to forgive me. I always failed Eva, time and time again.
“Please, just bring my daughter here. Please? She’s only ten.”
I peered through the small cell window and saw Joshua and Emile storming in.
“I’m the prince,” Joshua yelled.
“Sentinel’s orders, Prince Young. You do not have jurisdiction here.”
“Where is my father?”
“Not here. He cannot do anything for you, neither can the king.”
He shoved Joshua into the room next to me.
I banged on the door. This isn’t happening—it couldn’t be happening. This was dream, and I was going to wake up soon, I told myself over and over as I kept pounding on the door.
Chapter 18
DANIELLE
* * *
Days passed. I didn’t hear news. I got breakfasts, lunch, and dinners in this small room.
At night, I would scream in my sleep, dreaming of the darkness. The guards would shake me hard to wake me up—felt like they were going to break me.
I was so tired, but I could only think about Marick’s words.
It was never about me. He was speaking about Joshua, Emile, and Eva as they too shared my blood, the Barracs’ bloodline.
Playing With Fire Page 39
