Page 21 of Dead Wrong

All I had to do was focus.

“Kneel.”

The heat in my throat smoldered like coal, and the Unseen’s knee buckled for a split second, but then it straightened again, the boy’s eyes squinting to a glare.

“Enough, Tobias,” Mother sighed, releasing her grip on me.

“Please, Mother,” I pleaded, acrid tears stinging my eyes. “I can do this. Give me one more chance.”

“Enough.”

She crossed behind her desk, settling into the plush leather chair before resting her elbows on the edge of the polished wood. When she turned her gaze back to me, it took everything I could not to shy away. “Perhaps the fault lies with me, Tobias. I expected too much. You may share my blood, but you only inherited a fraction of my power. Your unfortunate disposition has made you a liability, and I’m beginning to fear there’s no place for your weakness here.”

Fear swelled in my gut. No place for me here? What did that mean?

“I can do better.”

“No, child, I don’t think you can. And that’s what troubles me. Your sister can bend a dozen soldiers to her will, and yet you struggle with even the basest of creatures.” She motioned at the Unseen boy, causing him to flinch.

Mother continued unbothered, “How can you expect to garner the respect of our community if you lack the resolve to demand it from them? I can assure you, child, they will not give it willingly. You must take it from them.”

I didn’t have an answer.

“A reminder, then. This is what true power looks like, Tobias. Observe.” Mother’s gaze shifted to the Unseen. “Step forward.”

No magic was necessary for the boy to do as he was instructed, his steps silent as he approached the desk.

“Kneel.”

A wave of pure heat washed over me as the Unseen dropped to their knees in a fraction of a second, a grimace washing away his stoic expression.

If Mother felt any strain from the terrifying display of magical strength, she didn’t show it. The lines of her face were smooth, the smallest hint of a curl at the corners of her mouth. It was the closest Mother had to a smile most days.

“You may leave us,” she said, motioning a dismissal to the Unseen boy. With a brisk nod, his body shimmered, the faint halo of light obscuring his features. Then he vanished completely. Mother didn’t move from her seat, but her gaze drifted over to me, and I couldn’t help but cower under the weight of it. She reached into a drawer of her desk, pulling out a long wooden pipe, which she ignited with a wave of her hand. After taking a long drag, she exhaled a cloud of purple smoke that smelled of lilac and maple. “Weakness is not a flaw easily overcome, Tobias. It takes dedication. Sacrifices. An unwavering spirit. If you truly wish to take your place in this family and sit at your sister’s side, you must prove that you deserve to be there!” She took another long inhale, the smoke billowing from her wide nostrils. “Now, tell me. Do you believe you possess the resolve?”

My knees quaked. Even at ten years of age, I knew that I didn’t. I wasn’t special, like Lenny. Like Mother. I was just a boy. What could I possibly do?

“Y-Yes, Mother.”

Rising from her seat, she moved around the desk to tower over me. “You are so fortunate, child, to have a mother who loves you enough to speak the truth to you. There are those in our community who believe that males are to be coddled, nothing more. But I know the value of being underestimated—” She hooked a sharp nail under my chin, pulling it upward to meet her fiery gaze. “A tool with a subtle edge can carve deeper than anyone expects. Hone your edge, child, and you will earn the privilege of being at my side as I lead our people into a new chapter of prosperity.”

The power of her words smothered me, squeezing the air from my lungs as I nodded in agreement. I had been training my entire life to please my mother. To make myself useful to the Greene family.

“I’ll make you proud, Mother.”

She offered me a rare smile. It was not something of warmth nor affection but more of a tight-lipped grin, pulling at the edges of her taut face. But I lapped it up, nonetheless.

“Yes, child. You will.”

A knock on the door spared me from my mother’s attention long enough that I was able to suck in a breath.

“Enter.”

The heavy oak doors swung open, an older Unseen holding it ajar as a woman glided gracefully into the study. She wore robes of pale blue that shimmered at the edges, embroidered with threads of gold. The clothing billowed out from the woman’s full frame, giving her an air of importance before she even opened her mouth to speak. Her dark skin contrasted the pale fabric that framed her face, the rest of her head wrapped in a tight-fitting habit.

The Unseen cleared his throat, announcing, “Her Eminence, Saint Sancha, Cardinal of the Hallowed Church.”

Mother moved from my side to greet the Cardinal, dipping into a low, seasoned curtsy. “Apologies, Your Eminence. My afternoon has run off, and I find myself behind the clock.” She motioned for me to join her, and I quickly did so, bowing as I’d rehearsed a thousand times before. “This is my son, Tobias.”

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