Page 28 of Dead Wrong

My eyes panned to Lynette, who merely sat still in her seat, fixated on Mother. Was she under the same assault?

“You may be my successor,” said Mother in a controlled tone, addressing her daughter. “But my word is still final. This rebellion will meet its end in the manner that all rebellions should. With blood and ash.”

The slightest lip tremble was the only crack in Lynette’s stone expression.

“As you wish, Mother.”

A collective sigh filled the room as the oppressive force lifted, allowing me control of my body once more. The man at the end of the table coughed violently, and Mother tugged casually at the lapels of her blazer.

“Renata,” she addressed the dark-skinned woman to my left. “Your forces must be ready at any moment to mobilize. Has Broussard been able to identify the location of Rudderkin yet?”

“Not yet, Your Grace,” the woman replied. “But I am confident in his abilities. The strike force will be ready when the time comes. You have my word.”

“It would seem as though your word is the only thing you can offer me at the moment,” Mother said through a sigh. “I only hope that you’ve placed your faith in the right man, Renata. I would not have so willingly left my fate in the hands of another. Especially one so weak as a man.”

Renata stiffened in her seat.

“Wise words as always, Your Grace. I thank you for them.”

Just then, Mother’s eyes fluttered closed, a slight twitch under her eye telling me that a message was being delivered to her directly through magical means. When she opened them a moment later, they shimmered with a mirthful glee.

“Madame Creeley has requested an audience with me,” she said, rising from her seat. She addressed the table, towering over us all. “The time has almost arrived, my friends. A new era of peace. May it be the foundation on which you continue to build our legacy, my daughter.”

The rest of the table, minus Lynette, stood to join in Mother’s triumph. I watched my sister, her gaze distant as she stared down at her hands, lips spread into a taut grimace.

Mother’s departure was like a vacuum, sucking all the air out of the room in her absence. The others quickly dispersed, each of Mother’s peons hurrying off to finalize preparations for her newest act of ambition. Lynette lingered in her seat, her eyes still fixed downward.

She was a thousand miles away. I couldn’t blame her. But I also couldn’t deny the frustration building in my gut.

“You knew that she would never change her mind, Lenny. Why even bother?”

My sister looked up, the familiar mask of bravado vacant from her face for the first time in years. She looked…scared. As if she were staring down her worst nightmares brought to life. In many ways, I suppose she was. No matter how powerful Lynette was, I knew her heart. She had always abhorred violence, while Mother wielded it like an extension of herself.

“I can’t be a part of this, Tobi. I can’t let this be my legacy.”

I sank back into my chair, letting out a sigh. “I hate to break it to you, but it already is. For both of us. This is just the latest chapter in the fucked-up history of our family.”

Lynette leveled a blistering glare at me. “How can you be so blasé? Can’t you see what’s going on here? This is exactly how the Reviled Exodus began. Mother won’t be satisfied until the Adored are the only Magi left with power. Until she is the only one.”

“The Reviled were menaces to society,” I argued. “Everyone knows that. They were trying to upset the natural order between life and death. They forced the Council’s hand.”

Lynette bit back a scathing laugh. “Is that what she told you? My gods, Tobi. You’re denser than stone sometimes.”

“Well, excuse me for not being as learned as you, oh great Successor. I’m fortunate the little bit of magic I have is useful to Mother, or else she would have gotten rid of me ages ago.”

“I’m just as powerless against her as you are, Tobi. You saw it—hell, everyone saw it today. I can’t stand up to her. She’s too strong.”

The idea of standing up to Mother was pointless. Here, within the walls of our house, she ruled with absolute power. Lynette was a fool to think otherwise.

“Would you?” I asked, lowering my voice because I never knew who could be listening around the Chateau. “If you had the power to defy her, would you even do it? It’s not just Mother that you’d have to convince, Lenny. The rest of the Council would still have to change their minds as well.”

Lynette doesn’t answer.

“Exactly. So, forget about it, Lenny. Play it safe until you’re the one holding all the power. Then you can do whatever you want. Just like she does.”

Lynette shook her head, a sad smile curling the edges of her mouth. “I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

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