Chapter 6
For a few seconds Marion stood outside the door, arms wrapped around herself, but she knew she had to talk to her daughter. She tapped the door gently.
“Anne, can I come in?”
“Of course, Mama.”
Stepping through the door, closing it softly behind her, she looked at Anne.
Marion was silent, Anne watching her mother in the mirror. Had it been Thaddeus she’d have stood, but with it being Marion it didn’t matter as much, and in some ways it was easier, reading the worry in Marion’s eyes.
“Mama, what’s wrong?”
Of course Anne read the emotions Marion couldn’t hide.
“I need to talk to you about something, but before I do I want you to promise me you won’t talk to your father about anything I’m about to share with you.”
“You have my promise, Mama, but this… I know it’s bad.”
“Unfortunately, as much as I wish I could say otherwise, you’re right.” Marion sighed. “Your father… this relates to the Fitzgeralds, Anne.”
“Their new magic.”
It wasn’t a question, but Marion still nodded.
“Grandfather Tyrell was the one who taught your father to hate them.”
“Papa and Grandfather Tyrell were close?”
“Closer than Papa and his own father. At least in the end. It’s a longer story than I have time for, Anne, but know my father is the reason we’re treading this path, and I don’t have enough words to tell you how sorry I am.”
“Mama…”
“I don’t think, even though I wish otherwise, I’m going to be able to stop your father. Our conversation today didn’t go well. He’s so certain of his choices.”
“Then why are you talking to me?”
“You’re my only chance of being able to get through to someone.”
“Titus.”
“He may listen to you. You are his favourite sibling.”
“Do you honestly believe it’ll be enough?”
“All we can do is try, and have a plan if it’s not, because I don’t think he will.”
“Neither do I. When Titus has made his mind up about something there’s no changing it.”
“You all inherited that from your father. Titus, I think, is more entwined in the dark magic than your father, which is going to have an effect on everything. I should have realised sooner, but I guess I hoped this was all done with. Now we’re going back round.”
“Back round?”
“There’s so much you don’t know. I should have shared more long before this, but it’s too late now. The short version is I let my need to make Father proud lead me into making some very bad choices. I don’t want any of you to do the same.”
“Like marry Father?”
Silence followed, so Anne changed the subject.
“Titus has made his own choices, Mama, whether you want to believe that or not. He’s always craved power. It may even be him drawing Papa down that path.”
“It may. Titus and I have never been close, even though I tried to connect with him.”
Anne looked down. Marion didn’t know.
“Titus sees you as weak, because you didn’t follow in Grandfather Tyrell’s footsteps. He believes you should have done more with the gift you were given.”
“You’ve spoken with your brother about this?”
“No, I’ve just heard him ranting downstairs. I know he’s got his own plans.”
“Do you think the same?”
“Of course not. I know you had good reasons for making the choices you did. Titus can’t see it, because he is too entrenched in his own beliefs. Power is more important than anything.”
“Exactly like Grandfather Tyrell.”
“How else can I help, Mama?”
“I hate this. You shouldn’t be thinking about any of this. Rather than letting your father keep Father’s journals I should have burnt them, but a part of me didn’t want to. Even now I still feel so conflicted about him, and about this, when I should. Not when it’s harming you.”
“You aren’t to blame for this.”
“I feel like I am. How didn’t I see this sooner? Especially Titus. By pretending everything was fine I’ve let all of you down, and now we’re here. You have no idea how bad things may become.”
“Then tell me. Explain this. I deserve to know.”
“You do, and I’m sorry I’ve kept this hidden for so long.” Marion’s eyes met with Anne’s in the mirror. “This is a mistake I’ll never be able to undo, that’s not only going to affect us. First you need to know Father was obsessed with the idea of immortality.”
“Living forever?”
“Living forever was how he thought he’d be able to gain more power. He wanted control over all those with any kind of magic.”
“Vampires, spellcasters, mermaids, werewolves…”
“The list is long, Anne, and Father wanted it all.”
“Now Titus does.”
“Without understanding.”
“Titus knows black magic is dangerous.”
“Yes, he does, but does he understand how dangerous? Something like this can go very wrong.”
“Maybe that’s exactly what he’s planning on.”
“What do you mean?”
“Father and Titus both want control. They can’t both have it, can they?”
Silence followed those words, as Marion tried to wrap her thoughts around that truth.
“You think Titus is using Thaddeus as much as Thaddeus plans on using the Fitzgeralds.”
“Titus plans on using everyone. Including us, Mama. It’s who he is. It’s who he always been.”
Marion might not want to believe it, but Anne always saw it. Only she wasn’t certain he planned on using all of them. He only cared about one person in the family.
“How certain are you of this?”
“Certain enough I know the only way to for you protect yourself it to be far away.”
“I can’t. Not if I want to protect your father and brother.”
“Mama…”
“What I want you to do, if you can’t talk Titus out of this, is to get yourself and at least one of the Fitzgeralds away from here.”
“Convincing Matthew will be easier than any of the others.”
Dante might listen too, although he might end up making similar choices to Marion, because he wanted to protect people.
“Then that’s what you do. I’ll make sure Issac’s waiting for you, because he’ll be able to help you.”
“What happens if the ritual does go wrong?”
“Focus on what can be changed, Anne. If the ritual goes forward dark magic will begin to transform everything, one way or another.”
“I will, Mama, but this…”
“You shouldn’t be taking the weight on your shoulders. Asking what I am is hard enough. Let the rest go.”
As though it was that easy. There were possibilities, whether or not Marion wanted her to be thinking of them, but she wouldn’t say more.
“I’ll talk to Titus when I can.”
“Thank you.”
“Do I say anything particular?”
“No, Anne. Speak from the heart. It may be enough.”
It might be, but it probably wouldn’t. Thaddeus, of the two of them, would be easier to deal with, because Titus was more like his grandfather. That was probably the reason for his connection to those journals.
“Whatever happens know I love you, Anne. Live your life happily.”
“Mama…”
“I know we’ve got time, but this might be the last chance we have to speak alone, so I want to make the most of it. However it works out with Titus I am proud of you, and I know you’ll be capable of building the future you always dreamed of.”
Without everyone else.
Alone, in a world transformed in some way by dark magic. Those were easy words to say, but it was much more complicated to know what the future would hold, and Anne knew they were think the same thing.
“I’ll do the best I can, Mama.”
“That’s all I ask, and Issac will be there.”
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