Page 38 of Fated for Flames

“Could you repeat that last bit about the matriarch’s succession?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I could feel the weight of the class’s attention on me, but I didn’t dare look away from the professor. I had never really paid much attention to witch politics in the past.

“Of course.” He nodded. “Upon the death of a coven’s matriarch, it is the next most powerful witch within the coven who succeeds.”

A murmur ran through the room at his words; it wasn’t something that was commonly known for whatever reason. Granted, succession didn’t happen often, and we’d all been too young to succeed when Morgana came into power.

My brows furrowed in confusion. “But wouldn’t that mean that I would be the successor for our coven?”

Before Professor Wren could respond, Lia cut in sharply, “Not all covens follow the same rules of succession.”

I turned back to Professor Wren. “What do other covens do?”

“To my knowledge,” he replied, a curious glint in his eyes, “every coven follows this rule of succession.”

I watched as Lia’s face turned an ugly shade of red.

She snapped at me, her voice dripping with venom, “Why so interested all of a sudden? I thought you didn’t want to rule.”

“I don’t,” I replied calmly, “but if I decline, Theo’s sister would be next in line, then Abigail, then Justine…and most likely Ruby after that.”

I didn’t want to aggravate her unnecessarily, especially since I was still hoping to get through to her somehow. But why wasn’t this common knowledge? It seemed like something all of us should know.

Lia huffed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest. “Not everyone is suited to rule. Even if they have a little more power… Besides, I’ll most likely be like my mother and come into my full powers later.”

That reminded me of Morgana’s rise to power. She had been a powerless witch and then suddenly came into her powers as a full-grown adult.

“Does that happen a lot?” I asked Professor Wren. “Full adult witches and warlocks getting added power later in life?”

“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “In fact, the Luminary’s Matriarch was the only one I know of.”

Lia glared at me, her anger palpable. “My mother wouldn’t appreciate us talking about her like this.”

“Why not?” I retorted. “This is History of Witchcraft, right? And wouldn’t the matriarch want us to learn about this? I’m sure other witches and warlocks with low power would love to learn more, especially given that there might be a chance for them to increase it.”

There were murmurs and nods around the classroom, but then the bell rang, cutting off any further conversation.

The classroom buzzed with the shuffle of students packing up, the murmurs of conversation, and the scratch of chairs against the floor. I remained seated, my mind racing with the implications of what I’d just learned.

Was it possible that Morgana had manipulated the rules of succession to become the matriarch? And what did this mean for me?

If I had been the next most powerful witch in line, then by rights, I should have been the one to succeed Morgana. Not Lia. But that didn’t fit with my understanding of things at all. Morgana had made it clear that Lia was her chosen successor.

Then again, I’d never questioned anything before.

Once the room had cleared out, I approached Professor Wren. He was busily scribbling something on a piece of parchment but looked up with a smile as I approached.

“Miss Everhart, do you have any other questions?

“Professor,” I replied, “yes I do.”

He put down his pen and gestured for me to continue.

“Are there any books or resources about matriarch succession?”

He furrowed his eyebrows before replying, “Not many that I’m aware of. It’s mostly passed down through oral tradition. However, we do have a special private collection. I can request for a special authorization so you can access it. I’m sure for a witch such as yourself, it will be approved.”

A witch such as myself?

Was he referring to my powers? Or eyes?

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