Page 44 of Muse

“Young girl?” Soren’s eyes bounced between us, and I suddenly felt nervous and queasy. “Have you been letting warlocks and enchanters siphon her magik since she was a child?”

Hearing the condemnation and disgust in his voice made me feel so gross and ashamed. Even though none of it had been my idea. I had not chosen to be a muse or attend the lucenations or meet privately afterward with enchanters who only occasionally had me actually perform in conductions.

Adora let out a frustrated groan of anger. "Mr. Tomoleo, I can only envy the life of privilege you have been fortunate enough to live without having to make difficult choices and do unpleasantwork. But since you so clearly haven't, I suggest you keep your mouth shut about things you can't possibly understand."

“Ms. Dellamousa," Soren emphasized his dropping of her title of Lady. "You keep forgetting that I am an enchanter, my sister is an enchantress, my mother was a muse. I know this world better than you because it is all I have ever known. And I am telling you that no decent person of any kind would subject their children to magickal abuse just to get ahead in society."

For a moment, Adora fell silent, and to an inexperienced person, it would be easy to think that her expression – lips pressed tight into a blood-red line, her eyes dark and startingly blank – was one of defeat.

But that would be a mistake.

“Since I have met you, very little about you has interested me at all,” Adora said, glaring up at him with her unblinking gaze. “But tonight, I must admit that there is one thing about you that I am dying to know, Mr. Tomoleo. What exactly is your interest in my daughter?”

“Professional,” he said, meeting her intense stare. “I am an enchanter, and she is my muse.”

“Yourmuse?” Adora repeated, and he flinched at the word choice. “Not justamuse. Your muse.”

“You know what I meant,” he replied curtly, but it was too late. Adora smelled blood in the water.

"I'm afraid I know all too well what you meant," she said. "Why did you rush over to my home when you knew that no one else would be here to be alone with my daughter in the night?"

“He’d only been here a few minutes before you arrived,” I interjected, but she never even looked my way. She just held up her hand to silence me, but I pressed on, “We only talked about the conduction.”

“What does the Regula say about romances or physical intimacy between enchanters andtheirmuses?" Adora askedSoren, ignoring me altogether. "What do you suppose the Queen and Herve will think of you using romance to manipulate an impressionable but very talented young muse away from them for your own personal benefit?"

“Adora, that isn’t what happened!” I shouted in protest, and she finally looked over at me.

“Isadore, I am your mother, and I have always done everything I can for you,” she said. “Enchanters canneverbe trusted, and Soren has become too dangerous for you. He’s trying to hold you back for his selfish desires, and it’s not good for you. You can never work with him on this or anything else.”

“You don’t get to decide where my musing takes me or who I work with. I am a legal adult,” I said.

“I am still your mother and the Lady of the house,” she reminded me.

My work may have earned the money that paid for the small estate and our titles, but I was still underage when it transpired, meaning that legally, Adora owned it all. I had nothing in my name.

The way she looked at me then, I felt so small, and I wanted to crumple and apologize. And maybe I would have if Soren wasn't there giving me the strength just by his presence, and maybe if I hadn't conquered my fear of silks, and if I hadn't spent so much time away from Adora.

But I had.

"Adora, I appreciate your advice and concern," I spoke slowly, choosing my words carefully, as she glared at me with her arms crossed over her chest. "But I am a grown woman, beyond old enough to make choices about my life. I don't know if I want to perform at the Samonend with Soren, but I do know with absolute certainty that I will not be working with Herve Chaunter, not now or ever again."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her nostrils flared. "I will not have you throwing away all that we have worked for because you have allowed some half-wit magikian to scramble your brains when he flashes you a nice smile. I taught you so much better than that, Isadore."

“I am not throwing anything away,” I insisted. “I am simply making my own choices.”

“No,” she replied flatly. “You are not allowed to make this choice. You will accept the offer from Herve.”

I shook my head. “You can’t force me to perform.”

There was such a fire in her eyes that I knew she'd have slapped me if Soren weren't there. He must have sensed it, too, because he moved closer to me.

"I will not have this level of disobedience in my house," Adora said through gritted teeth. "You will perform when I say, or you will get out."

“Adora, you are being unreasonable,” I tried.

“Do as I say, or get out,” she reiterated quietly.

“I do have a guest flat,” Soren reminded me.

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