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k_a_webbIt wasn’t like Stasia to ask for help from anyone, which worried Mackenzie. “What do you need?”
“Mack, you’re the only person I trust in here. Everyone else…” Stasia shook her head. “I’m not being fair. The majority of the thieves in here are amoral bastards who steal magic in order to make money and I wouldn’t accept their help if they offered it. Some of the others are starting to think, which is going to change things. Father is one of the amoral bastards, someone who isn’t going to want things to change, even though they have to, so I wanted to know if I could stay with you for a while. Just until I bloom.”
“You’re going to bloom?”
“My birthday is six days after Iliana’s. Being able to feel my own body going through the preparations is strange, but at least I know it’s coming. I want to be here when it happens, because I trust you to look after me, while Father is more likely to wait until I’m at the point where the process is most likely to go wrong and steal my magic.”
“He’s your father.”
“That doesn’t change anything. I’m still going to bloom with certain rare abilities that he’ll either want for himself or to sell at the next auction, because they’ll make him a lot of money.”
Mackenzie studied Stasia. She looked much younger than Iliana, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t telling the truth. “I appreciate you telling me that I don’t have to worry about Iliana. Knowing that she’ll be safe…” The worry that had been weighing Mackenzie down seemed to have floated away. “When I get a chance I’ll pass on what I know and in thanks for helping me, more than once, I’m happy to take you in until your eighteenth birthday. It’s not a very big room, but I’m sure things will work out fine.”
“Once I bloom I’ll move in with Rica and Jill.”
“Who?”
“Rica is the girl that Nico brought in to the Hideout, because he was finally making a move on her brother and found the wrong sibling, while Jill’s currently living with O’Connor, thanks to someone whispering a little information in his ear that made him realise he was going to steal the magic of someone he’d hate himself for hurting.”
Like everyone Mackenzie had heard the rumours of the girls being brought in and asking for sanctuary, but her entire focus had been on Iliana, so it wasn’t something she’d really thought about. “You know much more about the Hideout than I do.”
“I’ve lived here my entire life, Mack, and I feel like it’s my job to know as much about this place, and it’s inhabitants, as I can. They tell me their stories, because I’m happy to listen, and I can help them with difficult decisions they need to make, if they want it. Father keeps reminding me there’s a chance I might not bloom, so I’ll have to leave the Hideout, but I know he’s only doing that because he hates the changes that are already happening.”
Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.