Page 64 of Morning's Light

“Your grandmother, my mother-in-law. She entrusted it to me for safekeeping when her health took a turn for the worse. I’ve never read it, mind you, but it tracks the witches and wizards of the Cavaldi line. Whatever it is you girls are looking for, it could be there. It’s worth a shot.”

The book surprised Aisanna with its heft. She brought it close and hugged it tight against her chest. Scents of ink, dust, and age assaulted her and she drew them in. Yes, this could hold the answers. Something about it spoke to her and she felt a tingling along her scalp line.

Varvara studied her girls carefully. “What exactly do you hope to find, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Aisanna answered for them. “We’ll let you know when we find it.”

Varvara nodded, then proceeded to reinstate the protective wards.

“Let’s go downstairs to the solarium. We won’t be disturbed there.” As they walked, Astix drew on her magic, activating the gems and minerals buried deep in the foundation of the old home. The kind of old power any male of the line should be able to access. At this point, Astix was the only one besides her father with that ability. A female with stone magic was unheard of, unnatural, unpardonable. And it was what got Astix banished immediately after her Awakening.

A purple haze glowed for a moment before disappearing. She sighed and nodded. “It’s good.”

They pushed through a set of double doors into a large, open room made of glass. The tile floor was scuffed in spots, and there were sections where tropical plants grew despite the cold of winter. Their voices echoed.

“Are you sure you can read that thing?” Astix wanted to know, grabbing a cushion from the settee and setting it down in the middle of the floor. She sat on it, crossed her legs, and stared at her sisters.

“I’ve done some research,” Karsia said. She grabbed a chair and dragged it close. “Between the three of us, I think we can muddle through anything.”

“We need answers. You know, I have a feeling about Darkness. When she speaks to us, do you notice anything odd about what she says?” Aisanna knew her question was vague at best.

“Everything,” Astix answered. “She’s targeting us without a concrete reason.”

Karsia shook her head. “Something else. Bigger.”

Aisanna set the book on a table and flipped haphazardly through the pages in hopes something would stick out for her. She handled the worn parchment delicately. Mice apparently had already had plenty of opportunities to nibble over the years. Page corners disappeared under their ministrations, while worms chewed holes alongside them. In some places, the words were so worn away they were nothing but smudges of black ink on the page.

“Hey, don’t look like that. You can handle this.” Astix stood up and placed her hand on Aisanna’s shoulder. “You’re…I don’t know. Unbreakable.”

“Just because I can handle it doesn’t mean I want to. Let’s table that conversation and finish this bitch.”

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