Page 39 of Fated for Flames

“I would appreciate it if you could do that for me,” I said. “Can I ask something else?”

“Certainly.”

I pursed my lips, gathering the courage to ask, “What happened to our previous matriarch?”

I was too young, and my parents’ death had been around the same time. I only overheard some gossip and vague mentions about the former matriarch. The official version always eluded me. Plus, I never asked because I didn’t want to upset the new matriarch.

“Ah,” he said, “you would have been too young to attend the ceremony at the time.” He paused for a moment, seemingly gathering his thoughts. “Our previous matriarch met an unfortunate end,” he began, his voice taking on a solemn tone. “It was a tragic accident.”

This phrasetragic accidentechoed what I had vaguely heard, yet I had no idea of the specifics.

He continued, “During a ceremony, she fell into the bonfire. The coven tried to save her, but it was too late.”

She fell into the bonfire!

A cold chill ran down my spine. “Do you know the specific time of the year that this happened?”

“During the celebration of the autumnal equinox, almost ten years ago,” he answered, lowering his eyes to the parchment with a heavy sigh.

The autumnal equinox.

Ten years ago!

I nodded slowly, not trusting myself to speak. A lump formed in my throat, making it hard to swallow.

“Thank you, Professor,” I managed to choke out.

“Of course, Miss Everhart,” he said. “I will submit your request to access the private collection. You should receive an email from the academy when it’s approved.”

I let out a feeble thank you before leaving the room in a daze, my mind spinning with questions and half-formed suspicions. If what Professor Wren had said was true, then there was a lot more to Morgana’s rise to power than met the eye.

My instincts were screaming at me that everything was connected.

* * *

As soon as I left the classroom, I was met with a glare.

“What the hell was that, Evelyn?” Lia barked with folded arms and red cheeks.

Ruby was hovering at Lia’s side, her gaze darting between us. There was a glint of curiosity in her eyes as if she was on the verge of asking something. Lia, however, shot her a stern look, effectively silencing her.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately,” Lia continued. “You’re taking Tactical Defense Training, mingling with shifters, befriending warlocks from another coven. Mother would never approve of this…this…nonsense! Especially not after what happened in class today.”

Her words echoed around us, and for a moment, I could only stare at her.

My love for this person was immeasurable, and I would have done anything for her. If she had asked, I might have even willingly given away some of my powers.

I took a deep breath. “Getting more exercise, learning about our coven… I don’t see how any of that is wrong,” I finally said, breaking the tense silence between us. “Why is that such a bad thing? And while we’re at it, what happened to you, Lia? What happened to my best friend? Why have you turned against me? What can I do to make things right?”

My heart ached. I was willing to give her another chance, because the alternative, having her as my enemy, was unbearable. Even after everything that had happened, I couldn’t bring myself to hate her completely. Yet here she was, looking at me with actual malice in her eyes.

“There’s nothing you can do.” She turned away, leaving me standing there with Ruby, who looked uncomfortable.

As I walked away, a strange sadness enveloped me. I realized that our friendship, as twisted and toxic as it had become, was now truly over.

I had failed.

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